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Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Now the Chicago Cubs are really getting beat up — by each other.

Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett shoved each other in the dugout, then the pitcher busted his teammate’s lip in the clubhouse so badly that Barrett wound up in a hospital.

Oh yeah, the Cubs lost again, 8-5 to the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

“I only have so many players that I can play. You know?” manager Lou Piniella said during a postgame media session with reporters that escalated into shouting. “And it’s about time some of them start playing like major leaguers! Or, get somebody else in here that can catch the damn ball or run the bases properly! All right? That’s all I can say!”

Piniella left the interview room, muttering a profanity along the way. It wasn’t clear if he was singling out Barrett, who had a baserunning blunder earlier in the week, or referring to the whole team.

Both players will be disciplined Saturday, according to the manager.

“These things shouldn’t happen,” Piniella said earlier in the session. “Go fight the other team if you have to. Amongst yourselves? It happens, but it really shouldn’t.”

Atlanta had just scored five runs in the top of the fifth to increase its lead to 7-1. Jeff Francoeur’s two-run double made it 4-1 and, with runners on first and second, Barrett allowed a passed ball and threw wildly to third for an error that let Scott Thorman score. Pitcher Kyle Davies (3-3) and Kelly Johnson followed with RBI doubles.

Zambrano (5-5) was seen pointing at his head and yelling at the catcher in the dugout before the bottom half, while Barrett pointed toward the field. There was shoving and some slaps.

Zambrano cocked his right fist as they were being separated. Piniella said Zambrano was upset about the passed ball, and the manager along with several players walked the pitcher back to the clubhouse. Piniella told Zambrano to take a shower and go home, then returned to the dugout.

Moments later, a clubhouse attendant could be seen telling Piniella something. Derrek Lee jumped up and headed into the tunnel, and Piniella and pitching coach Larry Rothschild followed.

“Michael went up there,” Piniella said. “I was watching the game.”

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Piniella also banished Barrett, who was being examined after the game at a hospital.

“You don’t want to see people fight one another on your own team,” he said. “You don’t want to see it. You really don’t. And at the same time, you don’t like to see some of the silliness that’s going on the field.

Scott Eyre relieved Zambrano, who was pitching on his 26th birthday and allowed a career-high 13 hits in five innings. Koyie Hill, who had just been called up from Triple-A Iowa, replaced Barrett.

“Your whole family’s watching, and that’s the last thing you want,” Chicago’s Aramis Ramirez said.

General manager Jim Hendry, who was on a scouting trip, said Barrett received stitches to close the cut.

“It’s disappointing,” Hendry said. “You certainly don’t like to see that. Frustration set in. You’ve got two guys who care about winning.”

Assistant general manager Randy Bush said: “As an organization, we’re very disappointed about the incident between Michael and Carlos. They’re two highly competitive, caring individuals, who put a lot into the game. Frustrations boiled over. It can happen. … We’re very disappointed. I think it shows the level of frustration among the players, the coaches, the general manager, the front office.”

Atlanta felt sorry for the Cubs.

“In baseball, you never want to see that,” Francoeur said. “Even on the other team, no matter how bad stuff is. That’s an unfortunate incident but they’re professionals and I’m sure they’ll make up and move on.”

Davies allowed one run and six hits in seven innings for the Braves, who had a season-high 20 hits. Davis, Johnson, Edgar Renteria and Willie Harris had three apiece.

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Chicago has lost nine of 11 and is 22-30 — not exactly the start the Cubs were looking for after spending $300 million to bring in Piniella along with free agents Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis.

Chicago committed several baserunning blunders — one by Barrett — Tuesday in a 9-4 loss to Florida that Piniella had said “might be our worst game of the year.” A day later, the players held a lengthy pregame meeting, and Piniella and team executives had one of their own. Then, the Marlins beat them 9-0.

It was just as bad Friday.

Johnson sent a pop to shallow left on the game’s second pitch and it fell for a single as shortstop Ryan Theriot seemed to lose it in the sun. With one out, Ramirez bobbled Renteria’s grounder to third and had to settle for getting the runner at first instead of a possible double play. Brian McCann then singled to put the Braves ahead to stay.

Cubs right fielder Matt Murton dropped a fly in the fourth, allowing another run to score.

“We’re a bad team right now,” Lee said.

Although they won for the third time in four games, the Braves got some more bad news on third baseman Chipper Jones. He’ll go on the 15-day disabled list with a bruised right hand on Saturday, manager Bobby Cox said. Jones has been experiencing pain in both hands since a baserunning collision on May 11 and had missed his eighth straight game.

Chicago Cubs takes Alfonso Soriano for 8 years

(Reuters) – Five-times All-Star Alfonso Soriano has agreed an eight-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, the club said on Monday.

Media reports said the Cubs had spent $136 million to acquire Soriano, the fifth most expensive deal in Major League history behind Alex Rodriguez’s $252 million contract, Derek Jeter’s $189 million, Manny Ramirez’s $160 million, and Todd Helton’s $141.5 million.

They said adding Soriano’s power to a potent line-up featuring re-signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez and returning first baseman Derrek Lee was a clear sign management wanted to reverse the club’s losing ways.

Under former manager Dusty Baker, the Cubs finished last in the National League’s Central Division with a 66-96 record in 2006. They have not won a World Series since 1908, the longest drought in the sport. Baker was replaced by Lou Piniella.

The Cubs’ owner, media conglomerate Tribune Co. is seeking offers for the entire company. It could also be broken off and sold in pieces, with some businessmen expressing interest in acquiring the team.

Soriano, 30, was one of Major League Baseball’s most sought-after free agents, as the only player to hit at least 40 home runs, 40 doubles and steal 40 bases in a single season.

Soriano balked initially last season when he was switched to left field from second base by the Washington Nationals, but compiled a .277 batting average with 46 home runs, 41 doubles, 95 runs batted in, and 41 stolen bases. He also led National League outfielders with 22 assists. He has a career average of .280.