This is getting old

I agree with Piniella. I'm tired of watching the Cubs play like this.

Last night was just more of the same....eighth loss in nine games. Dempster pitched OK, but with the Cubs up 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth he made a big mistake. After giving up a double and a bunt single (tough play that wasn't going to get Miles, though Lee made a good hockey save to keep the ball from getting too far away and keeping the advancing runner at third), Dempster grooved one to the guy you don't want to make a mistake with. No doubt about the Pujols 3-run homer to tie it up. Dempster did compose himself to get out of the inning and through the seventh without further incident (a good sign, if you ask me).

The offense offered up a little help, with usual suspects The Riot (2-5, 2 runs), Ramirez (3-4, 2 RBI) and Lee (1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI) doing the damage and posting an early lead for Dempster. However, the bats did not come alive late and the Cubs never scratched home plate after the third inning.

Marmol had the mound in the ninth and pissed it away with a single, a balk, a walk, a sacrifice to move runners to 2nd and 3rd, and a fielder's choice scoring the winning run.

Can Lilly be the stopper tonight like he was last year pitching after a loss? Let's hope so. I don't feel like watching more of this.

Division Magic Number is 15. Wild Card Magic Number is 11. With the team playing like this, those numbers seem astronomically large with 18 games to go. The Cubs will make the playoffs. Of that there is no doubt, but will they come in like champs breaking the tape on the regular season race or will they trudge in behind, just happy enough that it's finally over?