Here are a few stories that have happened over the past few days.

Aramis Ramirez returns to the diamond

Ramirez has missed some time this spring because of a sore right tricep, but he returned on Tuesday against the Royals as a DH and went 2-3 with an RBI. He hasn’t played since March 13th, but he looked like he hadn’t missed any time in his three at bats.

Lou Piniella wanted to get Ramirez 30 at bats before the season started, but Ramirez doesn’t think that’s necessary.

“I don’t need 30 at-bats,” Ramirez said. “Five more and I’ll be ready to go. I haven’t played in 11 days, 10 days, and I felt pretty good today. I don’t need that many at-bats.”

Although Ramirez missed significant time last season, this injury doesn’t appear to be linked to that one, and there shouldn’t be any cause to worry about Ramirez having injury trouble this season too.

Ted Lilly far ahead of schedule

Piniella expected Lilly to be back by May 1st when he originally hurt himself, but with the way that he has been progressing, he is expected to be back well before then. This would be big for the Cubs starting rotation, as Lilly has had some of the best years of his career with the Cubs.

Although he isn’t going to be making a Cactus League start like originally planned, he will be pitching in the minors this weekend. He is expected to return about halfway through April now.

Tim Kurkjian gives the Cubs a legit chance for the playoffs

Although all of the talk in the NL Central has gone to the St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols, the Cubs aren’t looking to just roll over and concede the division, and Kurkjian says that they do have a shot.

He cites Carlos Zambrano’s new health, stability at closer with Carlos Marmol, Ted Lilly returning early, Rudy Jaramillo’s impact on the offense and Kosuke Fukudome making the switch to right field as reasons whey the Cubs should be optimistic for the season.

These are all great reasons why the Cubs, despite making very few changes to to their lineup, should be feeling a lot better this season than they did last season.

Greg Maddux gets rave reviews from Jim Hendry

Although Jaramillo will be helping the offense, Maddux will be working with the pitchers in some capacity, as he works with different people throughout the Cubs organization working on finding a job that he would be able to do in the future.

According to ESPN, Maddux has worked with Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny and Sean Marshall this spring, which could have a big impact this season, as these are four of the pitchers that the Cubs need to step up this season, along with Carlos Marmol.

If Maddux’s impact on the team is as big as Hendry thinks it is, then the Cubs could see big improvements from their pitching staff.

I’m Joe W.

On Sunday at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs officially retired No. 31 in honor of both Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux.

The Cubs ran two flags up each foul pole; one with Jenkins’ name on it and the other with Maddux. Too bad the Cubs hadn’t retired Fergie’s number a long time ago, we wouldn’t have had this problem.

So all of this pomp and circumstance at the yard yesterday made me wonder who will be the next Cubs legend to have his number retired?

Will there even be another number retired or have we seen the last of them?

First off, we can forget about the pre-1932 great Cubs, who wore no digits.

One interesting name is that of Phil Cavarretta.

According to BleedCubbieBlue.com, P. K. Wrigley intended to retire Phil Cavarretta’s No. 44, with the Chicago Tribune reporting it in 1954.

But apparently, Cavarretta made some statements that Wrigley didn’t appreciate, and then signed with the White Sox, so that was the end of No. 44 being retired.

No Cub wore that number until Burt Hooten requested it in 1971. According to the Web site, Cubs clubhouse manager Yosh Kowano remembered the promise to Cavarretta and called the Cubs legend to get his permission to issue the number to Hooten.

So I ask you, Cubs fans, which numbers would you like to see the Cubs retire?

One obvious candidate is Sammy Sosa, but his alleged steroid use and corked bat may make that an unpopular decision. Yet, if you go just by numbers alone, he remains one of the greatest Cubs of all time.

BleedCubbieBlue.com suggests names like Gabby Hartnett and Billy Herman, who are Hall of Famers, and Stan Hack,who was the best third baseman in Cubs history before Ron Santo came along.

Let me know which Cub number you’d like to see retired and why? Come to think if it, some current Cubs might eventually be in line to get that honor…

On May 3, the Chicago Cubs will add another number to their list of those retired.

The team announced Wednesday it will retire No. 31 in honor of both Greg Maddux and Fergie Jenkins.

This will be the sixth flag to carry a retired number on the foul poles at Wrigley.

