Aramis Ramirez...  it's the 8th inning...   your team is down two runs...  bases are loaded...  what are you going to do?

(paused to make for a more dramatic effect)

 (how's it working so far?)

It sure beat any words I could muster up.

Uh...   how does the rest of that song go?   I don't remember.    You would think I haven't sung or hummed it more than 80 times.

(yes...  ONLY 80 times!   Skinny keeps the volume turned down when logging into the sports page >;0)

So, with the win today, that puts the Cubs at 81 - 50 and a whopping 31 games above .500 for the season, including a 49-19 record at Wrigley... simply has been an amazing year.    I'd probably be posting more this last couple weeks had I not spent all my time and money (mmm... beer) watching Cubs games and simply enjoying them, as opposed to writing about them...   ironically,  the same thing I did during the entire Olympics.   Usually I'm too drunk to comment logically... That leads to sentances full of "WHOOOoo HOOOoo's" and naughty language. Some consider that a problem. However, I believe that's only a problem if you're willing to admit it.    Sooo, life is good, and it should only get better when the Cubbies spend a week in Pittsburgh,   which can only mean one thing:   they're playing that last place team again.    Can you spell 'W' ?

One's thing's for certain,   (besides the fact that I'll never check myself into AA)
You can count on me sitting at the local bar watching on Wednesday,  for what I'm calling a "liquid lunch break"

TEAM	W	L	%	GB
Chicago	81	50	.618	-
Milwaukee	76	55	.580	5.0
St. Louis	73	59	.553	8.5
Houston	66	65	.504	15.0
Cincinnati	57	74	.435	24.0
Pittsburgh	57	74	.435	24.0

Streaks: W3

Last 10: 7-3

Home: 49-19  Road: 32-31

Runs Scored: 713  

Runs Against: 529 

What still baffles me is that the Cardinals would be in first place if they were in any other division...

...   HA HA ha hahahaha!!     And it couldn't happen to a nicer rival!     :: PPPPPpppfffffptttttttt ::::

 It almost makes me sound smart,  not just lucky.

Dropping the first game,  the mighty Cubs flexed their bats and showed those Pirates who owned the series.   In doing so,  they were also able to put a little more distance between rivals Milwaukee and St.Louis who both posted big L's.    Good thing to have while we get set for the visiting Houston Astros,  who'll try to keep their current win streak going as long as they can (with any luck...  it will remain at 3).

TEAM	W	L	%	GB
Chicago	67	45	.598	-
Milwaukee	62	50	.554	5.0
St. Louis	62	52	.544	6.0
Houston	53	57	.482	13.0
Pittsburgh	51	60	.459	15.5
Cincinnati	51	61	.455	16.0

Besides,  what would make the wins enjoyable if we won every single game we played?

Despite the valiant effort,  the Cubs couldn't muster up the run support needed to keep their winning streak going, lacking the necessary runs needed to overcome a slim 3-0 loss.   It was definately hard to swallow 5 double-play balls and going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position, however all it tells me is that we're not going to win every game in August,  and nothing more.   

And credit is deserved by Jeff Karstens, newly acquired pitcher for the Pirates.   Pitching 6 shut out innings in his first big league appearance shows alot about him and the team he plays for in regards to their hopes for the future.   I guess when you're 13 1/2 games out in the NL Central,   you must look at it as "hey...  we'd only be 5 1/2 back if we were in the West"

You got us this time Pirates, but don't start patting each other on the rears just yet, we still have to play 2.

They keep winning,  but thankfully the Cubs found their winning ways as well,  keeping that slight edge over the streaking Brewers and remaining a single game up on their rivals from the north.   Thanks again to that worthless team from St.Louis for accomplishing absolutely nothing against them and letting them take 3 straight.   Kudos Cards,  I guess we'll just have to take care of those Brewers ourselves. 

In other news the Mets have now tied it up with the Phillies in the NL West, the Dodgers can't win when it counts, and I still don't give a damn about what's happening in the American League.

That's all for now.  Tonight we head back to Wrigley Field for a 4-game series against those pesky Marlins, followed by another 4-game winner-takes-division-lead series agains the Milwaukee Brewers.    I may just have to make a roadtrip up to Beerwaukee for that one.