MORE TRADE SPECULATION

According to a hot rumor out of the west coast, the Cubs might be interested in another outfielder. That outfielder is Mark Kotsay, center fielder for the A's. Kotsay is batting .281 with an OBP of .339, and is on pace for 40 doubles. Last year the 29-year-old had an OBP of .370, and while he's not a base stealing threat, he's again a much better choice than Corey or Neifi. The A's are rumored to be interested in Sergio and Dube-wah.

But the trade rumor that interests me the most is Reds outfielder Adam Dunn, who is apparently on the block in Cincy. Dunn is batting a meager .243 this year, but is on pace to draw 109 walks and hit 42 homeruns. Plus he's only 25. Therefore, I'll reiterate my thoughts from the Desipio Board:

If you could acquire Dunn and perennial injury-risk Ken Griffey Jr. (currently batting .275 and is on pace for 29 homers and 105 RBI) for say, Dubois, Patterson, Sergio, and Wellemeyer, would you do it?

I know I would.

I realize that Dunn and Griffey wouldn't really answer the leadoff conundrum, but it would force Baker to use a combo of Walker and Hairston in that position, while the rest of the lineup would become dangerously fortified. In fact, the lineup might look like this:

1. Walker: currently batting .319 with a .370 obp
2. Dunn: .384 obp, on pace for 40+ homeruns
3. Lee: .385 avg, .461 obp, on pace for 49 homers, 139 RBI, 83 BB, 21 steals
4. Griffey Jr.: .275 avg, on pace for 30 homeruns
5. Ramirez: .296 avg, on pace for 36 homers, 104 RBI
6. Burnitz: .276 avg, on pace for 28 homers, 92 RBI
7. Barrett: .265 avg, on pace for 17 homers, 72 RBI
8. Neifi!: .275 avg, on pace for 15 homers

This would also give the Cubs a long series of righty-left-righty combos, something we know Dusty loves. The Cubs wouldn't have a true leadoff guy, but they wouldn't need someone with speed if they had Dunn, Lee, and Griffey batting down in the lineup. It would make the Cubs a truly dangerous team and I hope Hendry pursues it. Or at least, that he pursues Dunn.

After all, Griffey is due for his annual season-ending injury any time now.

WHO CAN LEAD?

Good game yesterday. Carlos proved he was still to be loved by tossing a three-hitter. Corey made a stunning defensive play (but still struck out three times). The MVLee hit a bomb.

But today, I want to talk about leadoff hitters some more. I've been harping on this subject a lot lately, especially over at Goat Riders of the Apocalypse. But it's important, so I'm going to look at it some more today.

First, there are plenty of guys with good OBP's, but you have to assume that no team currently in the race will be dealing their players unless they get something they need in return. We can also assume that the teams falling out of the race will deal their talent... in a month, maybe. But those are the guys I'm going to try to look at today.

Here's a list of teams I would categorize as "out of the race," whether they think of it that way or not. That list currently includes the Devil-Rays (18 games out of first, 16 games out of the Wild Card), the Royals (26.5 games out of first, 17 games out of the WC), the A's (11 games out of first, 7 games out of the WC), the Mariners (13.5 and 9.5), the Brewers (13 and 7), Astros (13.5 and 7.5), Pirates (13.5 and 7.5), Reds (18 and 12), Dodgers (6.5 and 7.5), Giants (10.5 and 10), and Rockies (15.5 and 15). Of course, it's a long matter of debate as to whether or not any of these teams are currently dealing. But of these teams, the following players might make for adequate leadoff hitters:

Brady Clark: This 32-year-old center fielder is making 1.15 million this year. He's currently batting .318 with an OBP of .384. He's on pace for 213 hits, 36 doubles, 15 homers, 53 BB, 70 K's, and 17 steals (but his steal ratio is pathetic). Although he's playing above his head, Clark does have a career .281 batting average and .361 OBP. He'd be adequate as a leadoff guy, but he's no game breaker.

Matt Lawton: This 33-year-old outfielder is making 7.75 million in his first year with the Pirates. He's batting .261, but with a .363 OBP. He's currently on pace to hit 41 doubles, and 19 homeruns. He's also on pace for 84 BB and 15 steals, but his steal ratio is also depressing. Lawton could probably fill the role adequately, but in reality he's probably better suited to be a #2 hitter.

Jason Ellison: This 27-year-old center fielder would be an unconventional choice at best. He's currently in his first full major league season with the Giants, and is batting .300 with a .356 OBP. He's on pace for 469 at bats, 30 doubles, and 19 steals. Ellison would be a risk because of his inexperience, and also because Dusty doesn't believe in letting inexperienced players have a chance. However, he might make for an interesting choice.

