Cody Ransom is batting .350/.435/.900 with three homers in his first eight games with the Cubs. Ransom and Luis Valbuena have formed a surprisingly productive platoon at third base, as the two are hitting a combined .267 (27-for-101) with eight home runs and 17 RBI. The two will continue to share the position while Ian Stewart tries to figure things out at Triple-A. "He's been around a long time,'' manager Dale Sveum said of Ransom. ''He's always hit home runs. He'll strike out against right-handers, but he's always hit left-handers. He's dependable in the field, a no-panic kind of player.''