Weekend at Wrigley

With 80 games remaining on the schedule it is hard to say that this weekend is crucial for the Cubs, but this weekend is crucial for the Cubs. Huh, I guess it was not so hard after all.

If nothing else, I believe the Cubs need to take a stand this weekend and enter the All-Star Break with momentum and confidence. Win three-of-four and, despite all of my bitchin' and moanin,' it is still possible -- even probable -- that the team will keep the attention of even the most casual fan well into September (if for no other reason than the Brewers, Cardinals, Reds and Astros are not good enough to run away with anything). Lose three-of-four, and your best bet for selling your September tickets is to unload them on mama Samardzija, Charlie Weis, Mike Golic, or some other fool who still believes that Notre Dame is an elite college football program. After all, I am sure that the Leprachaun or Digger Phelps will pay good money to see Jeff's first major league start. Of course, you may also be able to find that dude from Elmhurst who wasted his $100 on a Jason Dubois jersey, convinced that he was the next Andre Dawson. I'm sure he will be up for Jason's return to the major leagues.

Those who have followed the Random Thoughts since it's return eight weeks ago, know that I am of the opinion that this is going to go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in Cubs' history. And while I still believe that Cubs' fans will be spending October paying more attention to the start of the Carlos Boozer and Marian Hossa eras than watching the leftfielder strike out with the tying run on third from immediately behind a pole, I do recognize that the mediocrity in the NL Central prevents me from losing all hope. Yet, if the Cubs are going to turn around their season, it has to start this weekend. Split the series and I will not be able to help but think "Here we go again. This is like the Police Academy series of movies. Same shit, different day." Lose the series and the rest of the summer might as well be spent trying to locate Wendell Davis, seeing as how the Bears’ are planning on entering the ’09 season with a stud quarterback, but absolutely no receivers to throw to. Win the series, however, and, well, you just never know.

Let's take a quick look at the series that I believe has great potential to shape the remainder of the Cubs' season.

THE MUST WIN: Saturday (Lilly vs. Brad Thompson)

St. Louis starter Brad Thompson has given up at least four runs in each of his last four starts. In other words, he lets almost as many people score as Kelly Bundy. Cubs' starter Theodore Roosevelt Lilly, on the other hand, has given up four runs in only one of his last eight starts. That said, on paper, this matchup is Tyson versus Buster Douglas. Er, uh... it's Rulon Gardner versus Sergei Steroidov (yes, I know that is not his real name). Er, uh... it's Hickory versus South Bend Central, Danny Zucko versus Craterface at Thunder Road, Danny's Little Giants versus Kevin's Little Cowboys.* You know, perhaps those are not the best examples. Now watch, Ryan Ludwick adopt “The Icebox” as his new nickname and hit a pinch-hit three-run home run off Marmol to win the game Saturday afternoon.

THE LOOOOOOONG SHOT: Friday (Danny Jackson vs. Chris Carpenter)

Remember when Ralphie ran to his mailbox day-after-day, until his Little Orphan Annie Decoder Pen finally arrived. Remember how excited he was and how he honestly believed that he was going to learn the secret of the universe, only to be horribly disappointed when he was merely reminded to drink his Ovaltine (and poor Randy nearly crapped in his pants as a result). Well, I remember how I felt when the Cubs' acquired Jason Bere, er.... Rich Harden from the A's last summer. Frankly, I had not been that excited about a trade since the team landed Nomah from the Sawks at the '04 deadline. Yet, I am sure you agree that, like Nomah, Ismael Valdez, er... Harden has not exactly lived up to expectations since coming to the North Side. If Reuben Quevedo, er... Harden still has the stuff that made him one of the most dominant pitchers from 2005-2008, it is time to show it. Carpenter is injured more often than Jim Bullinger, er… Harden, but when he is healthy, he is as dominant as they come. On Tuesday, the Cubs could not hit Javier Vasquez who was unwanted on the South Side and, on Wednesday, had trouble hitting against the guy who used to run Iron Chef's Kitchen Stadium, so what can we expect them to do against a dominant pitcher like Carpenter? My guess is that Carpenter limits the Cubs to a Theriot bunt single in a complete game shutout.

