Cubs

British animal trainer Martin Lacey jr. shows off a white lion cub born at the end of August at the Circus Krone in Hamburg,  Germany. The rare birth has set off discussions in Germany about whether the circus should be banned from having wild animals.

Happy birthday cuties! Panda cubs Po and De De discover and then devour the cake made to celebrate their first birthday. The cubs were partying during celebration in their honor this month at the Madrid Zoo. The panda cubs were born on September 7, 2010 in Madrid. They are the first giant panda twins to be born by artificial insemination outside China.

Maternal love! African lion mama Annie licks one of her three 2-month-old cubs inside an open-air cage at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia on August 11. The cubs were born on June 12. Annie had just began to walk with her babies outside the more-closed space where the cubs were born. Photo: REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin

August 18, 1972: The Orioles acquired Tommy Davis in a trade with the Cubs for Elrod Hendricks.

I’m glad Major League Baseball has changed its stance on sharing video, because I wouldn’t have been able to pass along this video of a Cubs fan trying to gun down Miguel Tejada at home plate after a home run. I know, Tejada, now with the Giants, couldn't be tagged out because he smashed the ball into the bleachers -- and because fans can't throw players out -- but check out the throw as Miggy is rounding the bases. [ Via Deadspin ]

Whispers It's no coincidence the two managers to resign in midseason, Jim Riggleman and Edwin Rodriguez, were the two lowest-paid in the majors. Riggleman, in his third season with the Nationals and 12th as a manager, was earning $600,000, according to sources. That's more than $200,000 less than Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. Riggleman may wish he had handled his situation differently, but you can see why he said he never felt "respected. " … The group of pre-1980 players who were awarded pensions in a deal MLB and the players union announced April 21 still hasn't received any money.

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.

Michael Young is one of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen 's favorite players. He long has been one of Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo's favorite hitting pupils and could fill a nagging need of the Cubs as a leadoff hitter/second baseman. Could Young wind up in spring training with one of Chicago's teams instead of the Rangers? It's a possibility. A trade to the Cubs or White Sox — or Dodgers, Mets, Rockies, Astros or Tigers, for that matter — makes more sense than anything that has happened to Young since he helped push the Rangers, his team for the last 10 seasons, to the World Series.

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.