The others include No. 10 (Ron Santo), No. 14 (Ernie Banks), No. 23 (Ryne Sandberg), No. 26 (Billy Williams), and No. 42 (Jackie Robinson, which is retired throughout baseball).

Both Maddux and Jenkins won Cy Young Awards with the Cubs, with Jenkins winning it in 1971 and Maddux in 1992.

Jenkins holds the record for most recorded strikeouts by a Cub with 2,041, and Maddux ranks fifth on the list with 1,305.

Jenkins finished with a record of 284-226, and a 3.34 ERA, while Maddux finished his 23-year career with 355-227 record and a 3.16 ERA.

Maddux retired during the 2008 Winter Meetings and is helping coach the San Diego Padres this spring.

-Katelyn Grabarek

We’ll just head around the diamond and take a look at some of my favorite Cubs.

Starting pitcher: Greg Maddux

How can you argue with Maddux’s numbers? While Maddux only played for the Cubs for three years in the ’90s, he won three Gold Gloves and had some great seasons. In 1992, Maddux went 20-11 throwing four shutouts in his last season of the decade with the Cubs.

Catcher: Joe Girardi

While Girardi only played for the Cubs from 1989-1992, no one can argue with the way he handled a pitching staff. In 1992, Girardi hit .270 while playing with a bad back. Girardi, who is now managing the Yankees, was always known for his ability to call a game.

First Base: Mark Grace

Hands down the Cubs player of the decade. Grace was not a high draft pick in 1985, but turned out to be a diamond in the rough. Beginning in 1991 Grace led the league in putouts for three straight seasons. In 1995 Grace led the league in doubles with 51.

Second Base: Ryne Sandberg

How can anyone argue with a Hall of Famer? Sandberg was one of the premier second baseman of all time. In 1990, he led the league with 40 home runs. That season he also hit .306 and drove in 100 runs. Sandberg also ranks among the Cubs’ top five career leaders in many offensive categories.

Third Base: Gary Gaetti

Throughout the ’90s, the Cubs struggled to find a steady third baseman, as was the trend until they acquired Aramis Ramirez from the Pirates in 2003. However, no one can forget Gaetti’s two run homer that clinched the Cubs’ wild card birth into the 1998 playoffs over the Giants. Gaetti batted .320 down the stretch that season in 37 games, including eight home runs and 27 RBI.

Short Stop: Shawon Dunston

Dunston played for the Cubs from 1985-1997. He led all NL shortstops in putouts three times. Dunston had his best year at the plate in 1995 when he batted .296 and drove in 69 runs. In 1988, Dunston led the Cubs with 30 stolen bases and made his only All-Star appearance.

Outfield: Sammy Sosa

How can you argue with this one during the ’90s? Sosa came over in 1992. Mostly everyone’s fondest memories of Sosa are from the 1998 season when he chased Mark McGwire for the home run title, falling short with 66 home runs.

Outfield: Andre Dawson

Over five seasons with the Cubs, Dawson led the Cubs’ offensive chage. He had three seasons with more than 100 runs batted in, and led the team in home runs three times.

Outfield: Glenallen Hill

During his two stints with the Cubs, Hill put on batting practice clinics hitting mammoth home runs. Hill came to the Cubs in 1993 and batted .345 with 10 home runs in only 31 games. Hill was quite a force off the bench in his second stint with the Cubs. In 1999, his final year with the club, Hill hit .300 with 20 home runs and 55 RBI in only 99 games. Hill is still the only man to hit a home run on to one of the rooftop apartments.

Manager: Don Zimmer and Jim Riggleman

I couldn’t help but like both of these guys. While I grew up knowing mainly Riggleman and constantly yelling “Pull ‘em Riggleman” at the television set, I have come to find out that some of my first words were “Zim” for Cubs manager Don Zimmer.

Both men came in to revive Cubs teams that were underachieving. Zimmer had some success, taking the Cubs to the League Championship in only his second season of 1989. Zimmer was also the National League Manager of the Year that year.

Riggleman also saw the postseason in his fourth year as manager of the Cubs. Riggleman was helped in 1998 by the additions of veterans like Kevin Tapani and Terry Mullholland, and rookie Kerry Wood. Riggleman was fired at the end of the 1999 season.

Broadcaster: Harry Caray

The man is a legend. No one will ever sing the seventh inning stretch the same way. The phrase “Holy Cow!” helped get fans attention, and his butchering of players’ names was uncanny. Caray died in 1998 before seeing the Cubs make the playoffs.