And finally, my current favorite option (who technically doesn't play for a team on the seller's list):

Kenny Lofton: Hendry just might be inclined to try to catch lightning twice by reacquiring this 38-year-old veteran outfielder. Lofton has played in a backup role for the Phillies this year, batting .373 in 142 at bats with a .440 OBP and 8 steals. He's old, but he's still wiley and I think he just might be able to keep it together for one final season. He also might be perfect for the Cubs needs.

But what will Hendry actually do? I'm betting that he'll try to land a big bat, rather than a fast leadoff-type. He's going to bank on Corey turning it around, or perhaps Dusty will eventually settle on Todd Walker, who wouldn't be a horrible choice.

Regardless, we'll have to wait and see what happens over the course of the coming month...

IS ZAMBRANO OK?

We all love the Big Moose, Carlos Zambrano. I could write all day about the positives he brings to the Cubs. But in spite of my healthy man-love, I have to admit that Carlos hasn't exactly been himself this year. When the season began, we all expected a Cy Young-type season. Maybe 20 wins, perhaps a sub-2 ERA, and a lot of enjoyable games. Instead, after 15 games, Carlos is a mere 4-4 with a 4.27 ERA. This has caused more than a few people to speculate on whether or not Zambrano is concealing an injury, and considering how many early departures he's had this year, it's not an unfair speculation.

But I'm an optimist. I think Carlos will be ok. I don't think he needs to be the staff ace anymore. If Wood pitches like we all know he can (or hell, even if he only pitches like he has in past seasons), then Zambrano will be a perfectly adequate #3 guy. And while we still need to see a few more outings from Prior before we can proclaim him to be the Messiah Returned, I think it's fair to assume that he's going to be more like 2003 Prior rather than the 2004 edition.

In the meantime, Carlos squares off against the Brewers and Doug Davis, who beat the Cubs last week. Carlos had an 8-run 2nd inning in that game. It's safe to assume he'll do a little better this time, but I'm not about to proclaim victory.

I'm more interested in tomorrow's game anyway, which will feature the return of Kerry Wood. As much flack as Kerry's gotten this year, the Cubs really need him to make the post season. I just hope he'll be capable of helping carry the team.

I'M BACK...

...although no one knew I was going anywhere. Sorry I didn't give notice, but I spent the weekend back in New York. My brother, a Red Sox fan, is moving from the plains of Montana into the hills of Pennsylvania, and he swung by my mother's while on the way. Naturally, I wanted to go see him, and spent the weekend helping him build a fence for his dog and watching Cubs baseball with him on TV.

I liked what I saw.

A little over a week ago, I speculated that we wouldn't know if the Cubs were a playoff team until we saw how they handled themselves against the Marlins, Yankees, and White Sox. Unfortunately, it was the Cubs who got handled, not the other way around. But that was without the aid of pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, who are both now returning from the DL and hopefully will be healthy enough to carry the Cubs for the rest of the season.

Prior threw an excellent game yesterday, allowing only one hit on 71 pitches in 6 innings. It was like he never missed a beat. The Cubs won the series against the White Sox, the *shudder* best team in baseball. This bodes well, and hopefully the Cubs will carry the momentum onward against the Brewers and Nationals.

The Cubs now have, in my opinion, the best young rotation in baseball. They have 28-year-old Wood, 24-year-old Prior, 24-year-old Zambrano, 23-year-old Williams, and the old man of the team, 39-year-old Maddux. This is assuming that Dusty does indeed go with Jerome in the 5th spot of the rotation, rather than Glendon Rusch who still deserves the spot more. I've read in a lot of places that it will be Williams, but he was used in two innings of relief yesterday after Prior left the game, so maybe Dusty will have a change of heart.

Rich Hill was sent back to Triple A, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in a Cubs uniform before the end of July. He's the perfect pitcher to face lefties, and an immense talent to boot. Otherwise, the Cubs are probably going to release Joe Borowski in the next few days, which makes me sad. Average Joe had a hell of a year in 2003, apparently at the expense of his shoulder. It would've been nice if he could come back this year, because the Cubs still need solid relievers. At least he's well-off now, having made 4 million this year and last.

I wonder what Rod Beck is up to?

Anyway, the Cubs host the Brewers starting tomorrow, and we'll see if Kerry Wood has actually changed his mechanics or not. Regardless, I'm expecting the Cubs to win that series, and to pick up momentum into July. Hopefully Hendry will find a way to help them along.

