If all the reports are true, it's my opinion that any player caught cheating should be banned from the game with 0% chance of making the HOF. I don't know how any fan can stand up for any of these players. They have cheated us the fans and most importantly they have disgraced the game that made them who they are.

Don't tell me you "love" the game Sammy Sosa, you stopped loving the game when you started cheating the game.

The Cubs should immediately remove Sosa from all record books. I'm not saying remove his stats like he never existed, I'm saying he shouldn't be listed in any of the teams yearly or career records stats.

Single Season home run record should be returned to Hack Wilson with 56 in 1930.

Single Season extra base hits record should belong to Derrek Lee with 99 in 2005.

Single Season total bases record should be returned to Hack Wilson with 423 in 1930.

Single Season slugging % record should be returned to Hack Wilson at .723 in 1930.

Career home run record should be returned to Ernie Banks with 512 as a Cub.

The one record i don't care if Sammy keeps because he deserves it is Season and Career strike outs.

We have been cheated out of so much in the game of baseball during the past 20+ years by not only the players, but also coaches, managers, GM's and yes, even the commissioner. IMO

Let's ban the games all time hits leader from the game and the HOF for gambling, but let players that actually cheated the game stick around and still be on the HOF ballot. That makes no effin sense to me.

What about the money these guys have cheated the owners out of? Money they wouldn't have been paid if not for stats they shouldn't have had. What about the pitchers (their were some clean ones) that had their stats inflated by guys that were cheating? I'm sure it cost them money in arbitration at one point or another. Roy Oswalt was even heard talking about that months ago.

Bud Selig has sat back and allowed the integrity of the game to be ruined for a buck.

I'm not sure about the rest of you, maybe you're one of those D Lee haters bashing him all over the internet, but i have always been a D Lee supporter through the thick and the thin. Regardless of his stats, he brings an invaluable leadership quality with him. To me that is HUGE with the losses of great club house players like DeRosa, Woody and Hank White (Henry Blanco for those of you that been under a rock the past few years).

I'm very happy to see D Lee coming out of his funk. Not only do the Cubs need it with A Ram out, they will still need it just as much when he comes back.

Bradley i'm afraid is going to be a total bust, not playing more than 50-75 games....MAX! Wish they would have waited out the free agent period and signed Abreu for less money and less years.

Did I mention that the reigning ROTY, is hitting around the mendoza line with one effin home run and like 10 rbi's. :eek:

Since May 1st, Lee is right there in the top four of all first baseman with a minimum of 75 at bats.


Since May 15th, Lee has been even better although still ranking fourth among first baseman with a minimum of 51 at bats.


While Lee's power numbers for home runs don't quite stand up with the others, the RBI numbers are not his fault. He can't knock guys home that are not on base now can he?

None of this mentions the amount of errors he saves the infielders with his defense or the great plays he makes on foul pop ups near the stands. Sure he makes an error here and there, and no his error in ATL didn't cost the Cubs the game, but he saves way more runs with his glove than he gives up.

I hope all you fans dogging D Lee keep eating your crow and learn to keep your mouth shut and root for your team regardless of stats. If they wear the Cubbie uniform, you should be pulling for them 100%. Sure it's ok to give your opinion, but to make posts all over the internet about trade this guy, bench this guy, fire this guy, etc... every time a loss happens and going to the park and booing just for the sake of booing don't make you cool, it makes you stupid. As KB would say, LIQIS!

Stats courtesy of BaseballMusings.com

Attached Thumbnails

   

Ok this is getting just a little to ridiculous. I understand a guy hitting .200 in April and saying, "Hey it's early, he'll bust out of it".

But we are now more than half way through May, and the Cubs can't put a line up out that has more than 3 or 4 guys hitting higher than .230? Are you freaking kidding me?

I got the fix for Lou.

I say send someone, anybody down to Iowa in exchange for the sly one. Then give Zambrano some games at third when he isn't pitching. Even if he can't field, we know he can outhit FonteNOT, Miles and Freel. What the hell we got to lose. Throw the sly one in left, HoffPOWER in right, move the fonze to 2nd, bench Soto and here is what you have for a lineup.

