Chicago Cubs Baseball

Remember when “how far did it fly” referenced a Chicago Cubs home run and not another fastball flying past catcher Michael Barrett’s mitt?

Yes, those were the days of pop, punch and any other power aid that punished opposing pitcher’s mistakes and kept the kids on Waveland happy.

Sadly, like so many other aspects of the Cubs 2007 season, while we’re waiting for the electric company to show we get the Department of Streets and Sanitation. And pop, punch and power aid are more synonymous with other favored beverages than with a Cub home run.

The Chicago braintrust of Jim Hendry and Lou Piniella promised that this season’s Cubs were built to provide punch. Who would have thought they meant the Barrett-Carlos Zambrano clubhouse skirmish?

Of course, the weather hasn’t been the most cooperative. At least that was April and May’s story.

”I was telling our general manager today (April 9th), the way we’re put together as a team, if we play in 40-degree (weather) all year, I don’t think we’re going to do very well because we don’t have that type of team,” Piniella said back in April. ”We have more power in our lineup. We need to bang it a little more, and once the weather warms up, we will.”

Checking the calendar this is June 13th and the Cubs have hit 61 dingers, tying Roger Maris’ mark. Oops. Maris was one man and it took him an entire season.

Actually, I shouldn’t be so harsh on the beloved Cubs. The 61 home runs is 14th overall in Major League Baseball. I can only imagine what I’d be saying if I was a fan of the Washington Nationals or Colorado Rockies.

But as Mark Twain or Benjamin Disraeli (whomever you prefer) once said, “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.” I whole-heartedly agree, especially considering over one-third of Cub home runs have come from two players - Aramis Ramirez (13) and Alfonso Soriano (10).

And what does it say about the prospects of any home run barrages in the near future when one is on the disabled list and the other seems to only hit homers in bunches?

For now I’ll stick to my power aid and hope somebody spikes the punch.  Soon.