Cubs, Cards Deserve Better Than This

You couldn't have scripted it any better if you tried.  The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs entering a mid-September weekend set in St. Louis sitting first and second respectively in the National League Central.

Apparently, the Cubs didn't read the script.

Simply stated: the Cubs have been exposed as frauds.  No wonder the Yankees-Red Sox series continues to get whored out by network executives.  The Cubs will send Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano to the bump while the Cardinals counter with John Smoltz, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.  On paper, it's must-see-baseball-TV.

Instead, I can almost guarantee the following stories will be written:

• How much the Cubs miss Mark DeRosa and his .233/.303/.402/.705 line since joining the Cardinals.
• Why the Cubs should fire Larry Rothschild and replace him with Dave Duncan...
• ...and Tony La Russa should join him.
• Fantasy scenarios of how Duncan can cure cancer, save the economy and teach Rich Harden how to pitch past the 7th inning.

That is all this series will come down to.  Salvaging a series win would make the Cubs 7-9 against the Cardinals, marking the first time the baby bears have lost a season set to the birds on the bat since the Dusty Baker Era.  A series sweep by the Cubs would tie the series at 8-8.  And ties are like kissing your sister.  At least, that's what I've been told.  I'm an only child, so I have no idea what that whole deal is about.

Sorry to bare the bad news and disappoint.  Maybe I'll write a better Cubs-Cards preview blog next year.

  

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