WE LOST NO GROUND !

[SkullKey]

The last 10 games the Cubs have played have resulted in a 5 - 5 record. Nothing to write home about; and nothing to panic about !

Over the last 10 games Milwaukee, St Louis and Houston are all 4 - 6: it appears we gained a game. Perhaps it is time to relax and settle down.

What should be made of the great "showdown" series (2 of them) ? Did we "win" ? Did we "lose". We know the actual game scores but what did the last 7 or 8 games say about the year in total and the Cubs future.

NOTHING ! Absolutely nothing. Some hints perhaps (at best). We know the Mets and Philadelphia are good teams - like we did not know that before these series. Are doomed if we must play either in the post-season (should we get there [and we will]) - not likely ?

Is the Cubs season over -- washed up -- done -- kaput? Sober up. We're still in it all the way. The Cubs will get back on the winning track .

We did learn that 8th and 9th inning pitching is at least as bad as it has been much of the year. How bad: the Cubs potential Achilles heel.

THIS ISSUE MUST SOMEHOW BE CORRECTED !

If not we do not go we will not far in the tourney if we get there.

All in all the Cubs are still in very good shape

[ryno4ever]

Dave Kaplan on WGN radio's Sports Central talked quite a bit on this the other night. He wanted Cub fans to call in and tell him that "They were all in", as in poker terms. Believe in it...ride it out...and if we win the pot, just think how good we will feel, and even if the boys don't pull it off this year, we believed until the end.

It's easy to over-analyze this team and this game...but this intensity is what it is all about. We need to sit back, relax, ride the waves and enjoy this. We're a game out of first...THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST!!!! They brought Lou in for a reason, he knows the strings to pull to make it work.

[SkullKey]

" ..... We're a game out of first...THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST ..... "

You are correct m' Lady. The Cubs are in this thing. I still see our boys as favorites . I truely do. Overall they are playing well. Not dominating - just playing good , winning baseball. I believe they will win and prvail in the end.

In the meantime it is to my perceptions damm good fun and one heck of a lot better than a typical Cubs season when the Cubs are genuinely out of it by July.

And I will again suggest Lou for Manager of the Year. But I am getting way ahead of myself and the game.

[Drockvb]

I hate being the bad guy, but i think this is just the start of our downward trend. A black cloud rolled in over wrigley last night and i don't think it is going away very soon.

We still need another solid starter to boot. Not to mention our outfielders may not exceed 10 homers the rest of the season. :mad:

[HOLYCOW!25]

Did people honestly expect that hot streak to last all the rest of the season? I mean honestly, that's like asking a miracle. So the past 2 weeks haven't been great, but so what! It's 2 weeks out of a season that takes 26 to complete. I read something Lou said the other day on Cubs.com, and I think it describes exactly what I've been telling people I know for the past week.

"Nobody thought we were going to continue to play at the pace we did," he said. "I liken this to the stock market. You get a nice spike and then you get a consolidation period, and then you look for another spike. That's what we're going to do here. We've just got to consolidate the right way and wait for another hot streak."




And I will again suggest Lou for Manager of the Year. But I am getting way ahead of myself and the game.
I have to agree with you there. He took a team of players that were pretty much unfamiliar with each other because it had so many new players and made them contenders. And remember, this team was out of contention last year even before the All Star break.

[CubsFan23]

Remember Champions are Made not Born. Champions find a way to win when everyone else thinks it is impossible. Most everyone here (myself included) thought we were in for a long tumultious year after our start, but the Cubs renewed our faith. Let's not lose that faith after one bad week.

[VanMan]

Yeah, this marathon that is a baseball season is in its 18th mile. It's not quite time to start the finishing kick yet, but we do need to keep right on the leader's shoulder and wear him down.

[Drockvb]

We will start loosing ground very soon if we can't hit.

[VanMan]

Gotta hope now that the Rockies can hold on against the Brewers, after the Astros won in 10, 2-1.

[Drockvb]

Gotta hope now that the Rockies can hold on against the Brewers, after the Astros won in 10, 2-1.

Yep. But this team can't rely on what the freakin' Brewers do. (darn Brewers). Wasn't everyone talking about just win every series? Well, we tied the Phils, lost to the Mets, and now are down to the Astro's. Thats not getting it done.

[CubsFan23]

We will start loosing ground very soon if we can't hit.


Just a dry spell we will hit.

[VanMan]

Dan Plesac said Wandy Rodriguez just had a good game tonight, his curve was nastier than he's seen him throw it. You also have to factor in the fact the Cubs came in at 3 a.m. today after the late Sunday night game.

[SKIPPER 11]

Rodriguez was awesome tonight I agree, but doesnt it seem like every below .500 LH pitcher is on his A game when he faces us. - July 4- chico from the nats/ later on that week- Maholm and Youmans from the Pirates/ after the break Zito- who is good- tonight Rodriguez- this is failing to mention the ones over .500 - Glavine, Hamels