It is early May and already the warning signs are here. No lead is safe in the 9th inning for the White Sox. If the Cubs strings hits together, they might win a game. The Cubs have the pitching that the Sox don't. Meanwhile Paul Konerko is leading the majors in the early going with 13 homers. And Alex Rios is living up to his contract, batting .320 and hitting for power.
If only Beckham and Carlos Quinton would start to hit, the Sox might be a little more competitive. But blowing a 7-5 lead in the 9th is not the answer. The White Sox had the game in the bag vs. the Blue Jays the other day, but Bobby Jenks, who pitches like a daredevil on a tightrope, finally got hammered and gave up 4 runs in the top of the 9th. That's a blown save and a loss. You can say it is early. But that is a tough loss period.
The Cubs flounder as if that is their nature. It seems to be in the team's DNA. They play well at home and look terrible on the road. The Phillies play well at home and on the road. Oh, they're World Champs. That is what good teams do, and the Cubs aren't what you would call a good team. They show flashes. That's what lightning does over Lake Michigan.
Maybe they can patch together a winning streak. They have the pitching. They have guys who can throw 7 innings. And, the bullpen with Carlos Zambrano, moonlighting there, is stronger. I'm hoping for a 14 game homestand. That would put them in the running. Of course you have to win some games.