JEROME, YOU'RE ALRIGHT

The Brewers have historically been a difficult team for the Cubs to face. I'm not sure what Chicago's record is against Milwaukee overall, but I know that there have been some high scoring affairs, and some heart breaking losses. So, suffice to say I was nervous, especially after the Marlins and Yankees debacles. However, the Cubs had something else in store, and have instead won the last two games with ease (although it was at times nerve wracking).

The best news was that 23-year-old pitcher Jerome Williams threw a hell of a game, allowing only two hits (both solo homeruns). This puts the Cubs into a happy conundrum, because they now have a plethora of starting pitching as Mark Prior and Kerry Wood are both due back from their stints on the DL.

The Cubs now have Greg Maddux, Carlos Zambrano, Gleondon Rusch, Sergio Mitre, Jerome Williams, Mark Prior, and Kerry Wood as potentials for the rotation. Maddux, Zambrano, Wood, and Prior are definites, so who else will the Cubs use?

Obviously, Sergio is an odd man out. He's had a few great starts, and I wouldn't mind him sticking it out in the pen until he implodes, but I truly hope that Hendry can manage to negotiate a trade involving Sergio, and the sooner the better. He might be better than his last game against the Yankees, but I doubt that he's as good as his last game against the Marlins.

That leaves us with Rusch and Williams. I think personally that Dusty will keep Rusch in the rotation, depending on how badly he wants to shore up the pen. Mostly because, if you recall, it was Dusty Baker who said that the Cubs needed a lefty in the rotation back in 2003, thus explaining why we had to tolerate Shawn Estes every fifth day instead of someone like Juan Cruz. Also, you can't ignore the fact that Rusch has a 3.03 ERA as a starter, and has pitched amazingly well this year and last.

Therefore, as much as it'll bum him out, I think Jerome has to go to the bullpen or back to Iowa for a while. It's really not his fault, but in the scheme of things, he's the odd man out. But it's not exactly the end of the world. He's only 23, and he'll almost certainly be in the rotation next year. He's a talented young pitcher and chances are, he'll see at least a little more time in the rotation this year anyway, eventually.

Anyway, the Cubs go for the series win today, with Carlos Zambrano squaring off against Doug Davis, who is 8-6 with a 4.47 ERA. Then tomorrow, Glendon faces Ben Sheets. I'm not expecting the Cubs to sweep, but one more victory would be nice.

A MYSTERY WRAPPED IN AN ENIGMA

Thankfully, the Cubs pulled off a win yesterday. However, I think most fans are in agreement when they say that the team needs something it doesn't currently have. I still want to lay all the blame on Dusty Baker. A manager might not be responsible for every win or loss (or many, really), but Dusty is responsible for the lineups, and I can't get over how Dusty insists on trotting out #1 and #2 hitters who suffer with OBP. It makes zero sense.

But here on this blog, I have to believe that I tend to overlook some positives. So let's take a look at the Cubs roster and see who the Cubs have that are good, bad, and expendable.

First, I have to express my respect for Michael Barrett. You older fans could correct me if I'm wrong, but in a lot of ways, he reminds me of Jody Davis. He puts up respectable numbers (currently hitting .287 and on pace for 29 doubles, 19 homers, and 79 RBI), and he occasionally has a big hit. Also, Carolyn and I were amazed at how much the media seems to like him in Chicago. While we were in town, we couldn't switch to a sports station without them playing one Barrett clip or another. I don't know if he's just trying to be a leader or if the media wants him to be one, but as long as it doesn't annoy the players, it's fine with me.

Second, the middle of the order is pretty potent right now. Derrek Lee continues to chase .400, and is now on pace for 57 doubles, 45 homers, 138 RBI, 88 BB, and 24 steals. MVLee all the way. In June, he's been batting .466 with 3 homers and 12 RBI. Meanwhile, Aramis and Jeromy have begun to hit as well, without as much notice. Burnitz is hitting .385 in June, with 4 homers, 11 RBI, and a 1.091 OPS. He's elevated his average to .293. Aramis Ramirez, meanwhile, is having a .379 June, with 5 homers and 14 RBI. He's now batting .297. If someone had told you that the middle of the Cubs order would be batting .411 with 12 homers and 37 RBI in 18 games so far in the month of June, would you believe that the Cubs are only 9-9?

That brings us to the bad. And right now, there's a lot that is. Like the bullpen. Right now, the Cubs have only 3 relief pitchers with ERAs below 4. Those are Will Ohman (2.35 ERA), Todd Wellemeyer (3.38), and Mike Wuerz (3.58). Although technically, Ryan Dempster's relief ERA is 3.60. But the rest of the guys are dog ugly. Roberto Novoa: 4.50. Remlinger: 5.03. Bartosh: 5.49. Borowski: 7.00. Leicester: 9.00. Rich Hill: 20.25.

