Starting with: the All-Star break!

I don't think I'm going to watch the All-Star game this year. In general, it is a fun thing to watch, no doubt, but not something I go out of my way to see. And this year I will be away, so I will be silently hoping that Derrek and Aramis have big days and the NL wins in a landslide.

The real reason that I'm happy about the All-star break is that hopefully our bullpen will get whatever rest they need and can hopefully stop giving up runs at break-neck pace. This little sweep of the Marlins was nice and all, but I still think the Cubs can use the break.

Speaking off...what an amazing series against the Marlins. Just amazing. Really, really amazing. I had no idea that Cubs could hit like that. I think yesterday's game was as patient as I have even seen the Cubs. Five days ago, Leiter would have had no trouble against the Cubs and I would have thrown my ottoman (the foot rest, not the empire) through the TV. As it is, the Cubs have a win, and I still have a TV (wow, five sentences in a row with the word "Cubs" contained within. Somebody fetch me a synonym).

I was going to say just now that the Cubs were this patient back when they had their little 7 game win streak, and then they reverted back to form. But then I recalled a little research that I had done at the end of the streak where I found that the Cubs were no more patient during those 7 games than before. They just hit better but without taking more pitches per plate appearance. If the Cubs can hang onto these walk-tastic ways, then they will be in great, great shape. Of course, any time the Cubs take a couple walks I think this, and it never happens. But hope spring eternal. After all...

Nomar is only half a month away from returning!! What does that really mean? Neifichiro is only half a month away from returning...to the bench! I don't know which part of that makes me happier. I really should have hung onto my hatred of the Neifi, it really would have come in handy right now. A health Nomar inserted in the six spot(?) would be a huge boost to this lineup. That puts our lineup at:

Hairston
Walker
Lee
Burnitz
Ramirez
Nomar
Barrett
Murton/Holly

which is starting to almost look reasonable. Plus Hendry will almost certainly make a trade, which might make the lineup look even reasonable-er.

Like I said, hope springs eternal, and I can't help but hope. There are about 75 game left in the season and the Cubs are only (only?) six games out of the Wild Card. It totally sucks, no doubt, but it could be worse. It the Cubs can just play like the team we all though they would be, good things could happen. Here's hoping.