Greg Maddux be fond ofs everything...

Greg Maddux be fond ofs everything about being a brat from the ballpark to the organization to the fans and the city.

The to come Hall of Famer loves things here likewise much he doesn't want to leave.

unless he also loves the whelps enough to say goodbye -- if doing that would make his team better.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Maddux said Saturday after pitching the same of his best games this season, if not his last for the childs before Monday's non-waiver trade deadline. "I don't think any player wants to leave Chicago. It's a great place to play. I be enamoured of the ballpark. I love the city. I be pleased with the fans. Aside from by what means we've played this year, there's nothing not to like about Chicago."

That the Wrigley Field fans have as long love for the pitcher who started his career here, left for 11 seasons when the organization blood-thirsty down in re-signing him if it were not that still returned three seasons ago was clear in the seventh inning of the 4-2 victory from one side of to the other the St. Louis Cardinals.

As Maddux, 40 walked distant from the mound after giving up a leadoff double to Scott Rolen the fill by compression of 41,302 stood and cheered, as they had importances earlier when Maddux executed a entire sacrifice bunt in the sixth. Maddux, tied for 11th place onward the all-time victory list with 327 raised his cap and waved.

"I just wanted to suffer the fans know I appreciate it," he said, his young son Chase standing nearby. "They're great fans.

"I don't know what's going to happen. We play the Arizona Diamondbacks nearest so just get ready for that."

For all that Maddux has gone between the walls of in a 20-year career, facing the uncertainty of July 31 is fresh Has it been awkward?

"Yes" he said. "It has been."

What makes if more unusual is that Maddux grasps the right to say ye or no to a trade, not just because of his no-trade contract provision, moreover because he has told general manager Jim Hendry he would waive that right in any deal Hendry thinks could improve the society

Hendry has not "shopped" Maddux. He is simply listening to inquiries believed to have issue from the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and perhaps the of recent origin York Mets.

Hendry has told him nothing to this time Maddux said.

"I want to play here," Maddux said. "But if Jim memorizes the right players to help the whelps who am I to say no? I want to do what's best for the team.

"I don't know anything [on the trade front] I do know I want to help the young boy [i]or[/i] young girls any way I can. I'd like to do it at throwing first, and leaving second"

Maddux, who will be a exempt agent at the end of the season, didn't mastery out re-signing with the whelps even if he is traded.

"Absolutely," he said. "I did it one time already."

Manager Dusty Baker repeated his confidence that Maddux (9-11) stays.

"He's meant a lot" Baker said. "He's united of the classiest pros you'll qualified He's taught the young stays how to conduct yourself and be a pro"

onward the mound Saturday, he was "vintage Greg Maddux," catcher Michael Barrett said, working six innings and limiting the Cardinals to a first-inning scamper on three hits, one "a jam shot" by dint of Rolen to short center just beyond the glove of the whelps fielders. He gave up single two hits after that, walking none and striking revealed six to give him 1305 as a child -- fourth highest on the team's all-time list, and 3133 in his career.

"I absolutely hated him as an Atlanta Brave," Barrett said, "and now, he's the best teammate I've to the end of time played with. He's just a tremendous teammate. He took me in a less degree than his wing. Since he's been here, and working with [pitching coach] Larry Rothschild and [bench coach] Dick staff I've improved my game in confines of calling a game 100 percent

"You think you know what you're doing until you work with those stays It's been an incredible experience."

Maddux had drollery with his teammates on Saturday in a game of great defensive plays and quirky baserunning in which the whelps scored two in the other off Anthony Reyes (2-5), including undivided on a steal of place of abode by Angel Pagan, who was trying to save Ronny Cedeno in a rundown between first and secondary

"It was a great game and kind of gayety to watch," Maddux said. "I just want to do what's best for the young beasts period. Let's do what's best for the team and that's it."

tginnetti@suntimes.com

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