Then there's Corey Patterson. I could do a post on Patterson alone. But I'll keep it short: he proves yet again to be a disappointment. The Cubs need to deal him while he still has value. Especially with Felix Pie coming up through the minors.

All told, the Cubs players are having some good years and some disappointing ones. But I wouldn't be surprised if they're in the thick until September. However, Hendry needs to cut a deal, Baker needs to learn the value of OBP, and the Cubs rotation needs to become more reliable. Hopefully Wood and Prior will help in that department.

THE FORGOTTEN MAN

Alternative headlines for this post could be, "swept away," "will the real Cubs please step forward?" Or, "fire Baker!" Or anything else.

First thing. Dusty Baker will never appreciate the necessity of OBP. Take, for example, the fact that he has Neifi! batting leadoff. Neifi, the guy with the .305 OBP who's on pace for 17 walks this season. The guy who batted second was Todd Hollandsworth. Todd, the guy with the .303 OBP.

Seriously, what's Dusty thinking?

The Cubs have a guy who can bat leadoff. No one likes him, but he's currently got an OBP that's 100 points higher than his batting average. That's right, Jerry Hairston Jr., of the .364 OBP. I'm going to say now that if Dubois won't be the starting left fielder, Hairston should be. He should be the leadoff guy. In more than 100 at bats as the leadoff hitter this year, Hairston has an OBP of .391. That solves our problem right there.

The Cubs also have a guy who can bat #2 in the lineup. No one can explain why he's not batting in the second spot, but I'm sure Dusty has his reason. He's currently got an OBP of .364, and his name is Todd Walker.

Hairston Jr. and Walker, Dusty. C'mon.

In fact, the ideal Cubs lineup would look as follows:

1. Hairston Jr. .364 OBP, .391 in the leadoff spot. Would be on pace for 40 doubles if he started every day
2. Walker .364 OBP
3. Lee .389 AVG, .466 OBP, on pace for 237 hits, 58 doubles, 44 homers, 138 RBI, 88 BB, 24 steals
4. Ramirez .298 AVG, on pace for 44 doubles, 34 homers, 92 RBI, and only 73 k's
5. Burnitz .291 AVG, on pace for 36 doubles, 5 triples, 29 homers, 99 RBI, 109 k's
6. Barrett .289 AVG, on pace for 29 doubles, 19 homers, 80 RBI, only 44 k's
7. Perez .283 AVG, on pace for 17 homers
8. Patterson .253 AVG, on pace for 22 doubles, 24 homers, 22 steals

To me, that's a pretty dangerous lineup. You have guys at the top of the order who not only get on base, but have the ability to drive in runs. The guys at the bottom of the order can get runs as well. Why Dusty fails to see that is totally beyond me, and I really feel sorry for Jerry Hairston Jr., aka The Forgotten Man.

Dusty, get off your ass and make this team a winner! You have the tools, idiot!

WHA' HAPPEN'D?

After going 1-4 in their last five games, it's starting to look like the Cubs luck is running out. Not that they've been playing above their heads; they've just been playing really good baseball in spite of some really bad injuries. But now, the Cubs bullpen has proven to be fragile, as they saw a late lead squandered last night in New York City.

In case you're wondering why I didn't post yesterday... I did, just not here. If you haven't seen it already, head on over to Goat Riders of the Apocalypse to read a rather comprehensive (ie: LONG) article about some available players that the Cubs may need.

Glendon Rusch tries to stop the hurting tonight, as usual. Rusch has been playing the role of the stopper fairly often this season. Hopefully he can pull it off, although I don't know what I'm worried about. Sergio Maddux pitches the day after, and he's akin to a god right now.

WALK WATCH: June 12-17

Walks do not automatically correlate to victories. I'm not saying they do. But I do feel that successful teams more prevalently rely on the walk. They get runners on base, which forces the fielders to change their position, and the pitcher to change his delivery. A runner on base, via walk or anything, effects all facets of the game. The Cubs need to draw walks to be successful. Here's a tally of how they've walked compared to their opponents over the last five games.

June 12th: The Red Sox won 8-1. They walked 3 times, the Cubs walked 0 times.
June 13th: The Marlins won 9-1. They walked 4 times, the Cubs walked 0 times.
June 14th: The Cubs won 14-0. The Cubs and Marlins walked 0 times in this game.
June 15th: The Marlins won 15-5. The Marlins walked 2 times, the Cubs walked 3 times.
June 17th: The Yankees won 9-6. The Yankees walked 8 times, the Cubs walked 3 times.

