Editing Chicago Cubs (section)

====2007–2008: Back to back division titles====
[[File:Alfonso Soriano 4.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Alfonso Soriano]] signed with the club in 2007.]]
{{Main|2007 Chicago Cubs season|2008 Chicago Cubs season}}
After finishing last in the NL Central with 66 wins in 2006, the Cubs re-tooled and went from "worst to first" in 2007. In the offseason they signed [[Alfonso Soriano]] to a contract at eight years for $136&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite web |last = Muscat |first = Carrie |date = November 20, 2006 |url = http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061120&content_id=1743683&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |title = Cubs complete blockbuster with Soriano |work = MLB.com |access-date = July 18, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and replaced manager [[Dusty Baker]] with fiery veteran manager [[Lou Piniella]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=chc&coachorstaffid=120586 |title = Lou Piniella Bio |work = MLB.com |access-date = July 18, 2007 |archive-date = July 16, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716111818/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=chc&coachorstaffid=120586 |url-status = dead }}</ref> After a rough start, which included a brawl between [[Michael Barrett (baseball)|Michael Barrett]] and [[Carlos Zambrano]], the Cubs overcame the [[2007 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]], who had led the division for most of the season. The Cubs traded Barrett to the Padres, and later acquired catcher [[Jason Kendall]] from Oakland. Kendall was highly successful with his management of the pitching rotation and helped at the plate as well. By September, [[Geovany Soto]] became the full-time starter behind the plate, replacing the veteran Kendall. Winning streaks in June and July, coupled with a pair of dramatic, late-inning wins against the [[2007 Cincinnati Reds season|Reds]], led to the Cubs ultimately clinching the NL Central with a record of 85–77. They met [[2007 Arizona Diamondbacks season|Arizona]] in the [[2007 National League Division Series|NLDS]], but controversy followed as Piniella, in a move that has since come under scrutiny,<ref>{{cite news |first = David |last = Sheinin |title = Cleveland... And Lou Piniella's bold/idiotic move |date = October 4, 2007 |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] |url = http://blog.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2007/10/cleveland_and_lou_piniellas_bo.html |access-date = June 11, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081014021258/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal/2007/10/cleveland_and_lou_piniellas_bo.html |archive-date = October 14, 2008 }}</ref> pulled Carlos Zambrano after the sixth inning of a pitcher's duel with [[Arizona Diamondbacks|D-Backs]] [[ace (baseball)|ace]] [[Brandon Webb]], to "....save Zambrano for (a potential) Game 4." The Cubs, however, were unable to come through, losing the first game and eventually stranding over 30 baserunners in a three-game Arizona sweep.<ref>{{cite news |title = Arizona Diamondbacks Sweep Chicago Cubs in 3-Game Series |date = October 6, 2007 |publisher = [[Fox News]] |url = http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,299903,00.html |agency = Associated Press |access-date = June 11, 2008 }}</ref>

[[File:Zambrano2.JPG|thumb|left|180px|[[Carlos Zambrano]] warming up before a game]]The Tribune company, in financial distress, was acquired by real-estate mogul Sam Zell in December 2007. This acquisition included the Cubs. However, Zell did not take an active part in running the baseball franchise, instead concentrating on putting together a deal to sell it.

The Cubs successfully defended their National League Central title in [[2008 Major League Baseball season|2008]], going to the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1906–08. The offseason was dominated by three months of unsuccessful trade talks with the [[Baltimore Orioles|Orioles]] involving 2B [[Brian Roberts (baseball)|Brian Roberts]], as well as the signing of [[Chunichi Dragons]] star [[Kosuke Fukudome]].<ref>{{cite news |first = Lucy |last = Nicholson |title = Cubs Sign Fukudome |date = December 12, 2007 |url = http://chicagoist.com/2007/12/12/cubs_sign_fukud.php |work = Chicagoist.com |access-date = July 14, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090102134510/http://chicagoist.com/2007/12/12/cubs_sign_fukud.php |archive-date = January 2, 2009 }}</ref> The team recorded their 10,000th win in April, while establishing an early division lead. [[Reed Johnson]] and [[Jim Edmonds]] were added early on and [[Rich Harden]] was acquired from the [[2008 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] in early July.<ref>{{cite news |title = Cubs trade four players to A's for pitchers Harden, Gaudin |date = July 9, 2008 |publisher = [[ESPN]] |url = https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=3478902&type=story |access-date = July 14, 2008 }}</ref> The Cubs headed into the All-Star break with the NL's best record, and tied the league record with eight representatives to the [[2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star game]], including catcher Geovany Soto, who was named [[Rookie of the Year (award)|Rookie of the Year]]. The Cubs took control of the division by sweeping a four-game series in Milwaukee. On September 14, in a game moved to [[Miller Park (Milwaukee)|Miller Park]] due to [[Hurricane Ike]], Zambrano pitched a no-hitter against the [[2008 Houston Astros season|Astros]], and six days later the team clinched by beating [[2008 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis]] at Wrigley. The club ended the season with a 97–64 record<ref>{{cite news |first = Mike |last = Fitzpatrick |title = Marquis' slam leads Cubs over stumbling Mets |date = September 22, 2008 |work = [[Yahoo! Sports]] |url = https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AnN.kp_oxFb6.rMK7TDikCgRvLYF?gid=280922121&prov=ap |archive-url = https://archive.today/20120714085508/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=AnN.kp_oxFb6.rMK7TDikCgRvLYF?gid=280922121&prov=ap |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 14, 2012 |agency = Associated Press |access-date = September 23, 2008 }}</ref> and met [[2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles]] in the [[2008 National League Division Series|NLDS]]. The heavily favored Cubs took an early lead in Game 1, but [[James Loney (baseball)|James Loney]]'s grand slam off [[Ryan Dempster]] changed the series' momentum. Chicago committed numerous critical errors and were outscored 20–6 in a Dodger sweep, which provided yet another sudden ending.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081004&content_id=3590404&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |title = Cubs' season ends with Game 3 in LA |date = October 5, 2008 |access-date = August 31, 2009 |first = Carrie |last = Muskat |work = MLB.com |archive-date = January 25, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090125114202/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081004&content_id=3590404&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |url-status = dead }}</ref>