by Gordon Wittenmyer, The Chicago Sun-Times; Contributing: Toni Ginnetti , Chicago Sun Times

Another hitting coach took the fall for the Cubs' poor run production when Von Joshua was fired Sunday from the position he accepted June 14 after Gerald Perry was fired.

Joshua, visibly upset after receiving the news after the last game of the season, declined to comment. He was offered his former job as a coach at Class AAA Iowa and is expected to accept.

The rest of the coaching staff will return for what is expected to be manager Lou Piniella's last season.

General manager Jim Hendry said he doesn't have a potential replacement in mind and hasn't given any thought to in-house candidates.

''I told him there wasn't anything I was upset with,'' Hendry said. ''He didn't do anything wrong. But when you come up from the system in the middle of the year, if [there aren't] significant differences in improvement, then obviously, in my opinion, we need to try to do something different.''

The Cubs' 707 runs this season were 148 fewer than their 2008 total -- which led the National League -- and marked their lowest output in four years. The Cubs' .255 batting average was their lowest in seven years.

Much of the decline was attributed to a seasonlong slide by Geovany Soto, a four-month slump by Alfonso Soriano, which was exacerbated by a knee injury, and a two-month shoulder injury to Aramis Ramirez.

Joshua's lasting mark might be his confrontation with Milton Bradley two weeks ago in St. Louis that precipitated Bradley's season-ending suspension.

''I hate to say it, but hitting coach is overrated,'' said Derrek Lee, the team's top offensive performer. ''Gerald was a great guy. He always had positive things to say, and same with Von. The bottom line is, the best hitting coach is yourself. No one knows your swing like yourself.

''None of the blame should go to either of those two guys. We just struggled as a whole all year.''

The Cubs averaged 4.24 runs in Perry's 59 games this season and 4.48 in 102 with Joshua.

RYNO REPORT

Class AA Tennessee manager Ryne Sandberg, whose name has been raised several times recently as a possible replacement for Piniella after next season, is not expected to be considered to replace Joshua. Hendry said he expects Sandberg to return to Class AA next season.

''He's done a fine job,'' Hendry said. ''I admire him for how he's gone about his business. He had the youngest team in the Southern League. He's doing really well. He'll come back to spring training and help Lou and his staff [before the minor-league season begins].''

So Long?

Outfielder So Taguchi, who turned 40 this summer, might have played his last major-league game Sunday as the Cubs' starting left fielder -- but not if he can help it.

''I want to try to play again, but I have no idea,'' he said after finishing his unexpected two-week call-up to cover a sudden lack of outfield depth. ''I'm going to look for any chance to play Baseball. ... I had a great time.''

Taguchi, who went 3-for-11 with a double for the Cubs , has a career .279 average in 672 big-league games after a 10-year career in the Japanese leagues.

BOX SCORE

White Sox AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Podsednik dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 .304

Beckham 3b 2 0 1 0 0 0 .270

J.Nix 3b 1 0 0 0 1 1 .224

Quentin lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .236

Dye rf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .250

Wise rf 2 0 1 0 0 0 .225

Kotsay 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .278

Rios cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .247

AL.Ramirez ss 3 1 2 0 0 0 .277

R.Castro c 3 1 1 1 0 1 .184

Lillibridge 2b 2 0 1 2 1 1 .158

Totals 31 3 7 3 2 5

Detroit AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Raburn lf 4 3 3 3 1 0 .288

Polanco 2b 5 0 0 0 0 0 .286

Ordonez rf 4 1 4 1 0 0 .309

1-Thomas pr-rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241

Mi.Cabrera 1b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .323

C.Guillen dh 3 0 1 1 1 0 .245

Inge 3b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .230

Granderson cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .248

Laird c 3 1 2 0 1 0 .229

Everett ss 2 0 1 0 0 1 .238

Totals 32 5 12 5 4 3

White Sox 000 000 030 -- 3 7 0

Detroit 120 011 00x -- 5 12 0

1-ran for Ordonez in the 7th.

LOB--SOX 3, Detroit 9. 2B--R.Castro (3), Ordonez (24). HR--Raburn (15), off Danks; Ordonez (8), off Danks; Raburn (16), off D.Hudson. RBI--R.Castro (12), Lillibridge 2 (3), Raburn 3 (45), Ordonez (48), C.Guillen (41). CS--Lillibridge (3). S--Everett 2.

Runners left in scoring position--SOX 1 (Quentin); Detroit 5 (Granderson 4, Polanco).

GIDP--Rios, Raburn.

DP--SOX 2 (Beckham, Kotsay), (Wise, Wise, R.Castro); Detroit 2 (Granderson, Polanco), (Polanco, Everett, Mi.Cabrera).

White Sox IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Danks L, 13-11 5 7 4 4 4 1 89 3.77

D.Hudson 2 3 1 1 0 2 35 3.38

C.Torres 1 2 0 0 0 0 15 6.04

Detroit IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Verlander 7.2 6 3 3 2 5 120 3.45

W, 19-9

Rodney 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 14 4.33

S, 37-38

Inherited runners-scored--Rodney 2-0. IBB--off Danks (Mi.Cabrera). WP--D.Hudson, Verlander.

Umpires--Home, Jeff Nelson; First, Bob Davidson; Second, Tim Tschida; Third, Mark Carlson.

T--2:26. A--35,806 (41,255).

HOW THEY SCORED

Tigers first Raburn walked. Polanco popped out. Ordonez doubled, Raburn to third. Mi.Cabrera was intentionally walked. C.Guillen walked, Raburn scored, Ordonez to third, Mi.Cabrera to second. One run. Tigers 1, White Sox 0.

Tigers second Laird infield single. Everett sacrificed, Laird to second. Raburn homered to left on a 0-1 count, Laird scored. Two runs. Tigers 3, White Sox 0.

Tigers fifth Ordonez homered to left on a 0-2 count. One run. Tigers 4, White Sox 0.

Tigers sixth J.Nix in as third baseman. Wise in as right fielder. D.Hudson pitching. Laird popped out. Everett struck out. Raburn homered to left on a full count. One run. Tigers 5, White Sox 0.

White Sox eighth Thomas in as right fielder. Kotsay grounded out. Rios singled. AL.Ramirez singled, Rios to second. R.Castro doubled, Rios scored, AL.Ramirez to third. Lillibridge singled, AL.Ramirez scored, R.Castro scored. Three runs. Tigers 5, White Sox 3.

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