Cubs

The Cubs settled on Mike Quade as the team's manager after an impressive late-season audition, agreeing to a two-year contract with a club option for 2013. Quade took over as the Chicago skipper on Aug. 23 following Lou Piniella's abrupt retirement the day before and led the Cubs to a 24-13 record over the season's final 37 games, the second-best mark during that span. The 53-year-old Quade completed his eighth season with the organization. He previously served as the team's third-base coach for nearly four seasons before replacing Piniella.

If you have a small child, you're used to avoiding situations where there's an expectation of quiet. Flying's no fun, the theater's out, and museums are off the list too. But rethink that last one: The Walters Art Museum has a program called Waltee's Cubs for ages through 18 months. On a day when the Walters is typically closed, it opens its doors for babies for engaging learning activities in one of the exhibit areas, then a half-hour of free play and art in the studios. I attended January's "Funny Faces" event with my 1-year-old, Aaron, last week.

The Rays are excited about catcher Robinson Chirinos, acquired from the Cubs in the Matt Garza trade. He could push Kelly Shoppach, an October scapegoat for Rays fans, in a platoon with John Jaso, a left-handed hitter who emerged as the potential regular last season. … Daniel Bard is pushing the Red Sox to take a look at him as a starting pitcher after the acquisition of Bobby Jenks seemingly eliminated his role as heir apparent to Jonathan Papelbon . … Felix Pie appears to be a loser in the Orioles' signing of Vladimir Guerrero . Luke Scott , who was primarily a designated hitter in 2010, likely will be a regular in left field, which was split between Pie and Nolan Reimold . … Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail maintained his 25-year streak of not going to arbitration when he reached agreement with Jeremy Guthrie on the eve of a scheduled hearing.

Former Major League Baseball utility infielder Ryan Freel, who played briefly for the Baltimore Orioles, has died at the age of 36. Freel's death was first reported late Saturday afternoon by First Coast News in Freel's hometown, Jacksonville, Fla. A few hours later, Jacksonville.com reported that the cause of death was suicide, reportedly a self-inflicted shotgun blast, according to Sgt. Mike Paul of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office....

When it comes to picking real estate for her long winter's nap, Mama Bear has expensive taste. She's 327 pounds and likes her space. So it was no surprise to state wildlife managers that for the second time in three years, the pregnant sow chose to hibernate and give birth under the back porch of a high-end Deep Creek Lake vacation home. And for a second time, Harry Spiker came to evict her and her family. No hard-hearted landlord, Spiker is chief bear biologist for the Department of Natural Resources.

The Chicago Cubs traded second baseman Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians yesterday. Some of you are asking if this means that the on-again, off-again trade talks involving Brian Roberts and the Cubs might be on again. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/schmuckblog)

The Chicago Cubs and Baltimore apparel maker Under Armour will continue their marketing partnership after the baseball franchise dropped its lawsuit involving a multimillion-dollar sponsorship agreement. Under Armour announced Tuesday that it will remain the only advertiser on the Wrigley Field outfield wall. Two years ago, Under Armour became the first sponsor to place advertisements on two 7-foot-by-12-foot doors set into the ballpark's ivy-covered left- and right-field walls. In January, the Cubs accused Under Armour of reneging on a promised $10.8 million, five-year sponsorship agreement after its profits declined.

It has been 63 years since local tavern owner William Sianis and his pet billy goat were asked to leave Wrigley Field during the last World Series to grace its Friendly Confines, but the legend it spawned refuses to die. The "Curse of the Billy Goat" is as much a part of Chicago Cubs history as Tinker to Evers to Chance, the double-play combination that played such a large part in the most recent Cubs world championship, which - at last count - was...

CLEVELAND -- Cliff Lee (6-5) outpitched and outlasted Greg Maddux (7-7), and Cleveland broke a four-game losing streak. Lee allowed one earned run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings in his first career start against the Cubs. The left-hander has bounced back nicely from a 1-4 record in May, going 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA in four starts this month Maddux gave up four runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings and lost for the seventh time in 10 starts. After starting the season 5-0, Maddux is 2-7 with a 6.83 ERA since May 3.

