Cubs shoot down Bradley trade rumor

One Cubs official called it "irresponsible" reporting.

For a few minutes Saturday, a rumor had sprouted and grown that the Cubs were going to trade outfielder Milton Bradley to the Detroit Tigers.

Apparently, the rumor somehow began with White Sox TV analyst Steve Stone and was spread by WGN radio's David Kaplan on a Web site. Cubs people said no one ever checked with them before the rumor was posted.

The Cubs said they have never talked about trading Bradley to any team. A plugged-in person in Detroit also said there was nothing to the rumor. Bradley, who hit a pinch homer in Saturday's 5-3 win over Detroit, has struggled for much of the year at the plate. He's in the first season of a three-year, $30 million contract.

Farm fresh: The Iowa Express sent another one the Cubs' way Saturday, and to hear one former member of the Express tell it, the Cubs' farm system isn't getting enough credit.

When the Cubs put pitcher Ted Lilly on the disabled list, they called up right-hander Justin Berg from Class AAA Iowa.

Berg, 25, is looking to make his major-league debut. At Iowa, he was 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 24 relief appearances. A sinkerball pitcher, he had allowed 1 homer in 36 innings.

Pitcher Kevin Hart, who got the victory Saturday, noted the success of many from the system this year.

"I think it's kind of funny because everything you read on our minor-league system, it gets knocked a lot," said Hart, who came up from Iowa this year. "Everybody that's come up here has done such a great job."

Hart cited Randy Wells, Jake Fox, Micah Hoffpauir and Sam Fuld as players who have contributed.

The Cubs obtained Berg in a 2005 trade for Matt Lawton. Berg wears uniform No. 64, which he says cuts through his hometown of Antigo, Wis.

Pain in the neck: First baseman Derrek Lee left the game in the eighth inning because of neck spasms. A bulging disc in Lee's neck has bothered him for the past two years.

"It's just one of those unfortunate things where certain things cause it," said Lee, who apparently hurt the neck sliding into second base. "It just flares up. It's not serious.

"After we treated it, it's already starting to feel better. I learned my lesson. It's something I have to be careful with and not really play through because it's only going to get worse. We'll see how it feels tomorrow."

Ryan and others: Reliever B.J. Ryan, whom the Cubs recently signed after Toronto released him, will go to Iowa Monday after working out in Arizona.

The Cubs say their reports on Ryan are good and that "he's throwing the ball well," according to manager Lou Piniella.

Catcher Geovany Soto has started swinging the bat as he rehabs an oblique-muscle injury. The Cubs still hope he'll be back the first week of August.

The Cubs still are in no hurry to activate infielder Aaron Miles, who is in Iowa rehabbing an elbow injury.

"Aaron is playing," Piniella offered. "He was about 2-for-15 at one time. I think Jim (GM Hendry) is waiting for Aaron to start swinging the bat a little better."