Wow. Jason Marquis looked absolutely abysmal, and it appeared the Cubs would have to settle for two out of three against the Astros. But a series of timely hits, a home run from Angel Pagan, and another from Derrek Lee put the Cubs back on top 6-5 after two innings and they held on to win 7-6.
What can you say about a win like this except that the hottest team in baseball is for real. That's right folks, especially you Milwaukeans (is that right?), the Chicago Cubs are making a run, and they haven't missed a beat since the break. I remember going to a game up at Miller Park earlier this year (the only one they lost during Sweet Lou's suspension) and hearing the talk from all the Milwaukee fans on the way out. They apparently don't care about their 5-7 record against the Cubs, the lack of veteran leadership on the team, or the fact that the Cubs have won more World Series' than the Milwaukee Brewers (for some reason every Brewer fan seemed to think I was wrong, but maybe they had a few too many Brew(er)s).
This isn't a trash talking post here, but rather a simple acknowledgment that the Cubs are looking like a serious contender in the National League now. They appear to be gelling, and I think youngsters Theriot, Fontenot, and Soto are a great balance to the veterans Lee, Soriano, and Ramirez. Middle of the road guys like DeRosa, Floyd, and Jacque Jones have stepped up in big situations and DeRosa can play wherever he's told. This team has speed, power, and the ability to score without the home run, as shown by their 6-4 record during a 10-game homerless drought. The only need I see for this team moving closer to the trading deadline is pitching. The bullpen struggles at times and another consistent arm to complement Carlos Marmol in the late innings would be helpful.
Hopefully they will continue to play good baseball, and the title of this blog will need to be changed next year.
Until next time...
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