Season falling straight into the crapper

What a way to continue a mounting streak without making the playoffs in back to back seasons! Unable to score sufficient runs, having players swing at the first pitch(whether bases are empty or loaded),poor execution, assinine managerial decisions, conflicts in the clubhouse between coaches and players, and usual shaky relief pitching is what has done the Cubs in this season. Basically this is almost the same as every season. By dropping two games in Colorado against the Rockies, a team who's significant talent is only Todd Helton and then failing as on cue to outscore the Braves Monday night at home has sealed their fate of clinching a playoff spot. This is unacceptable and should be embarrassing for each player, coach, and the Chicago organization. The reemergence of Nomar and Corey Patterson back in the lineup has hurt the team more than it's helped them. With back problems, Nomar is a non-factor while Neifi Perez and Todd Walker can't ever get on base consistently. The guys that do get on base are stranded because those behind them (Corey Patterson, Jose Macias, Jeromy Burnitz, etc.) in the order think it's always a good idea to swing at every damn pitch they see.

The most frustrating part of this vicious cycle is having the starter pitcher, Carlos Zambrano get upset with himself after giving up a few runs because he knows his unreliable teammates won't score enough runs for him. In his mind he's already lost the game. Sure this is a negative way to think, but 90% of the time it's true! There were a ton of scoring opportunities for the Cubs that they let slip by and buckled under. Even with the injuries to Prior, Wood, and Nomar this team should have worked harder against their competition. They've allowed teams like the Mets, Nationals, Brewers, Reds, and Diamondbacks to walk all over them while combating struggles of their own. The only teams noted above in contention for the wildcard are the Mets and Nationals. With Mike Cameron out most likely for the season and Carlos Beltran slumping the Mets will fold with 2 weeks or less left in the season. At this point though they'll probably finish with a better record than the Cubs.

I'm still waiting just as other Cubs fans for the GM Jim Hendri to stop signing and trading for low market, run of the mill talent nobody else wants. This is not a knock on players like Jeromy Burnitz or Matt Lawton, but everyone with a grain of salt for a brain knows these guys aren't going to put a team over the top, becoming championship caliber. Hendri: If you would stop being such a stupid, blind cheapskate and grab some actual real proven talent the Cubs might become a winning contender in the National League. Haven't Cubs fans suffered enough over the past century? If the Red Sox can reverse the curse of a wretched losing history so can the Cubs. The challenge is the Cubs organization must develop a team that can handle pressure instead of one collapsing year after year.