Grace says Cubs still National League's best bet

Regardless of their place in the standings, the Cubs' place in history causes hysteria following any defeat - especially when it's four out of five and two straight to the White Sox.

But these words ought to calm some nerves and allay some fears.

"The Cubs are by far the best team in the National League,'' said former Cub Mark Grace, who partnered with Thom Brennaman on the Fox broadcast Saturday. "Obviously, they can hit. If (Carlos) Zambrano's healthy, they'll be fine. That's the key. They need Zambrano healthy.''

It continues to be, by all accounts and by any substantive measure, a dreadful National League, as bad as anyone can remember.

Nevertheless, someone has to emerge, and one objective voice sees the Chicago entry as the most likely survivor.

Grace not only watches the Diamondbacks - who ousted the Cubs last October - on a daily basis, as a color analyst in Arizona, but he's also never been shy about ripping his former club, so his thoughts carry some weight.

"Of the three, Chicago, Philly and Arizona, the Diamondbacks have the best pitching, but they just can't score,'' Grace said. "A lot of those young guys had great years last year, and started well this year, but the league has made adjustments, and now it's up to them to make adjustments back.''

In runs scored, the Cubs are first in the league, Philly's second and Arizona's ninth, and their pitching staffs, in the same order, rank 3-4-5, but come the postseason when runs are scarce, Arizona's still capable of beating teams 2-1.

"Yeah, that's true, and that's a long time from now,'' Grace said. "Philly's got a nice club, too. They've got starting pitching and (closer) Brad Lidge has been lights out, and they can hit.

"But it's tough to go against the Cubs right now. They've got the best lineup, and as soon as they get healthy, they're the best team in the league.''

Best at-bat

When he arrived back in the dugout after his home run put the Sox ahead for good Saturday, Carlos Quentin was as surprised as anyone.

"He said he was having a lot of trouble seeing (Carlos) Marmol because of the shadows,'' said hitting coach Greg Walker. "He's hard to see even if the light is perfect. He's that good.''

Quentin never would have given the White Sox a 6-5 lead in the seventh if not for some Bernie Carbo-style foul balls first.

Down 0-2 to Marmol, Quentin barely tipped straight into the dirt a slider that seemed already past him. The next pitch was another slider, and fooled again, Quentin pulled a one-handed foul over the Sox' dugout.

Marmol then tried to sneak a fastball away and Quentin powered it 366 feet into the right-field bleachers.

"He's got the quickest bat I've ever seen,'' said Nick Swisher. "He hit a 95-mph fastball. It's not like it was a bad pitch by Marmol. You got to tip your cap to (Quentin) there.''

Inside pitch

After he destroyed them last weekend, the Sox continued to pound Aramis Ramirez inside for the second straight game.

Ramirez is 0-for-9 in the series, including a weak groundout with a pulled-in infield, the tying run on third, and one out on the ninth Saturday.

Bobby Jenks began that at-bat with a high, hard one inside that shook Ramirez off the plate.

On the mend

Pitching coach Don Copper is over the embarrassment of his pulled hamstring, and even added, "As Curt Schilling said, it's possible I've thrown my last big-league pitch.''

But it doesn't mean Cooper's sorry he got angry about a check-swing call in L.A. that he thought should have been strike three.

"Our guys are busting their butts for us and we needed that call and deserved that call, and the guy wasn't paying attention,'' Cooper said. "I'm over it now and I'll probably apologize to the (umpire) next time I see him. I deserved to get thrown out, but I don't regret getting mad.

"If I don't fight for my pitchers, who's going to?''

Play of the game

With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Geovany Soto hammered a 1-0 pitch from Javy Vazquez that appeared headed for left field and 2 runs, but Sox third baseman Joe Crede took one step to his left, fully extended and made a fabulous diving stab to end the inning.

North vs. South

While fans get wrapped up in such matters, Ozzie Guillen said he knew nothing about the Cubs when he played for the White Sox.

"I knew Shawon Dunston from playing in Venezuela,'' Guillen explained. "We had one exhibition game and I called Sandberg, 'Jim Sandberg.' He turned around and said, 'My name's Ryne, not Jim.' That's how much we followed each other.''

Most surprising sign

The scoreboard proposal that read: "Helen Keller, Will you marry me?''

Worst start

A reporter addressing Nick Swisher as "Steve,'' before asking the ever-polite Swisher a postgame question Saturday.

Saturday, in the park

Mark Grace on turning 44 Saturday in Chicago: "What better town to celebrate it in?''

And finally -

White Sox GM Ken Williams, on being a target for critics: "Nobody in this town takes more (grief) than I do. Well, not including Ozzie, but he's crazy. Excluding crazy people, nobody takes more (stuff) than I do.''

brozner@dailyherald.com