Soriano 2b
Theriot SS
Fukudome CF
D Lee 1B
M Hoffpauir RF
Jake Fox LF
Zambrano 3b
K Hill C

I also suggest using a three man rotation with Lilly, Z and Demp. Using only Marmol and Guzman out of the pen.

There you go Lou, the perfect blueprint to get this sinking ship back afloat. If you need advice all you have to do is fill out our contact us form.

When Gator first introduced the idea of Cubbiefans.com to me via Craigslist, I felt that I should carry the torch for all the young (O.K. early 30's) Cubs fans who enjoy having a pint or twelve at their favorite watering hole while watching our boys of summer beat up on other teams.

I've yet to do such a thing. But, by the time you get sober enough to read this later tonight after todays 5-4 squeaker win in the bottom of the ninth, it will hopefully be all planned out.

I figure that if I'm truly going to live blog a game from the bar, I might as well enjoy the establishment I'm sitting in watching the game. So I've come up with this format of drinking. And the live blog will be called:

From The Bar Stool

-Top of every inning: Pop the top of a new beer.
-For every two strikeouts: Shot of Jameson
-For each double play: Shot of cheap bar whiskey
-Baserunner steals second: Shot Jaegermister
-Baserunner steals third/home: Two shots of Petron
-Homer into the basket: Shot of Jack
-Homer deep into the bleachers: Slam full beer
-Homer onto Waveland or Sheffield: Slam beer with bomb chaser
-No-hit opposing team: Buy bottle of Petron and drink in the street
-Throw perfect game: Run nude down the streets of Wrigley with Petron in tow.

If anybody has a better drink scale for me, please leave a comment and let me know.

Who is Bobby Scales you ask? Well unless you have been in a bat cave down in South America for the past week, you probably aren't asking that question. The question should be "Where the hell has Bobby Scales been and why the hell did it take so long?".

Scales was called up for his first taste of the big leagues last week and got his first start on Tuesday against of all people, the reigning Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum.

It took 11 long years and 3,303 minor league at bats, but getting his first hit was a moment he'll never forget and worth the wait he stated.

He became just the fourth player to make his Major League debut with the Cubs after the age of 31. But he has since taken advantage of every opportunity to play.

Today he hit a pair of 2 run doubles, setting a career high in RBI's with 4 and is now hitting .444 with a hit in all 6 games he has played in. That is just one short of Jerome Walton's club record of 7 games in a row to start a Cubs career way way back in 1989. Damn don't i feel old now. I remember that season like it was yesterday.

He was off to a hot start at Iowa, earning him his shot at a call up when Big Z went down. I guess sometimes they say things happen for a reason. Rami has been hurt twice now and Fontenot is not holding up to being an everyday player, continuing to struggle at the plate. Freel was on the DL with the Orioles and had an immediate hamstring problem as soon as he arrived in Milwaukee and had to be held out before making his Cub debut.

With Aaron Miles off to a dreadful start and combining with Fonte-NOT to hit oh about a buck fitty, look for Scales to get a lot of playing time if he continues to hit the ball and play with a ton of confidence. If you watch the "kid" play, he acts like he belongs, not looking a bit intimidated once he collected that first hit off Lincecum.

Can you imagine getting your first hit off the reigning Cy Young award winner? That alone would give you the confidence that "If i can get a hit off this guy, i can get a hit off anybody" and he has played that way every since.

Congratulations to a guy that has worked his ass off for over a decade while riding buses, sleeping in shitty motels and having to be a substitute teacher in the off season while he continued to chase his dream in the summer. Nothing makes me smile more than a guy persevering through set back after set back. Especially a guy that has won his teams Community Player of the Year award several times, including last summer in his first season at Iowa.

Here is an excerpt from a MLB.com interview with Bobby Scales:

Bobby Scales Bio

Name: Bobby Leon Scales
Born: October 4, 1977 in Southfield, Michigan
Bats: L/R Throws: Right
HT: 6'0'' WT: 185

Scales played for the University of Michigan and was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 14th round (442nd overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft on June 11, 1999.

