The Chicago Cubs managed to stay relatively healthy last season en route to winning their second straight NL Central title. 

The Chicago Cubs managed to stay relatively healthy last season en route to winning their second straight NL Central title. 

CINCINNATI - His entire infield was wiped out, as if the swine flu swept through the clubhouse, and his bench was thinner than half a vanilla wafer. 

Cincinnati - This round was actually competitive. 

INSIDE PITCH 

Cincinnati - SeveralMilwaukeeBrewers players had similar opinions regarding Los Angeles Dodgers star leftfielder Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. 

--3B Bill Hall was in the starting lineup Thursday for the first time since Monday night in Pittsburgh. 

This was not how Carlos Corporan envisioned making his big-league debut, but he wasn't complaining. 

--RHP Braden Looper was 2-0 with a 2. 

All through spring training, theMilwaukeeBrewers' starting pitchers were bashed, battered, pounded, pummeled, raked and roughed up. 

Randy Wells isn't going to make anyone forget Carlos Zambrano, but he'll try to be an effective replacement for the staff ace of the Chicago Cubs on Friday night when he makes his first major league start in the opener of a three-game series with the Milw 

Micah Owings helped the ailing Cincinnati Reds feel a little better. 

CINCINNATI - Happily, even delightedly so, Dusty Baker discussed hisReds pitchers before the start of Cincinnati's twogame home series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, May 6. 

CINCINNATI - Four shutouts in six games, and then this. 

--3B Bill Hall was out of the lineup for a second consecutive game Wednesday, but it wasn't because his slight hamstring strain prevented him from playing.