Come To Think Of It...Wake Me Up When September Ends

“Here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are.”
- Green Day

Sure, a century has come and passed. The innocent can never last. Yet, being a Cubs fan isn’t always about pain and suffering. Cubs fans persevere.

In fact, these are actually the best of times to be a Cubs fan. Only once in my lifetime have the Cubs enjoyed three consecutive years of almost certain competitiveness. 

And the first one was in the Billy Williams-Ron Santo-Fergie Jenkins era, when I was very young.

So what’s the point of this article? It’s to do something I seldom do, and that’s celebrate the good times for a change, while putting aside the worry of the playoffs for another time.

I hope this doesn’t jinx the team, but I just don’t see anyone other than the Chicago Cubs winning the NL Central Division in 2009. So what, you say? Been there, done that?

Well, actually, it is a big deal because you have to win your division before you can even entertain thoughts of winning a World Series. Imagine living in the AL East division for a minute. The Cubs could still compete, but they wouldn’t even be the favorites.

Imagine being a team trying to compete, like the Toronto Blue Jays, up against the Evil Empires in Boston and New York, with the upstart young Rays gunning for glory again.

But in the National League, the Cubs are probably the best team overall. They are certainly the favorites in their own division.

Why do I feel so optimistic, despite recent articles saying that the Cubs need pitching?

Let me count the ways.

The other teams in the division haven’t gotten much better.

In fact, the Milwaukee Brewers lost CC Sabathia to free agency, and we all remember what an immediate impact he made when acquired by the club last year.

The St. Louis Cardinals have thus far basically stood pat this winter. While Albert Pujols’ elbow seems to have survived minor surgery rather nicely, they are still uncertain of the status of former ace Chris Carpenter. And they need a closer.

The Astros, Reds and Pirates? Meh.

Look, I’m the last writer to sugarcoat things.  So if I say we’re a lock, you know it’s coming from my heart. Nobody wins on paper, of course. And there are no guarantees. But you have to like our chances.

For example, I also like the additional options we’ve given manager Lou Piniella. Aaron Miles, who hit .317 for the Cardinals last season, is versatile and swings from both sides of the plate.

Joey Gathright adds speed. Garrett Olson adds another lefty arm for the bullpen, or for a trade. Milton Bradley adds fire, and a big left-handed bat in the middle of the lineup.

And Jim Hendry isn't done yet.

And so, in some respects it is a given that, much like an NBA game where the last few minutes are all that bears watching, we can be on cruise-control until the end of September. (Well, actually their last regular season game is Oct. 4.)

Ah, but then we’d better wake up, come to think of it. That’s when the real season begins.