This is Why I'm Hot

This is a rant. Call it catharsis. If you're not interested you can check out now, but I need this.

Is there anyone in the entire Cubs farm system that can get four batters out? The entire city of Chicago for that matter? It might be time for Sweet Lou to hold open try outs Invincible-style, find a beer distributor or a U. of Chicago physicist who just happens to throw 96 mph or an honest to God gyroball because what the Cubs have now isn't working.

I've dealt with my my share of Cub losses in my lifetime. 1840 of them to be exact and a few of them have felt worse than yesterdays 6-5 decision to the Mets, but I'm not sure any have looked worse.

With a four-run lead going in to the 9th inning it looked as though the Cubs were going to split with the NL East leading Mets. Then Ninja Dempster gave up two hits and two walks to force in a run and made way for Scott Eyre, who had no Eyrevision left thanks to wasting it two days earlier, and immediately gave up two singles. Game over.

After celebrating at the plate, Ruben Gotay tugged his crotch and spit a large glob of tobacco juice on my heart, which was lying halfway between the mound and home and I didn't even mind. Felt like I deserved it.

This was the eleventh loss for the bullpen this year. 11 in 39 games. What difference do 11 games make? In 2006 only one division race was decided by more than that margin (NL East), and none in 2005. With the Cubs, despite all of this, looking like maybe the only serious challenger to the Brewers in the NL Central it's impossible to believe that this won't catch-up to them in September. The bullpen is going to have to the best in the league for at least a month at some point this season just to get back to even.

Something has to happen now. Get me Sean Marshall or Carlos Marmol. Get them here tomorrow. I don't care who's out of options or who has to go down. Hell, give Larry Rothschild a butterfly net and have him hold it out over home plate. First five pitchers to hit it stay, the last one goes. (We may need to postpone Friday's crosstown battle to get this done, but whatever it takes.)

After the game Lou said, "I'll tell you what, these guys have to do it" and he's right. But I'm not sure the bullpen realizes that based on the post game comments out of Eyre and Dempster.

So let's shake things up. You can already see that Lou is absolutely terrified to go to the pen and who wouldn't be? No lead is safe. The impossible is possible and not in a good way. I've had enough adventure for an entire season.

The lone bright spot? The Brewers only won one against the Phillies.