THE "TWIN PEAKS" DOUBLEHEADER.... IN OTHER WORDS, WHO THE HELL KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? : Sunday (Wells vs. Adam Wainwright and Big Z versus Kyle Lohse)

I watched a couple of episodes of Twin Peaks back when it was on the air. Um…interesting show. I give it credit for being unpredictable, the problem is that even when it was over, I had no idea what the hell just happened. I have to imagine that there will be limited confusion about what happened when Sunday’s day/ night doubleheader is over, but, like Twin Peaks, I have absolutely no clue what is going to happen going in.

In the afternoon game, Randy Wells takes on Adam Wainright in a matchup of two pitchers that have been excellent in '09. Wainright has been almost inhittable in his last three starts giving up a combined three runs in more than 24 innings of work. Wells has been almost as good, giving up two or fewer runs in seven of his last eight starts. Yet, it is still extremely difficult to tell how good Wells is. I mean, isn't there a reason why he is finally breaking into the major league at the ripe ol' age of 26? I think you can be fairly certain that Wainright will pitch well, I am not sure if the same came be said of Wells and the advantage, therefore, goes to the Cardinals. A loss I can deal with…let’s just hope that nobody on the Cubs finds himself playing Dungeons and Dragons with an owl and a violin-playing unicorn.

In the night game, Big Z will take on Kyle Lohse, who will be coming off the disabled list to make his first start since June 3. This is Big Z's chance to prove that he is a clutch, big-time pitcher, especially depending on what happens in the first three games of the series. Of course, he is equally likely to punch Yadier Molina in the face and stuff Skip Shumaker in the Gatorade machine. Any way you look at it, Sunday night is likely to be a huge game and it will be interesting to see how Carlos responds. Lohse has long been a journeyman pitcher, meaning that if either team has an advantage in the nightcap, it has got to be the Cubs. My guess is that Big Z walks the bases loaded in every inning, but somehow only manages to give up two runs in a Cubs’ win. I’m also guessing that Shumaker actually ends up in the sunflower seeds bin.

So, if things go according to script, the series should finish 2-2. The bottom line is that this is the Cubs' chance to prove that they do have it in them and can win a game that they should otherwise not be expected to win. Of course, as with practically everything involving the Cubs, it should be interesting.

Now watch them sweep the series only to be swept in Washington following the All-Star break. Don’t worry Lovie, Keith Otego has got to be out there somewhere and, the last I had heard, Marty Booker has still not actually checked into the Golden Slumbers Retirement Home. Bring contracts.

* One person who the Cubs will not have to worry about this weekend is Mark DeRosa, who is on the disabled list with a strained wrist. Is this really possible? Mark DeRosa injured? Didn't someone remind Dave Duncan to leave the kryptonite in the hermetically sealed case? Is it possible that Albert Pujols is actually General Zod in disguise?

* The injury to DeRosa would normally be good news for city traffic as his absence means that there is no need for the motorcade to shut down any Chicago streets. That said, friends of the RT are still warned to be careful out there. After all, Tony LaRussa is in town and the bars can stay open quite late.

* Finally, I want to remind those of you who just cannot get enough of Brendan Ryan and Dennys Reyes had better head out to Wrigley this weekend or be forced to make the long drive down 55 to see your heroes play as, believe it or not, this will be the Cardinals' last visit to Chicago this year (unless, of course, there is yet another rain out or they make a team trip to see Todd Wellemeyer star in the Joliet Community Theatre production of “Beat that Hick With a Stick,” or help Rick Ankiel hand out “magic pills” to unsuspecting Orland Park youth). Yes, it is only July 10, but the Cardinals are only scheduled to make a total of two trips to Wrigley this year and this is the final one. In fact, given the mediocrity of the NL Central, one has to look at even the smallest factors in trying to figure out who is most likely to win, including the team schedules.

I understand that schedules are not balanced given that one plays different teams in interleague play and even different numbers of games against other teams in the same league, but I have to admit that I had no idea that teams play unbalanced schedules within their own division. Most notable for the Cubs is the fact that they play 31 games against the Cardinals and Brewers, but only 14 of them at Wrigley (6 of 15 vs. the Cards and 8 of 17 vs. Milwaukee). Not sure how fair this is and it could end up making a big difference, especially given that the Cubs’ have not exactly performed well on the road.

* Here is the bottom line… even though I continue to believe that the Cubs should feel free to schedule a tee times for the second week in October, this weekend is huge for the team. Going into the season, everyone thought this team was positioned for greatness. Now is the time to prove it.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

* Pop Culture Trivia Question of the Week: What was the name of the play that allowed Danny’s Little Giants to defeat Kevin’s Little Cowboys?