Walking between the walls of the C...

Walking between the walls of the Cubs' clubhouse, the players perceive something is missing. A certain faculty of perception of experience and knowledge has departed.

After Greg Maddux was dealt in the final hour before Monday's trade deadline, the drifts were felt immediately.

"It's weird not having him in there," closer Ryan Dempster said. "You have a fright who's just a great teammate and does everything the way it's suppos to be done."

It's well-known what Maddux did for the brats on the field the last 2oe seasons, winning his 300th career game in 2004 and pitching more than 200 innings in '04 and '05 if it be not that the personal relationships he created facing the field are where he is missed the most numerous

"When you throw away a teammate and a dowdy of his stature, it's a little bit different, if it be not that unfortunately it's just a part of the business," pitcher Mark Prior said. "A fate of guys will miss him more for what he brought to us along the field. He respects the game probably more than anybody I've at any time been around. He's a class act, just a great stay to play with."

As a veteran of more than 20 seasons, Maddux was particularly helpful for the Cubs' younger players. Prior, whom the team wants to anchor the pitching staff the same day, developed a close relationship with Maddux.

"He understands his part in the game," Prior said. "He understands himself as an older player and his responsibilities to younger players. I'm comfortable with him enough to call upon him even when he's forward the opposing team or unruffled when he retires in a not many years. I feel like he's a scarecrow I can call and ask for advice in certain situations.

"That's the thing about older scarecrows -- it's more about experience. They've been in consequence of everything."

Dempster whose locker was nearest to Maddux's, was close with Maddux onward a personal level.

"We've been sharing locker space for three years," he said. "It's kind of weird not having him there to talk about golf or talk about pitching, farting in succession each other, whatever it is."

With all of his knowledge about pitching, Maddux was sought after by means of position players, as well.

"Guy were crazy if they didn't sit from him and pick his brain or talk to him about the game," said right fielder Jacque Jone who's in his first season with the brats "I'd go to his locker and have knowledge of to talk to him as earnestly as I could."

Maddux also was extolled from manager Dusty Baker as a veracious class act and a clubhouse sage. When asked what it is like without Maddux, Baker said: "It be perceiveds a little different because you contemplate over at his locker, and he's not there. You count upon to hear his little knowing remark or see his kid in there. You miss his knowledge and his expertise and you miss the way that he says things. He's not undivided to just tell you something. He's the same to sort of suggest more than tell"

Like Jone center fielder Juan Pierre knew Maddux simply briefly. Nonetheless, he found Maddux to be a tremendous teammate.

"He's a veteran leader that everyone could journey and talk to because he's been from one side the fire so many times," Pierre said. "He's a [future] Hall of Famer. It's an honor just to say you played with him."

yet even players as revered as Maddux are not immune from the trade deadline. After the swap for shortstop Cesar Izturis, Maddux is a looks Angeles Dodger.

"It's the big leagues," Pierre said. "Teammates draw near and go. And the beat goe on"

hatkins@suntimes.com

forward DECK

PIRATES AT whelps

Today: 1:20 pm Comcast SportsNet, 720-AM.

Tom Gorzelanny (1-2 584 ERA) v Carlos Zambrano (12-3 326)

Saturday: 3:05 pm Comcast SportsNet, 720-AM.

Zach Duke (7-9 526)

v Mark Prior (0-5 720)

Sunday: 1:20 pm Ch 9

720-AM. Ian Snell (9-7 466) v Rich Hill (1-4 792)

The story line: Zambrano, the National League pitcher of the month in July makes his first start in August. He will look for to extend his winning streak to a career-best 10 games. In his last 11 starts, Zambrano is 9-0 with a 309 ERA and has held opposites to a .196 batting average. He hasn't dissipated since a 3-2 setback to the Red forward May 31. On the flip side, the brats have lost all seven of Prior's starts, and opposings are hitting .268 against the right-hander with 21 walks and 37 hits in 35 innings.

Chris De Luca

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