Last week I wrote about my hope for the 2011 Cubs. For the first time in a long time, I look at the Cubs organization and see reasons to be optimistic about their short and long-term future. Almost immediately after posting that story to Facebook, I got a message from one of my college buddies—and fellow long-suffering Cubs fan—that was, uh, not so optimistic. He stopped short of calling me a total idiot, but did suggest rather strongly that I needed to immediately go outside, turn around three times and spit. It’s not that he thought I was an idiot ...
Cubs Nation, breathe easy. Mike Quade sure is.Opening day 2011 is in the books, and on an afternoon that saw the Cubs fall to the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3, I know many die-hard Cubs fans are already coming up with reasons to doubt. Their reasons—taken individually—aren't without merit. The Cubs are still without a strong leadoff hitter that can get on base and manufacture runs. They lack a consistently big bat in the middle of the lineup to drive in runs and scare opposing pitchers. There are concerns with the back-end of their rotation. Stop now? Ok, ok. Here's the thing, though. ...