View Bobby Scales Minor League Stats

Bobby Scales Videos

Super Man Manny Ramirez, now that we have been informed about his use of HCG, doesn't seem to be so super any longer, does he?

"Recently, I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me,” Ramirez said in a statement issued by the players’ union.

Manny, if I were working a job that had strict rules about what I could and couldn't be taking for my ailments, I would be certain to ask the doc who prescribed them to me if he or she knew what they were talking about.

Doc's ain't dumb, Manny. And I'm almost certain that if your personal doctor, who you went to visit for a "personal health issue" would have known if there was any substance in the medication that was or could have been banned by MLB.

I'm sure that HCG doesn't improve the timing of swings or vision of a batter at the plate so I can't really give all credit for your numbers (.348, six HR's and 20 RBIs over 27 games) to this drug that promotes the production of testosterone, but come on man.

You make $25 million to play baseball. $7.65 million of which you'll lose while on your 50 game suspension. I spend about 1/50 th (just an estimate) at the bar watching you and your fellow ball players play the game that I and many, many other men have only dreamed of playing.

So sad, Manny. So sad.

But maybe MLB thinks that the fans are at last back and have decided to stop protecting the big name players that so many people tune in to watch. The guys like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.

At least A-Rod acknowledges that he knowingly used steroids with Texas between 2001-2003.

Man up Manny. Man up.

Or you can be a true Dodger and, well, dodge this entire situation you're in.

So, our Cubs are 10-10. One spot from the dead bottom of the NLC. And nobody can figure out why. This may or may not be true, but I believe that the lack of warm weather in Chicago has made our Cubs play like poop so far this season. That or not enough people are getting to the bars in the surrounding area of The Friendly Confines to support the team. And if the later is the true case, the following list better help them out.

Now that we've the topic in mind, these are the Top Ten Sports Bars in Wrigley to celebrate a Cubbie victory or, I've got to be honest with this, drown the tears of a loss.


10. The Dugout, 950 W. Addison St.
This is the closest bar to the Friendly Confines on this list. It is,literally, a hop, skip and jump away from the home of the Lovable Losers. But that name might change at seasons end. Anyway, this whole in the wall can make for a pretty good time. Sit at the bar and checkout the baseball cards set beneath the spot to rest your beer or watch the game on their plasmas. Scarf down a pretzel with cheese or a plate of nachos. But I warn you, if you're there on a day they are holding a hot dog eating competition, stay outta the way of the competitors, they can get a little unruly.

9. Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison St.
Right out the front door of the ball park. O.K. I rescind #10. This might be the closest bar to Wrigley. The 30,000 square feet of space this place is made of is packed tighter than a can of worms in the South. It's always full after games and rivals with Murphy's for most famous bar to drink at after a Cubs win. You might find a live band rockin' out or a DJ spinning some of today's best.

8. Red Ivy, 3525 N. Clark St.
A relative new comer to the area, Red Ivy is more of an upscale sports bar than the others on the street. It surely is a sports fan bar though. Within the 6,000 feet of drinking and dining space there are seven 42-inch plasmas, three 60-inchers and one giant 90-inch projection t.v. to catch all of the action. Oh yeah, they also have t.v.'s in the bathroom so when you're draining the lizard, you won't miss Ted Lilly's heater to the chin of any White Sox player.

7. Vines on Clark, 3554 N. Clark St.
The kid brother bar to its neighbor to the North, Vines is brought to Cubs fans from the same guys who do Cubby Bear. This place is where you need to be if you want to drink outside. A huge street level beer garden, an open aired patio and a roof top bar/deck can fill the need for sun and drink.

6. Houndstooth Saloon, 3438 N. Clark St.
To some, this may not qualify as a sports bar. But anyplace that gives mad cred to Bear Bryant qualifies as a sports joint to me. The Southern feel to this place will comfort you and the Southern style food made in the kitchen will bring you back again and again. Or maybe it will just be the fine drinks whipped up for you by the cute bartender who always seems to be wearing a jean skirt and cowboy boots. I'll leave that for you to decide.

