I did say, however, that the Cubs should be ashamed to drop the series against the Pirates, and as a result I must voice my criticisms. Saturday's game going to extra innings thanks to Wood bonking another leadoff man in the 9th was not nearly as bad as Soriano's dropped fly, but the way Pinella managed the game in extras Saturday was pretty bad.

I can't blame Kerry. He's going to blow some saves, though if you've hit the leadoff man most of the time when he's batting left-handed, you should try and make a conscious effort to avoid that. It almost happened against Juan Pierre in the top of the ninth today and considering Pierre is dangerous around the bases, it was huge that he got out of it.

Soriano, however, is harder to lay off of. The 136-million dollar man is something to be concerned about. Everyone in the Cubs organization knows that whatever portion of that salary was allotted for Sorianos' speed is just about wasted cash right now. Even if he gets his confidence back, he's still hasn't been the same runner since last year's injury. The dropped ball was just a reason for everyone to scream at him. I recognize they didn't sign a left fielder, but you'd think with all the money the Cubs are graciously throwing his way he's make more of an effort to improve at his position. Pinella shouldn't have tolerance for the leg issue or really for the fielding. He's got options late in games with Micah Hoffpauir showing he can make contact and even with Reed Johnson on days he's not in center. While the Cubs are better with Soriano, the record they posted when he was on the DL shows they can win without him and the Cubs certainly don't owe him favors.

The Cubs found ways to lose both those games at Pittsburgh and that's the problem. There's getting beat by teams and there's letting them back into it. The Cubs need to use this home stand to show those two losses were isolated incidents. Those games Saturday and Sunday were like billy goat-scripted games 6 and 7 of an NLCS for the Cubs. That needs to disappear fast. The bats need to get better and a bit more patient. Fukudome has been slumping, Soto and DeRosa are getting close and it's putting too much pressure on the relief pitching. Offense is supposed to be this team's staple. Like on Saturday, when a game goes 14 innings, it no longer becomes the problem of Wood, it becomes the hitters who never gave the extra inning relievers a chance. That and twice in a row the Cubs walked McLouth to pitch to Bay and paid the price. When a hitter is streaky, you stay away, even if the match-up is more favorable. It's rather inexcusable in my book. At least Lou admits the Blanco bunting situation was a mistake. Henry shouldn't have been put in the game in the first place. See, now you know I'm a real Cubs fan because I'm ranting. This is for a real folks. If the Cubs want to be, however, they need to take this home stand to right the ship and sail that to some road wins.

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