What a difference a week makes

Lilly pitched almost as well as Zambrano.

Derrek Lee hit a homer.

The red hot Astros aren't.

Howry pitched a perfect ninth.

Edmonds homered.

A week ago, things were starting to look a little sketchy. Hurricane Ike blew in and took away the blahs, apparently, and all is right in Cubnation for the moment. The Cubs take two of three from the Cardinals, who may now begin their vacation because they are done. We sweep the Astro's in Miller Made Park (much to their chagrin and whining -- more on that in a moment) and suddenly we look like the best team in the NL, and perhaps baseball, again.

Provided that DLee ever homers again, we have a legit shot at six guys with 20 plus homers, which is remarkable. Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Soto, DeRosa and Edmonds (Edmonds needs two more.) Even more amazing to me, though, is that Fontenot needs one more for ten...and he hasn't had that many at bats. I think he's a twenty homer guy in a full season, too.

Dempster had a great line. When asked about going head to head with Sabathia this week...and asked why he got that assignment, he said "probably the way I swing the bat against lefties." I hope he gets two hits off CC. Speaking of the Brewers -- let's put them away this week once and for all. It is now conceivable (if we don't let them off the mat) that they won't even make the wild card. Which is one of my three 2008 baseball wishes. The other two are that the Cubs win the World Series (that one was obvious) and the other is for me to sing Take me out to the ball game during the stretch at one of the series games. It would be great, wouldn't it, to see the Brewers give up five solid prospects for a pitcher who doesn't get them to the off season (by no fault of his own) and then lose him to free agency? That would tickle my funny bone.

Monumental tank by Milwaukee this week in Philly. It could be the Mets and Phillies who make the playoffs now, along with the Cubs and Dodgers.

Houston is whining. I mean, sure I feel bad about the Hurricane. That's a tough thing to have happen to your city. But come on. You are pros. It shouldn't really matter where you play. Cecil Cooper is complaining to the Comish that Miller wasn't neutral enough. Doesn't he know Cub fans come out like that to every city in the league? It could have been KC. Same thing. They still get no hit. They still lose. They still listen to thousands of Cub fans make noise v the fourteen Astro fans. Doesn't matter where you are.

I gots to do some work. Props again to Lilly for a great effort. Go Cubs.

best to cb

Nice to hear from Smitty and Raker on the SAME day yesterday. Wow. I felt special.

Cozumel rocks.

js