5. Murphy's Bleachers, 3655 N. Sheffield Ave.
Murphy's bleeds Cubbie love. And so do the fans that pack this place to the ceiling before, during and after every home game. It's a big sized place with open-air for all to enjoy. Try the homemade soup of the day or the chili while sitting atop their roof trying to steal a peak of the game across the street.

4. Bernies, 3664 N. Clark St.
Season ticket holders, a few announcers and even a couple two-tree players frequent this pub before and after the games. This place is so Cubs driven, the regulars set up trips to spring training out in Mesa each year. Sip up some suds in the bar or out in the back in their beer garden while enjoying a nice friendly game of Corn Hole/Bean Bags. (Why can't we all decide on just one name for this damn game?)

3. Sluggers, 3540 N. Clark St.
Sluggers has been described by some as being a "neighborhood sports baron steroids." And I'm pretty sure I'd agree with that. You can drink and dance 'till ya puke, atop one of the dueling pianos if you wish, and try your luck at hitting a heater in the second floor batting cages until 3 AM on Saturdays. Or you can drop coins to play video games, pool or mini-bowling. It's kinda like a Chuck E. Cheese for 21-26 year old kids.

2. Mullens, 3527 N. Clark St.
Doesn't matter if it's Matty or Karl behind the bar, Mullens is the place for Cubs fans to belly up to the bar and enjoy a cold one after a game and eat some good 'ol pub grub. TRY THE WINGS!!! From throwing darts to having a quick 18 on Golden Tee, the fun that happens in this pub, named after Jim Mullen-a Chicago police officer wounded by gunfire, is worth waiting in line for. Slip JP a fiver and you might have a quicker entrance.

1. Merkles, 3516 N. Clark St.
Opened in December '04, in the old Billy Goat Tavern. This place has it all, food, drinks and women. What else is needed to celebrate kicking the crap outta the team we're pkaying? "Big D's" homemade burgers, zesty wings and, quite possibly, the best tasting chicken sandwich on the street, will have you returning every time the Cubs are playing at home. Everybody, and I do mean EVERYBODY, who steps into this place will leave feeling a little bit better about their day. If it isn't the women delivering trays of "Bootie Call" fish bowls or the talented bartenders pouring drinks from behind the bar, it might be the voice of Chris Buehrle singing from the front window or the guys in the back blasting critters on the hunting game.

If you agreed/disagreed/puked in your mouth a little bit after reading my post yesterday, this one should follow suit.

Yesterday, I talked about how people need to forget the past performances of players and move forward. To forget about last year, the year before that and and the 100 before that one.

Today, I will set up the best eight guys (no pitcher) that Sweet Lou should put on the diamond by their stats alone.

Hold on a sec. I know that you're screaming at your computer screen right now, suggesting to Freddy that stats don't mean a damned thing. That a team shouldn't be fielded by a players statistical (spelled correctly?)accomplishmnets alone.

To bad.

That's how I feel like doing it today.

C- Hill vs. Soto: Hill has played in 8 games, with 27 at bats, 10 hits, scored five times, 6 RBI and a .370 BA. Soto has played in 18 games and stood in the box 45 times. Of these 45 times, he reached base from a hit five times, giving him the great BA of .111. This stat alone puts Hill behind the plate to call the game.

1st- Lee vs. Hoffpauir: Lee has been in 18 games with 70 trips to the plate. Mr. Man is batting .200 with ten RBI and 1 round tripper. Hoffpauir (pronounced Hof-POWER) has played in 14 games, is batting .303, slugged two dingers and chased in eight Cubs runners. Though it is against how I feel, we'll need Hoffpauir later, I'll start Lee.

2nd- Fontenot vs. Milles: Just put Soriano at bag #2 and get the game on.

