Chicago Cubs

It was William Faulkner who once wrote, “Memory believes before knowing remembers.”

It is with this thought in mind that I attempt to tackle an unpopular subject. That is, what an insult to the airwaves Chicago Cubs announcer Ron Santo continues to be.

Look, he may be a local icon, but to me, he is an all-out assault on the senses.

You sit on your couch, looking at the clock, waiting in limbo for the hand to hit the number that signals the start of the professional game you have been waiting for all day. You would give anything to be there, but because the ticket price is out of your range, you settle onto the couch with your girlfriend.

After a long day of work, you are tired and want to relax by watching your game. You really enjoy that your girlfriend is making the effort to watch with you, but you could really go without the questions about the game.

The Chicago Cubs came into this season with the expectation of at least contending for a World Series title.

However, they have struggled mightily this season, and they have been unable to live up to the high expectations that accompanied a seemingly unstoppable pitching rotation and batting order.

As of late, the Cubs have been even worse, as they have gone 3-5 in the month of May.  What the problem has been for the Cubs is an inability to be consistently strong.

When Chicago Cubs starter Ryan Dempster was signed to that big free agent contract this offseason, I reacted with a bit of trepidation.

After all, he was coming off a season which seemed like a clear deviation from his previous work.

Dempster went 17-6 with a sparkling 2.96 ERA, after coming into camp in the best shape of his life.

Compare that against his career ERA, which is 4.56 even after his career year, and it's easy to see why his signing was a risky proposition for the Cubs.

It's too bad Jake Fox can't play third base, because it seems that Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez may be headed to the DL soon with a calf injury.

BleedCubbieBlue.com is reporting that Ramirez could be disabled by the end of this week. Here is what Lou Piniella said about A-Ram, courtesy of a link from that same Cubs blogsite:

For millions of people across this great country, the first month of baseball season is one of the most anticipated times of the year.

It is a time when fans of any team can put the cold winter offseason behind them and, for at least a short while, have a glimmer of hope not only toward the new season but the upcoming spring and summer months.

For me, however, baseball season signifies something else. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to admit. I am one of the saddest creatures ever put on this planet. I am a diehard Chicago Cubs fan. 

Call me irrational. Call me a quitter. Call me a typical "the sky is falling" Cubs' fan. I don't care.

After 18 games of mostly lousy baseball, I'm done. I can't stand watching this team. Every time I turn them on, I get sick to my stomach. I should have known better too.

Behind every MLB contender, there's a dirty little secret.

Keep winning, and nobody pays any attention to it. The Red Sox, for instance, have been on such a tear lately that nobody's asking why David Ortiz (.237 average, .287 on-base percentage, .342 slugging) looks so washed-up.

The Dodgers have hummed along so nicely that no one's sounded the alarm on how the back end of the starting rotation is a disaster in progress (Clayton Kershaw's last two starts: Nine innings, 18 hits, six walks, 15 earned runs).

Chicago Cubs have a strong starting line-up and few rookies are getting there chances to play, but 29-year-old rookie Micah Hoffpauir has big power and is beginning to give Lou Piniella something to think about.

Hoffpauir smashed his second home run of the season in the Cubs 10-3 win over the Cardinals when he started for the injured Derek Lee.

Derek Lee is suffering from neck spasms and could be out a few games, but the seriousness is unknown at this time.

Welcome back my friends to the most in depth free agent and waiver pickup blog anywhere, The Hot Eight! As we close out the first month of the MLB season, I am happy to have recommended free agents such as Dexter Fowler, Nelson Cruz, Colby Rasmus, Scott Downs, Nyjer Morgan, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner well in advance of their most productive games so far.