So, the Cubs walked a grand total of 6 times in the last 5 games. Their opponents drew 17 walks, or almost 3 times the total. The Cubs are 1-4.

At the moment, the Cubs are 14th in all of baseball with an OBP of .333. The Red Sox are first with .361. The Yankees second with .353. And the Marlins are 6th with .342.

THE CUBS CAN GET AS GOOD AS THEY GIVE

It's an offday today before the Cubs hit NYC for the weekend. They'll be playing the Yankees for the first time since the Depression. It's ironic that the Cubs will be travelling there, considering the recent trade rumors for Gary Sheffield. I'm not sure how I feel about Sheff being a Cub, except that he's still a good player, even though he's aging, he has considerable plate discipline, and he might provide an additional spark in the middle of the order.

But he's old, he makes a lot of money, and he's not as good as he used to be.

Rumors have it that the Cubs might ship off Corey Patterson, Jason Dubois, Sergio Mitre, and perhaps other assorted players for Sheff and perhaps another Yankee cast off, but we'll just have to wait and see. One thing for sure: I'm absolutely postive that Hendry will make a trade, but I don't think it'll happen until July.

I also think that Jim has shown an inclination toward trading for underrated players who produce at the level of super stars, but at half the expense. Take Aramis and Derrek, for example. So, while I'm sure it's possible that Sheffield will be a Cub, and I absolutely would be excited to see it happen, I'm more inclined to believe that Hendry will nab a younger player who is less expensive.

As for yesterday's game, well, I don't have much to say. Maddux is good for probably 25 starts a year. Unfortunately, he pitches 32 or 33 times a year, and we just have to grin and bear it when it's time for one of the unlucky 11.

I really wish I could see the games against the Yankees, but I'll just have to settle for MLB TV.

WINNING IN TENS

This Sergio Mitre guy has been doing pretty good lately. He's now thrown 15 consecutive scoreless innings, and he just might be the perfect pitcher for Wrigley Field when the wind his howling out to center.

Yesterday, his ground ball antics held the Marlins to 0 runs, while the Cubs unloaded 14. I guess the team-wide batting slump is over. The Cubs go for the series win today, with "Babe" Maddux facing AJ Burnett. I don't know what the weather's supposed to be like, but Greg has proven a tendancy to give up the longball in the last two years, and I suppose he'd be prone to do it again today.

Luckily, the Marlins seem to be build more toward speed, rather than power (although they have enough power hitters to do the damage). Carlos Delgado has hit 13 homers so far, and Miguel Cabrera has hit 10. But has anyone noticed that Mike Lowell (aka the guy we all wanted at third before Aramis) is batting .228 with only 3 homer runs? Ouch. Give that guy some human growth hormone, already, eh?

After this game the Cubs head to Yankee Stadium. It makes me wish I was still on speaking terms with my sister, who lives near NYC, so my girlfriend and I could go and catch a couple of games. Instead, I'll be watching it from home.

LOSING IN TWOS

I guess no one was surprised when John Koranka was blasted last night by the Marlins. Nor was anyone shocked when Dontrell Willis wasn't. The real disappointment comes from Joe Borowski, who again was rocked by the opposing team. He's seen his ERA elevated to 6.48 in his last two appearances, and it's evident that he'll never be a trustworthy pitcher again.

The Cubs now need to win their next two. That might be a little tough. They'll be facing a dominant Josh Beckett (7-4, 3.13, owned the Cubs in 2003 NLCS), then A.J. Burnett (3-4, 3.09 ERA). Oh, then they'll travel to New York to face Carl Pavano (4-5, 4.17 ERA), Mike Mussina (6-4, 4.33 ERA), and Kevin Brown (4-6, 5.43). At least they miss the Big Unit.

This is an important stretch, at least from my perspective. The Cubs have proven that they can beat up on the bad teams (Colorado, Houston). They've proven that they can win against the good ones, too (LA, SD, Boston). But now, they're facing the closest thing imaginable to a playoff rotation. First they have to play two more against the talented Marlins, then they have to face off against the ever-dangerous Yankees. If the Cubs can even come out of this with a 3-3 record, I'll be impressed and satisfied. At least they have Maddux, Zambrano, and Rusch going.

I know I've been harping on it often, but this is probably the most important (and difficult) stretch of baseball in 2005. If the Cubs can pull away from this still in the hunt, then anything's possible. Of course, I still believe they need to make a trade for an outfielder and another reliever, and they still need to have better discipline at the plate. But the pitching staff can be dominant, and with Kerry Wood already rehabbing, and Mark Prior coming along as well, then July could be a very good month for the Cubs.