The Chicago Cubs placed oft-injured pitcher Danny Jackson on the disabled list yesterday for the second time this season and recalled right-hander Frank Castillo from the Class AAA Iowa Cubs.Castillo, 22, is scheduled to make his major-league debut today against the Pittsburgh Pirates. A sixth-round pick in the June 1987 draft, Castillo was 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts for Iowa.Jackson was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 20, with a lower abdominal strain. Jackson (1-2, 5.67 ERA in six starts)

Mary Ann Malinowski, a homemaker and former longtime Southeast Baltimore resident, died Oct. 22 of complications from dementia at Keswick Multi-Care Center. She was 93. Mary Ann Essel was born and raised in a home on Elsrode Avenue. She was a graduate of the old St. Paul's Secretarial School, family members said. She was married in 1936 to Walter S. Malinowski Sr., who was chief maintenance engineer at the Esskay meatpacking plant in Highlandtown. He died in 1981. Mrs. Malinowski lived on Woodstock Avenue in Southeast Baltimore before moving to Keswick about 20 years ago. She had been a den mother for Cub Scout Troop 92 and was a fan of the Roman Catholic Shrine of the Little Flower's Drum and Bugle Corps.

Right-handed pitcher Miguel Socolovich has been claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs. The Orioles had designated Socolovich for assignment Aug. 14, giving them 10 days to trade, release or ask waivers on the 26-year-old Venezuelan. He was designated to clear room on the 40-man roster for lefty J.C. Romero, who was reaquired through a trade with the Cleveland Indians. The Cubs have optioned Socolovich to Triple-A Iowa. Socolovich made his major league debut July 14 and apeared in six games for the Orioles, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits in 10 1/3 innings of relief (for a 6.97 ERA)

What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence? Time to get a new fence! When does an elephant have eight legs? When there are two elephants! And when does the Equestrian Center become overrun with joke-telling boys? When it's the week of the Harford County District Cub Scout Day Camp! These are only a sampling of the jokes visitors to the Harford County Equestrian Center and surrounding fields (better known to some as the site of the Harford County Farm Fair)

On Sunday afternoon, the Washington Nationals copied the formula that gave them two victories to start this season — except for the important part. Their offense stalled. Their pitching, in this case seven stellar innings from Jordan Zimmermann, kept them in the game. They staggered the Chicago Cubs in the final innings. They just never completed the comeback. In a 4-3 loss before an announced 31,973 at Wrigley Field, the Nationals nearly shocked the Cubs again after Adam LaRoche drilled a two-out home run in the top of the ninth, an offensive spasm after another punchless beginning.

SARASOTA, Fla. - It seemed apparent for a week, after Ryan Flaherty 's competition for the Orioles' utility infielder spot departed camp, but on Monday, it became official. Orioles manager Buck Showalter told Flaherty, the Orioles' Rule 5 Draft pick this offseason, in front of the team that he was making the club's Opening Day roster. "It's been great, it's been a great spring I know that for sure," Flaherty said. "And [it's been] a lot, you go from being left unprotected to being taken by a team all the way up to this point.

Developers in some parts of northeastern Baltimore County would no longer be able to squeeze new properties onto existing lots without a new road, under a bill introduced by three County Council members Monday. The bill, set for a vote next month, would ban new "panhandle lots" in Parkville, Cub Hill and Carney, a move meant to control density. It was introduced by David Marks, a Perry Hall Republican; Cathy Bevins, a Middle River Democrat; and Todd Huff, a Lutherville Republican.

CHICAGO - Somewhere, a child awoke yesterday on a dry pillow in a world of light and love and laughter. Somewhere, an old man smiled, warmed by one more October glow to carry him into the winter and beyond. Somewhere, baseball rewards rather than punishes. Somewhere, just not here. Here, you keep stepping on that same rug no matter how often it's pulled out from under you. Here, you have said "next year" so many times, you might as well save time and say, "next century." Here, bad things happen to good fans.

The Chicago Cubs are owned by a media giant, but while the Fox Dodgers and Disney Angels play dueling checkbooks in Southern California, they are taking a far more fiscally conservative approach on the north side of the Windy City.The Cubs, owned by the Tribune Co., are for the most part standing pat with the team that reached the playoffs in 1998."The starting pitching was OK and Rod Beck saved a lot of games for us," manager Jim Riggleman said. "We won 90 games with that formula, so we'll pretty much stay with it."

The predicament the Orioles are facing with utility player Ryan Flaherty is one of the most difficult decisions to be made here in spring training. And in an organization in desperate need of promising young talent like Flaherty but tight on 25-man roster spots, the decision becomes more perplexing. The Orioles selected Flaherty, a first-round sandwich pick of the Chicago Cubs' in 2008, in December's annual Rule 5 draft, which allows teams to select certain players not protected on other teams' 40-man rosters.

People have been able to go to the zoo in Aschersleben, Germany, to catch a glimpse of these two, playful cuties. They're on view for one hour every day. The cubs don't have names yet. They were born on Oct. 28.