3rd- Ramirez vs. well?: With no named back-up at the hot corner, Ramirez will stay at his bag, as he should. He's deliverd so far this season with a .358 BA, 3 HR's adn 14 RBI. Though if he does start to falter, I can always place Fontenot, Hoffpauir or anybody else at third. Or maybe try to get Chris Basak from the Twins.

SS- Theriot vs. well?: Again, no named back-up. But "T-pain" is doing exceptionally well so far this early season: 78 AB's, 24 hits, three stolen bases (tied for team lead) and batting .308. He'll start.

LF- Soriano vs. All Other Outfielders (AOO): I've already declared Al-So as the starting man at the two bag, so I'm gonna put Hoffpauir out in left.

CF- Fukudome vs. AOO: Though I am a huge fan of Reed Johnson, the man ain't shown up yet this year and he'll be parken on the pine until he decided to show his cool-goateed face. Now, Mr. Fuk-u-do-me (soaced to sound like the bleacher bums chanting his name from beyonf the ivy) has shown up HUGE this season, battng .358, with 4 dingers, 24 total base hits and leading the team in RBI with 15. Fuku...you get the go in center.

RF- Bradley vs. AOO: Bradley has done nothing beside raise the hopes of Cubs fans around the World. Failed, he has so far. The only taste of emotion I've seen in him was when he got tossed for crying about getting struck out. Sniff. Sniff. Whaa. But who am I gonna put out there by Sheffield Ave.? I guess we'll leave him out there for lack of anybody else.

P.S. When I used to work for this high school sports web site here in Chicago, many (but not all) of the fellas I worked with determined who the best player of any sport was by stats alone. Didn't matter if the guy had only been involved with the team for a quarter of the season, if his stats were better than some other cats, he was the better player. Puke. So hopefully you understand I am just having a little fun with this.

I know, your probably thinking "how the hell did they win on a walk off when the final score was 10-0". Well if you read it again, i said "in a walk off". Cubs pitchers walked a ton of Diamondback hitters, literally. You don't believe me, here is the proof.

Felipe Lopez - 205 lbs x 2 walks = 410 lbs
Augie Ojeda - 175 lbs x 1 walk = 175 lbs
Chad Tracy - 215 lbs x 1 walk = 215 lbs
Mark Reynolds - 220 lbs x 2 walks = 440 lbs
Connor Jackson - 215 lbs x 2 walks = 430 lbs
Chris Young - 200 lbs x 1 walk = 200 lbs
Ryan Roberts - 195 lbs x 1 walk = 195 lbs

Add it all up and you get 2,065 lbs. So see, i told you the Cubs pitchers walked a ton of Diamondbacks.

It all started with Dempster giving up 3 runs right off the bat in the bottom of the first. While he only walked one guy in the inning, it was a lead off walk to Felipe Lopez who eventually scored on a Chad Tracy double. The same Chad Tracy that was 2 for 19 in his last 6 games, including the home run off Lilly Monday night. So in his last 7 games, Tracy now has 5 hits, 4 against the Cubs, including 2 Home runs and an RBI double. Can we trade for this guy?

Dempster only walked 3 in his 6+ innings, but he was all over the place all day pitching in a lot of 3 ball counts. He threw 97 pitches in his 6 innings, with a third of those balls.

The real problems started in the 7th inning with Marmol. After replacing Dempster after a lead off walk by Dempster to to pinch hitter Ryan Roberts, a .250 hitter. Enter Marmol. :eek: Carlos walked his first hitter, Felipe Lopez. After a sac bunt by Augie Ojeda pushed runners to 2nd and 3rd with 1 out, Lou ordered an intentional walk to Chad Tracy. You know the guy that is going to be the starting all star catcher based on this series. The move completely backfired as Marmol walked both the next two hitters, forcing in two runs and leaving with the bases still full. Carlos' line, 5 hitters faced, 4 walks, 1 intentional and his only out came on Ojeda's sac bunt. They should have let Augie walk. All 4 walks came home to score including the lead off walk by Dempster. Samardzija then replaced Marmol and while Jeff did get a couple strike outs, he couldn't get them before Justin Upton ripped a double clearing the bases. Thank you Marmol. Just like that, a 4-0 game was 9-0 and the D-Backs scored those 5 runs on 1 hit. 1 HIT!! I know, i know there are some of you that will say Carlos was rusty, he hadn't pitched in a few days. Blah! You are a major league pitcher. One that gets paid to throw strikes and this guy was no where near the plate. He threw 22 pitches, 17 of them were balls.