As could August. And September.

And maybe even October.

NOW FOR THE HARD PART

Ok, so the Cubs have surpassed our most recent expectations. That is, a month ago we still thought they would have no shot at winning, and now they're playing immaculate baseball that no one can complain about.

Granted, they lost yesterday to a dominant Wakefield. I found that game somewhat concerning, because Wake had been averaging 4 walks a game, but walked none in the game. In fact, he only threw 86 pitches in 7 innings, 60 of which went for strikes. (That doesn't mean they were all strikes, it may just mean that the Cubs were swinging wildly.) Regardless, the Cubs took two of three from the defending world champions. They've won 20 of their last 30. And they don't even have some of their best players, yet!

But that's where it gets tough. The Cubs have been lucky, so far. They've somehow found a way to win 66% of their games in the last month in spite of having to rely on Sergio Mitre and John Koronka. Now, the Cubs will face the 31-29 Marlins, the 30-32 Yankees (still dangerous), the 28-34 Brewers (always dangerous), the 42-20 White Sox, and the Brewers again. Luckily, a lot of these teams have been struggling as of late. Regardless, they're still good and it'll be a tough stretch for the Cubs.

Then July rolls around, and it continues to be tough. They'll face the 37-26 Nationals, the 32-30 Braves, and the Marlins again.

The good news is, our pitching is coming back. Kerry Wood will make two minor league rehab starts in the coming weeks, and should be back in Chicago by the end of June. And according to the most recent report by the Tribune, Mark Prior could be back in as little as a month.

Meaning, the second half of the season could be ours to lose.

The trick is obviously to keep winning until that point. I think now that the Cubs can do it, but I want to see some moves made. I want to see a better hitter in left field, and I'd still like to see the bullpen fortified. With June rolling into July, this will be the time for Hendry to make the trades. Will he? I think so. But we'll have to wait and see.

I WANT CREDIT

Before my recent trip to Chicago, the Cubs had lost two in a row to the tenatious Blue Jays. Then I show up and Sergio Mitre pitches the game of his life, and the Cubs offense comes alive and blasts 20 hits and scores 14 runs against the Red Sox. Hell, even Maddux went yard.

I also purchased a batting practice jersey and cap before that game, which I wore both Friday and yesterday. Although I might have to convince Carolyn, and although it will go against my attempts at not being superstitious, I'm going to keep wearing the jersey and cap as long as the Cubs keep winning. (Don't worry, I'll try to wash it between games.)

Wrigley Field was amazing on Friday. The fans were loud, the team played well, we saw Greg Maddux's fifth career homerun, and it also may be the last he'll ever hit. I was proud to join in the standing ovation Maddux received after the homerun, and again when he left the mound in the 7th.

The Cubs also won yesterday, although I was unable to follow the game. I was pleasantly surprised when they came back from a 4-0 deficit to win the game 7-6, and I have little doubt that a sweep could happen today.

Two bummers that stem from this trip: I didn't get to meet James or Jason, although I did get to meet Al and Ken of Waveland Chronicles. I was going to try to meet James and Jason at Casey Moran's after Friday's game, but we were parked on a street that started ticketing and towing at 5, and the line into the bar was long and unmoving. And so we walked down the line hoping to see or be seen, but unfortunately it didn't happen. Hopefully I'll meet them both on my next trip to Chicago.

The second bummer: something is wrong with the power port on the laptop. It sparks back there any time we try to plug it in, which means that we'll need to have it looked at. I don't know how long that'll be. My computer is also again currently without the internet, so I have no idea as to how much blogging time I'll have in the coming days. I'll try to update daily, but we'll have to wait and see.

Regardless, I'll be cheering for the Cubs tonight, as will we all.

LIVE FROM CHICAGO

Carolyn and I drove into Chicago on Tuesday night. Actually, we stayed in South Bend, where we were warmly greeted by the sound of perhaps two dozen ducks and geese squacking all night long. In the morning, we got up early and drove into town, where we were at Wrigley Field about two hours before game time. We toured the area, checked out some stores, and had to quickly hurry back to our car to pick up the Zambran-O-Meter and the MVLEE sign we'd made. We then headed into the bleachers.

The bleachers can be a lot of fun. Or they can be a curse. Just ask Byron Clark. My personal record in the bleachers now sits at a comfortable 4-0, as the Cubs managed to beat the fearful Roy Haliday and the Toronto Blue Jays. I met up with Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue, but before I did that I stood at the top of the walk-way holding the Zambran-O-Meter. (I didn't know exactly where I was meeting Al, as he'd sent me an EMail that I hadn't yet read.) I wound up talking to a dozen or so fans interested in the sign, and had my picture taken by a few others.

