The next Mailbag will be Aug. 28. Send your questions to cubs06hit@yahoo.com, and please include your name and hometown.

I am really disappointed by the Maddux trade. Can you help me make sense of it?
-- Robert R., Orange County, Calif.

Maddux is a Hall of Famer. But today's Maddux -- while a great asset in the clubhouse and a wonderful example for young pitchers -- is a six-inning pitcher whose results have been mixed and whose future is limited.

The Cubs, looking beyond this semi-lost season, wouldn't have traded him if they couldn't have gotten someone who could help them now and down the line. They got that when the Dodgers offered shortstop Cesar Izturis. Maddux, who had a limited no-trade clause, could have vetoed the deal. But now, he has a chance to pitch for a contender close to his Las Vegas home.

Everybody wins.

Maddux, in the twilight of a great career, gets a shot at the postseason. The Cubs get a Gold Glove-quality everyday player in return and relations between Maddux and the Cubs remain positive, leaving open the possibility of a Maddux return in some capacity in the future.

I want to say thank you to Maddux. I've been watching him since he was a rookie, and especially the season when he won the first of four Cy Young awards. He's a true professional and warrior, and I would welcome him back to the Cubs.
-- Alfredo R., Costa Mesa, Calif.

So would I. Thanks for the note.

What's the reason behind trading Todd Walker?
-- Joe G., Chicago

The Cubs had been trying to trade Walker since the end of the 2005 season. They knew they weren't going to re-sign him for 2007. This was a chance to move him to a team that had a shot at the postseason, and get a young player in return. As good of a hitter as Walker is, the Cubs wanted to improve defensively up the middle. With Izturis and Ronny Cedeno at short and second now, the Cubs feel they're much stronger.

How good is this Jose Ceda guy, who we got from the Padres in exchange for Todd Walker?
-- Brandon W., West Monroe, La.

Ceda, 19, is only in his second pro season. According to Oneri Fleita, the Cubs player development director, the right-hander fits the prototype of what they want in a pitcher. He has a good delivery, and the makings of becoming a good breaking-ball pitcher.

Have a question about the Cubs? E-mail your query to MLB.com Cubs beat reporter Carrie Muskat for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content. First Name, Last Initial: Hometown: Email Address: Question:

What do you see happening at second now with Cedeno, Ryan Theriot and Eric Patterson all looking to become starters for the Cubs?
-- Roger B., New Hampton, Iowa

It's Cedeno's job for now. The plus side for Theriot is that he can play both second and short, and he could be a key guy off the bench. Look at the clutch three-run double he delivered on Sunday against the Rockies. Patterson has made progress, but is only in his second pro season. He needs more time and experience.

Is it possible the Cubs will put Kerry Wood in the bullpen next season? The 'pen would look nice with Wood, Bob Howry, Scott Eyre and Ryan Dempster.
-- Vanessa M., Chicago

Wood has said he's willing to accept a role as a reliever when he comes back from his latest shoulder injury. First, he has to get healthy.

In an earlier Mailbag you mentioned that Juan Pierre has worn a camouflage shirt under his uniform while playing for Colorado, Florida and now the Cubs. In a recent game, he was not wearing his camo shirt. Was it dirty or did he change it out of superstition?
-- Kelsey J., Martin, Tenn.

The Major League Baseball fashion police decided that Pierre can no longer wear the shirt because it violates the uniform code. Pierre, who has worn the camouflage since his days with Colorado, can still wear it during batting practice.

I think the Cubs either need to do away with last names on jerseys completely or bring back the last names for home jerseys. It's weird having last names for road games and nothing for home games.
-- Andy M., Warsaw, Ind.

They will change next year, and return to putting names on the back of home jerseys.

Whatever happened to Jerome Williams? He made a start against the Cardinals and then disappeared. I haven't heard anything about him since. Can you shed some light?
-- Joey F., Chicago

Williams didn't disappear. He's been pitching at Triple-A Iowa, and was 3-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 24 games through Monday, including 13 starts. He has one complete game, one shutout, has struck out 44 and walked 30 over 90 innings. He hasn't given them a reason to call him back up.

Why isn't Michael Barrett eligible for the batting title? MLB.com says he needs 3.1 plate appearances per game played, but it doesn't add up. Barrett has 3.8 plate appearances.
-- Michael C., Lomita, Calif.

It's 3.1 plate appearances per team game, not Barrett's games. Check the stats section on MLB.com, and look for TPA (total plate appearances). Through Sunday's games, Barrett had 359 TPA, and the team had played 117 games, so the magic number Barrett needed was 363 (3.1 multiplied by 117) to qualify.

In order for Barrett to be in the race for the batting title at the end of the season, he needs to accumulate 502 total plate appearances (162 multiplied by 3.1).

Right now, Barrett is batting .330 through Sunday. Who has the highest batting average for a Cubs catcher in a season?
-- Kevin A., Marquette, Mich.

Gabby Hartnett holds the club record after hitting .344 in 1935. Only two catchers have ever won batting titles in Major League history: Ernie Lombardi in 1942 (.330) and Bubbles Hargrave in 1926 (.353). Minnesota's Joe Mauer could do it this season.

Is there a chance Felix Pie will be called up any time soon? The Cubs are clearly out of it, so why not bring him up and see what he can do?
-- Dan A., Chicago

Because, as Dusty Baker likes to say, this is the "earn it" business. You don't get called up because of hype. As of Monday, Pie was batting .276 with 11 homers, 26 doubles, five triples and 52 RBIs in 119 games. He's also swiped 14 bases, been caught 10 times, and struck out 107 times.

I know there are still games to be played, but I was looking ahead to next year. What's the contract status of Pierre, Izturis, Barrett and Aramis Ramirez? If the Cubs could sign these guys, I think we'd have a very good lineup, if healthy, in 2007.
-- Sam A., Wausau, Wis.

Pierre and Ramirez are the only players in that group who will be free agents at the end of the season, and Ramirez can do so because of a clause in his contract. The Cubs third baseman signed a $42 million deal on April 4, 2005, in which he is signed through 2008. Ramirez is to receive $11 million in 2007 and $11.5 million in 2008 with a mutual option for 2009 of $11 million that could raise the total package to $53 million. That '09 option can become guaranteed with 270 games played from 2007-08.

However, Ramirez does have a clause that allows him to terminate the deal after 2006 and opt for free agency. When he signed the deal in 2005, Ramirez said he didn't think he would exercise that option and that he wanted to be a Cub for the rest of his life. We'll have to wait and see.

As for Izturis, he is signed through 2007 and was to be paid $4.15 million next year. Barrett signed a three-year, $12 million deal through 2007.

Besides Pierre, and possibly Ramirez, the other Cubs will who be free agents after this season include Henry Blanco, John Mabry, Phil Nevin, and Wood.

Now that he's a Cub, didn't Izturis have a 16-pitch at-bat against Matt Clement a few years ago and then finally hit a home run? That was rough.
-- Brian M., Memphis, Tenn.

No, that was Alex Cora, and it was an 18-pitch at-bat on May 12, 2004, against Clement in Los Angeles.

What's the current status of Grant Johnson, the Cubs' No. 1 pick a few years ago? What are his chances of getting to the Majors?
-- Jim M., Waterloo, Iowa

Johnson is 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 25 games, including 10 starts, at Class A Daytona. He has struck out 52 in 81 1/3 innings. It's up to him as far as his chances of getting to the big leagues. You can check Johnson's progress at www.minorleaguebaseball.com.