Then in the 9th the Cubs bring on Kevin Gregg. Figure he hasn't pitched much, it's 9-0, lets send him out there get an inning out of him in a game that's all but over. Nope, Gregg couldn't even get out of the 9th inning. After striking out the first 2 hitters, all of a sudden Gregg couldn't find the zone. He walked Ojeda, gave up a single to All Star catcher Chad Tracy, then proceeded to walk the next 2 hitters to force in another run. Lou didn't look none to pleased that he had to pull a pitcher out after 2/3 of an inning in a 9-0, well now 10-0 game. Sure the ump might have been squeezing the zone a little, but he was doing it for both teams from what i seen, and one team walked 10 times and the other 4 times. Just ask Gregg if he thinks he got squeezed. He almost got ejected arguing after Lou had already pulled him. So not only did he piss Lou off having to come get him because he couldn't finish an inning, but then he acted like a whine ass and Lou had to stay out there and keep him away from the umpire. I would ***** and moan about the zone too if my manager had to come get me out of a 10-0 game i was losing because i just walked 3 batters to force in a run. I too would blame the ump. Wouldn't you? David Patton came in and got Chris Young looking to end the misery.

The line on Doug Davis, the opposing pitcher. 116 pitches, only 63 strikes. So he threw strikes only 54% of the time and the Cubs only managed 2 hits? That has to be a misprint right? Nope. The Cubs worked a lot of deep counts, but Davis would never give in, continuing to throw off speed pitches even in hitters counts and the Cubs just couldn't lay off or get any good wood on the ball. For a while, i thought i was watching Jamie Moyer.

Some Fast Facts

• The D-backs posted their biggest run output of the season after scoring just 35 runs in their last 11 games combined.

• The Cubs' 10-0 loss at Arizona is their worst shutout loss on the road since losing 12-0 at Montreal on Sept. 26, 1992.

• Chad Tracy hit a solo home run and picked up his second three-hit game of the season; he was 2-for-19 in his previous six games. His previous three-hit game was Opening Day, which was also the only other game he's homered in this season.

Fast Faces were provided by ESPN Stats & Information

With a passion, I hate when people relate current issues with those of the past.

Things like:

"Last year, he was a great starting pitcher."

and

"Last year, he tossed everybody out at second."

Well guess what, this year aint last year or the 101-years prior to that, and it's time to move forward.

This year, Dempster has started five games. And given up four home runs.

This year, Soto hasn't lived up to the numbers from his rookie season.

This year, the lights-out pitcher with the wicked slider, Marmol, can't get a strike on a match.

This year, even with the additions of new players, the Chicago version of the Bronx Bombers of the past are more like the little league players who spend their summer trotting around Grant Park hoping to someday be in the bigs.

This year, more than the 31-previous years I've been here, and I understand that it is still early in the season, will be my last as a Cubs fan.

Far to much time and energy has been given to a team that hasn't returned a thing to me and the others who've given more than I have.

Sweet Lou...you better get your boys playin' or a whole lotta people gonna get really mad.

So Lou said Milton Bradley will be back in the starting lineup Tuesday against Arizona.

After watching last night's miserable performance, I hope Uncle Milty came finally come through. I look at it like this....Bradley was hitting over .500 in spring training.

And where is spring training? No too far down the road from Phoenix, where Chase Field is.

Plus, Bradley won't have to face Dan Haren, who looked almost unhittable Monday night.

If nothing else, maybe Reed Johnson won't be hitting cleanup tonight? Maybe Bradley won't be either, but last night's lineup was lackluster at best. You got the feeling that if the first three didn't get anything done, nobody would.