Eventually, Al mosied his way over to me and informed me that we were to sit futher over in right field. I then got to meet his friends and had the pleasure of watching a good baseball game. We should've expected victory from the beginning, because as I told Al, the Cubs were bound to win the game no one thought they'd have a chance at. Sergio had an RBI double and allowed only 2 hits in 7 innings. The Cubs themselves combined to throw a 3-hitter, which is the exact number of hits they allowed the last time Carolyn and I saw a game at Wrigley Field in August of 2003.

Anyway, it's Thursday night now. I'm hoping to meet with James and Jason sometime tomorrow, either before or after the game.

In the meantime, we're going to head back to our campground and will hopefully have more wireless so I can actually EMail back the people who have Emailed me. Let's hope the Cubs win tomorrow... it'd make the trip perfect and complete.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN



After yesterday's disappointing loss, I'm not a bit nervous about the upcoming games I'll be attending with my girlfriend. Mostly because the Cubs had an atrocious record at games we attended last year (1-4 with 3 blown saves) and I'd hate to feel responsible for two more losses this year. (I've got to get it together! I've got to remember the 3rd step: acknowledging God as a higher power, and realizing that He's not out to get me or the Cubs!)

Seriously, I blame Byron, who was in attendance for yesterday's game.

The problem is, we Cubs fans share a bizarre "Cubs Fan Mentality." For instance: if a Cubs pitcher managed to get out of two early-game jams, leaving say, five men on base in the process, as a Cubs fan I would think, "shit, they're going to get to him eventually." But if that situation is reversed and it's the Cubs who have left runners on early, my thoughts become, "shit, we're not going to score any runs." Many Cubs fans are like that, which is another reason I think a person could make millions by becoming a shrink for Cubs fans.

As it happens, last night was a case where that paranoia proved true. The Cubs were hitting Chacin with regularity in the early going, but they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Hopefully it was just an aberration, and the Cubs offense will be back today, making Josh Towers their prison bitch. (Seriously, if your team can't beat a guy named Gustavo, you're in trouble.)

So, I'll be at the ballpark tomorrow and on Friday. Hopefully the rain holds off, as it is expected to t-storm quite a bit. Regardless, I'll be at the ballpark with two signs: the 120 Win Zambran-O-Meter, and an M.V.LEE sign with a Cubbie bear logo at the top. If you see either on TV or at the game, let me know.

This series could be a tough one because Rusch is due to get banged up a little, and Roy Halliday is pitching on Wednesday against Sergio. But I think the Cubs can still win two.

SETTING THE TONE

Every once in a while, bad teams play really, really good baseball. Take the 2004 Devil-Rays. At one point early in their season, they were 21-34. No one was surprised. We all know the D-Rays aren't a good team. Then, something weird happened. Maybe the team made a group visit to the offices at Balco, I don't know, but they started to string together some wins. Lots of wins, in fact. From June 9th through July 3rd, the D-Rays went 17-4. They improved their record to 40-38. Of course, after reaching that high-water mark, they went 30 and 53 the rest of the way, but they are the D-Rays. (To D-Rays fans out there reading this blog, I really have to apologize that you've been saddled with such a tenatiously bad club.)

I'm not saying, however, that the Cubs are going through anything like that right now. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that the Cubs are a lot better than the D-Rays were last year. My general point is simply that not only can any team play some great baseball, but great baseball is contagious. Winning breeds winning. And right now, the Cubs are playing spectacularly, in spite of missing two of their best arms in the rotation and their expected #3 hitter and star shortstop. I expect it to continue.

The big thing, as Andy Dolan noted over at Desipio, is that this team actually has leadership. Surprisingly, they aren't who we might expect. Derrek Lee has stepped up, which isn't a shock, but I don't think anyone expected so much from Neifi! Perez and Henry Blanco. An example of Blanco's leadership? He told Carlos yesterday that if the Moose didn't start throwing strikes, he'd slap him across the face.

The Moose started throwing strikes.

The Cubs won 4-0, beating the team with the top record at home in the National League. They went 6-1 on the trip. They come home to face a struggling Blue Jays squad, a dangerous Red Sox team, the floundering Marlins, and the (dare I say it?) hapless Yankees. These are all teams with winning records. I still wouldn't be surprised to see the Yankees in the post season. The Marlins and Red Sox should be there, as well.

