Nine Back

That's the reality. The Cubs are now 9 games out of first place. They have a day off tomorrow then start a series against the Cardinals in which every loss is meaningless and every win counts as a two game pick-up. With only 2 more games against the Cards, this series is effectively for the division (not the playoffs). Anything less than 2 wins, and it's just about over.

What's fascinating is that everyone has stopped hitting. Alou continues to look like he's aged 3 years in 1 month. Sosa looks like he's taken it to heart that he is on a three year death spiral of performance (OPS of 1.174 in 2001, then .994, .911, now .908 and .800 since the injury). Patterson is back to doing nothing. Lee is in sharp April performance.

What's MORE fascinating is the fascination with ump arguing. Here's a tip. You cannot argue more strike three calls than your team gets hits. And not at the 5 to 1 ratio like tonight.

The problem is offense. Were the Cubs to score above their median runs per game (4), they'd have won their last 8 in a row.

This is Jim Hendry's team. Go fix it, Jim. You have plenty of bullets to shoot with in terms of money and minor leaguers available to trade. If this team loses, it's all on Hendry. Not Baker. Sosa. Patterson. Or even Andy's whipping boy, Paul Bako.

Jim Hendry.

:::UPDATE:::
To borrow a "Desipioism", Jar Mariotti put down his doughnut and ripped off Ivy Chat for his column today. Hey, Jay. Wanna share a piece of your paycheck with me for the just-short-of-plagiarism effort?