Save for Soriano's leadoff homer, nobody got a lot going against Haren, who is one of the game's best pitchers.

Bad night from Fontenot in the field, one that his solo homer really couldn't overcome. I like Fontenot a lot, but not as a third baseman. Another reason the loss of Derosa really depletes our depth.

So what do you say Milton? It's about time you showed something to prove you are worth at least some of that $30 million coming your way in the next three years.

Tonight would be a great place to start getting heated up and break out of that 1-for-24 start you are off to.

Now, the Cubs problems aren't just the result of Bradley's tortoise-like start. It's just time for him to show us the form he had last year when he led the AL in OBP.

I don't want to start to think of the season as one filled with "what if's", and Bradley getting going may be the right jolt the rest of the team can feed off of.

Geo, Fontenot, DLee--this means you.

Sunday's win against the Cards probably did a lot of good for the Cubs pschye.

Great show by the birthday boy, Mr. Fukudome, who continues his hot start. Rich Harden looked like Rich Harden. If only Harden could give us some more innings without us worrying about his arm falling off. But I still think Harden has the nastiest stuff on this team, and that includes Big Z.

The Cubs also found a way to win without several of the big names on the field. ARam is still hurt, Milton Bradley is still trying to figure out how to hit when he's not in spring training, and Derek Lee's suspicious neck spasms (and we all know how DLee doesn't like to miss games) and the Cubs still found a way to win.

Soriano getting plunked in the helmet was also pretty scary, and when Harden was replaced to start the seventh, I probably wasn't alone in letting out a huge sigh when I saw Neal Cotts enter. Kind of the same feeling I get when anyone not named Marmol comes in from the pen for this team.

But they still got it done. And against the Cards, in St. Louis, to avoid a sweep. I'm not saying this was a do-or-die situation, or a "must-win", or whatever you want to call it, but it still had to give this team some confidence.

This team has been cursed more than Reggie Miller at Madison Square Garden, and now it is living with the "101 Year" complex.

The Cubs still have their shortcomings, yes. I'm not sold on Bradley. I still don't like that we traded Derosa, and let Woody and Henry Blanco go elsewhere. Three quite valuable clubhouse guys, and especially in the case of Derosa, such significant piece of the puzzle the last two seasons.

And to think we probably could have kept Woody for the same amount of money we spent on Bradley.

I don't think anyone could have forecasted the slow starts for Soto, Bradley, Fontenot, and especially the demise of the bullpen to the point where they can't throw strikes.

So, as we've all heard before, we can all hope this team heats up as does the weather.

As we wind down the opening month of the season, let's not be too hasty about wishing for next year to get here. Not time to push the panic button--yet.

A better indicator will be where this team is at the end of May

Is it me, or does anybody else seem to think that Sundays hitting clinic put on against the Red Birds was beautiful?

And the odd part about it was that most of their "Big Guys" were parked on the bench eating sunflower seeds, drinking Gatorade and healing their "injuries."

Like Lee. he ripped a double in the first, chased home a run and then was removed from the game because of neck spasms. Neck spasms?

Al-So (Alfonso Soriano) took a high heater to the dome and he finished the game.

A-Ram was pulling splinters from his ass at days end, again. Maybe we'll see him on the diamond by weeks end?

And Milton Bradley. I was ready for you to be this monsterous team leader who bashed balls through the windows of the apartments on Sheffield. Instead, you're being out played for the spot that was given to you.

Whatever. Do what you gotta do to win. If it's playing this guy over that guy, fine. I just don't want to be left out of the party at the end of the season.

And by "left out of the party" I mean you better get it done this year. There's a team 10 miles South of the Friendly Confines that is just begging for more fans.

Wouldn't you know it, one day after sitting through 3 hours only to watch the team lose in heartbreaking fashion on Friday afternoon, i wasn't able to watch the years most exciting game thus far. Due to a stupid MLB.tv black out rule and me living in the Brewers "zone" i was blacked out from watching it, even though i still paid my bill for the month. I then thought, I'll just watch it on the Brewers home channel, FSN North, and wouldn't you know it, they were showing a Bucks game! Yes you read that correct, i said a Bucks game. Why in the world would they be showing a game for a lottery bound NBA team when their baseball team is playing against its biggest rival?

