Cubs

CHICAGO (AP) — Pitcher John Grabow became the first of the 171 free agents to reach agreement on a new deal, getting a $7.5 million, two-year contract Friday from the Chicago Cubs.

PHOENIX (AP) — Reliever Aaron Heilman has been acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Chicago Cubs for two minor league prospects.

CHICAGO (AP) — Some teams lost money in 2009, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday after the final owners meeting of the year.

CHICAGO (AP) — General managers grabbed their bags, caught a quick lunch and headed down the corridor a short distance to their flights Wednesday after their annual meeting ended in a hotel at O'Hare International Airport.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly has had surgery on his left shoulder.

CHICAGO – New Cubs owner Tom Ricketts repeated the phrase three times on the eve of Halloween.

Tom Ricketts was only a few moments into his first news conference as owner of the storied franchise Friday when he said the Cubs will win the World Series and end an infamous drought that dates to 1908.

CHICAGO – The $845 million sale of the Cubs, Wrigley Field and other assets from the Tribune Co. to the Ricketts family was completed Tuesday, more than 2½ years after the baseball franchise was put on the market.

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs hired Rudy Jaramillo as their hitting coach on Wednesday, hoping he can resurrect an offense that struggled during a disappointing 2009 season.