Chicago Cubs Baseball

Like long-lost lovers, the Chicago Cubs almost found themselves this week.

It would have made a wonderful story: How a group of highly paid, under-achieving baseball players saw the sum of its parts come from behind to come together and settle in the embrace of victory.

It may have been the start of something big: How this same squad of Cubbies shook off sub-par pitching for the realized potential aligned with a $100 million team.

Rather than all that, the Cubs resorted to what they seem to know best - losing. Prior to tonight’s 3-0 win over Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs saved their worst for last, adding yet another digit to the loss column.

As in the case of any loss, there’s always plenty of blame to pass around. Last night and the day before were no exceptions.

Carlos Zambrano, the proposed ace of the staff, continued to look like the Zambrano of April’s passed - struggling with control and in the process digging himself and his teammates into a hole. Before the Cubs were even able to get some Atlanta dust on their uniforms, Zambrano yielded four runs and the majority of his five walks.

Then something strange happened. In a rare display of fire in the belly, Chicago battled back. And they did it with bullets, not bombs. A double here, a single there and eventually the lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Like the day before that’s when the other “L” word entered the scene - as in left-hander. Scott Eyre, the Cub’s southpaw set-up man, showed as he has all season why he’s a perfect fit in Chicago. Mimicking the script of the Cub’s other left-handed reliever, Will Ohman, Eyre’s performance quickly extinguished any thoughts of a happy Cub ending.

And forget about any momentum.

Eyre’s line score: 2/3 innings pitched, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks. Eyre’s been so ineffective this season statistician’s are showing his ERA in military time: 14.40.

Fourteen also must be the number of the week. Because a day before Will “Bad” Ohman started the bad week rolling when he surrendered the winning run in San Diego’s 14-inning win. It was the second straight outing Ohman has either blown the hold or suffered the loss.

By the way, Ohman has compiled a sparkling 9.00 ERA.

As the season shapes up, it appears as Cubs’ fans our choices are limited.  Either learn to love the lovable losers all over again or pray for Rich Hill and four days of rain.