From what i have read and seen, I'm glad i missed the first 8 innings as once again the offense failed to execute in big chances late and the bullpen forgot how to throw strikes. I was having a heart attack watching the Game Trax on CBS Sports seeing Guzman and Cotts load the bases, Hielman then giving up a 2 run single and thinking to myself, I'm never gonna hear the end of this from my Brewer friends. That was until my brother, listening to the MLB.tv radio feed came out and told me Soriano just hit a BOMB, Cubs lead! Wooo Hoooo! My first thought was, well the bullpen will probably blow it anyway so i'll just sit here and watch my favorite Saturday TV show, Americas Most Wanted. However, i just couldn't keep myself away from the PC, i just had to see could Marmol close it out.

After getting the first out, then giving up a hard shot IF single to third by Corey Hart, Marmol got Braun swinging from his heels (Does he swing any other way?) on a nasty off speed pitch and then after falling behind 3-1 on Prince, came back to freeze him on two straight curve balls to the surprise of Prince and all the Crew fans in Miller Park. Just a fascinating come back after losing late the night before. I just hope the bullpen can fix the walks problem, because once this order starts hitting, look out. They are averaging over 5 runs per game getting nothing from the 3-4 spots. I actually think Sweet Lou should flip flop A-Ram and D Lee. Ramirez is the Cubs best hitter IMO and D Lee is really struggling to start the year. Is it the bad back? Or is he just on the downside and its all down hill from here? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm definitely rooting for D Lee to pull out of it as i think he is the best "person" the team has character wise in the club house. I have always believed he was a "players" player.

The Milwaukee Brewers are up to some old tricks. The brew crew was known for their late inning come back at home last year and they did again today against Kevin Gregg and the Cubs, winning 4-3 by scoring two runs off Gregg in the bottom of the ninth inning. After a lead off walk to to Chris Duffy on a 3 and 2 55 foot curve ball (yea that's correct, i said Chris Duffy), Soriano broke in a couple steps before trying to get back and watched as a liner by Ricky Weeks went over his head and one hopped the wall scoring Duffy all the way from first to tie the game.

After another 55 foot curve ball by Gregg allowed Weeks to move up to third, a walk put runners on 1st and 3rd with one out to set up the controversial play. Facing Ryan Braun with a 1-2 count, Gregg gets a ground ball to Theriot who inexplicably throws home to get Weeks instead of trying to go to 2nd for one and on to first for a shot at a double play to force extra innings. Even ARam through his hands into the air as can been seen in the photo attached, probably saying "WTF are you doing?". I'm sure Theriot will state he didn't think he had a shot at the double play, but im here to say i don't think Ryan Theriot is a Major League everyday short stop. This guy don't have the arm strength to make the necessary plays. His throwing error in the first allowed the first run of the game, and the gaff in the 9th sealed it. Although Theriot wasn't the only person to blame for the loss, Gregg was pathetic in the 9th walking a lead off hitter that didn't enter the game till the late innings. Entering the game with a one run lead, facing the 9th place hitter and you walk him? I wasn't impressed before the game with Gregg and i am definitely less impressed now.

The Cubs were also horrible at getting the big hit with runners on base going 0 for 7 with RISP. Watching Braden Looper throw 85 mph off speed pitches while constantly falling behind hitters only to see the Cubs batters let him off the hook with lazy fly balls, etc... was very frustrating. I thought the Cubs were gonna score 10 runs off Looper alone. They got 1 on a solo hr by Milton Bradley, which was an absolute laser beam! 9 base runners against Looper and 1 run off a solo home run? That had as much to do with the Cubs losing as Gregg's pitching in the ninth and Theriot's all game defense. We know this team is going to hit, and the way Gregg pitched and Theriot played defense, they are going to need every bit of it.

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