Chicago Cubs Baseball

Call it purgatory. Or second place in the National League’s Central Division standings. Either way, Chicago Cubs baseball has been stuck in neutral for most of the past two weeks.

Unlike the two preceding months, when the Cubs kept their foot on the pedal and defied Rockies, Giants, Pirates and any other potential home or road hazard, the Chicago’s transit authority finds itself stuck on the crest of a hill. And no matter how much the Cubs gun their engine, as evidenced in the Cincinnati series, they find themselves going nowhere - fast.

Curios and curiouser is this Cubs baseball team. They talk like The Little Engine That Could (”I think I can, I think I can.”), but play more like Christine without any gas.

The Cubs are 5-10 for the month and at 61-59 are but a mere two losses away from the measuring stick of mediocrity - .500 baseball. Only by the grace of Milwaukee’s own disregard for prosperity have the Cubs managed to stay just one-half game out of the Central Division lead.

As we all know, it’s a little wheel and a long road from now till October. But the upcoming series with St. Louis could potentially be the games to derail Chicago’s season. The Cardinals are coming to Wrigley Field red hot, while the Cubs, as we know, are sure not.

Fortunately, Cubdom has been assured not to fear. How do I know. ‘Cause Lou Piniella told me so - well, anyone who reads the papers.

‘And we’re going to have another hot spell,” Piniella said. ”We’re going to get hot here one more time, and hopefully it’s sooner than later. But we’re in this race to stay. We’re not going to fall out of this thing.”

Now if someone just could remind Lou, to keep tank the filled…