I'm not going to predict how they'll do. But I do believe that how they play will be a very telling indication of where this season will go. If the Cubs struggle and find themselves with a 34-33 (meaning a 4-8 record against these dangerous teams) record headed into Milwaukee, then we know they aren't for real. If they even manage to win 6 games and hit Milwaukee with a 36-31 record, I think they'll be ok. But in reality, I really hope they win at least 8, and maybe more. There's no reason they couldn't sweep the Jays and Yankees, and a 38-29 record on June 20th would be very cool.

But let's just wait and see. I think we'll have a much better idea about this ballclub in two weeks time.

ONE OTHER NOTE

Since the end of the 7-game losing streak on May 7th, the Cubs have gone 17-8, a .680 winning percentage.

For comparrison, the White Sox have gone 14-11 in that time. The Orioles have gone 13-13. The Angels have gone 14-11. The Braves have gone 11-14. The Padres have equalled the Cubs at 17-8. In fact, only one team currently holding onto first place is doing better. The Cardinals have gone 18-8 since the Cubs ended their streak.

But they're hurt and playing above their heads. (This is a line of logic that Cubs fans have employed since the middle of last season.)

But it's nice to think of the Cubs as one of the hottest teams in baseball. Let's hope it keeps up through June and July.

ROAD TRIP A SUCCESS

Even with one game remaining in San Diego, it's not too early to call this seven-game western swing a smashing success. The Cubs swept LA and can do no worse than split a 4-way series with one of the two-best home teams in all of baseball. Win or lose, the Cubs are in a much better place than they were a month ago, and things are looking up. Oh, and one other important note: the Cubs are 6.5 games out of first, but are leading in the wild card.

Today should be an immensely fun game, win or lose. We get to see the best 24-year-old pitcher in the game take on the second-best 24-year-old pitcher in the game. But where Carlos Zambrano and Jake Peavy stand in the rankings isn't exactly easy to determine, except that Peavy has been lights-out dominating this year with 5 wins, 0 losses, and a 2.37 ERA.

Peavy faced the Cubs once earlier this year. He held them to 2 runs in 7 innings, and allowed a mere 6 hits (a double to Derrek and a homer to Corey were the only extra bases he gave up). Hopefully the Cubs can do better this time around. But don't get too worried if the offense gets shut down. Peavy isn't just a good pitcher - he's a great one. It would be a lot like 1984. The Cubs knew they could beat the Mets, except for when Doc Gooden was pitching. Beating them every other time is the important thing.

Tomorrow, the Cubs return to Chicago to battle the surprisingly good Blue Jays (29-27 of this writing), then the 30-25 Red Sox, then the 28-25 Marlins, then the 28-27 Yankees, then the 26-29 Brewers (better than their record indicates), and then the 37-18 White Sox. That's 16 games out of the next 20 against teams currently over the .500 mark. This will be the true test. The one solace is that they're all vulnerable right now, except the White Sox.

Oh, and after a second series against the Brewers, the Cubs play 10 more against good teams: the Nationals, Marlins, and Braves. It'll be a tough schedule that the Cubs will have to overcome.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

P.S. Fire Dusty!

LOOK AT WHAT I MISSED

Geeze, I go away for a few days and when I come back, the Cubs have managed to string off their longest winning streak in years. Not that I really missed anything - I caught most of the Cubs v. Dodgers/Padres games on ESPN. It was actually pretty fun listening to Eric Karros, who seems to be fitting into his analyst job rather nicely.

I also got to see Derrek Lee redefine the meaning of "on fire." But then I get home and what happens? 6-2 loss, 0 for 5 from D. Lee, and two big games against the vulnerable Darrell May, and the unhittable Jake Peavy. But hell, it was still a great winning streak, and while the Cubs still should seek improvement through trades, it's not as entirely doom and gloom as it was a few weeks ago.

But they should still fire Dusty Baker. (Hey, I'm consistent, give me that much, at least!)

I'm trying very hard this year not to be superstitious about the club. It's a part of this twelve step program I'm in. Step three is acknowledging that there is a higher power who really isn't out to get me or the things I love. With that said, I don't feel accountable for last night's loss coinciding with my return to Toronto, nor do I feel the Cubs are more likely to win when I go back out on the road next week to see two games at Wrigley.

But I do blame the Uncouth Sloth, who Emailed the Cubs Blog Army yesterday or the day before to remind us that he's not blogging until they lose. Way to go, Sloth.

I'm pretty sure that when the Cubs started this west coast swing, there weren't many people who expected them to win more than they lose. But now, even if they lose the next two to the Padres, the Cubs will have gone 4-3 on the trip. And who's expecting them to lose the next two?

So let's bask in the moment, and hope things continue. It looks like I'll be taking the 120 Zambran-O-Meter with me to Wrigley, and I'll proudly display it from my position in the bleachers.

Go Cubs!