And now for tonight's $60,000 question:

What happened to all those smack-talkin' Cubs fans we had here at RHM a month or so ago?

They've sure gotten quiet now that the Cubs have lost nine out of their last ten games. Oh, I know! They're probably too busy being thankful for the existence of the Pittsburgh Pirates, that being the only reason the Cubs aren't in the division basement right now.

According to something I read earlier tonight, the last time the Cubs won only one game on a nine-game road trip was May 1981. That was a strike year. The Cubs went 38-65 (.369) under not-so-legendary manager Joey Amalfitano that year. Who, come to think of it, wasn't all that legendary as a player, either. But then, that's probably why one of the teams he played for was the Cubs.

I know this is kickin' 'em when they're down, but Arroyo's just blanked the Nationals in the top of the first, and I had to have something to do during the commercials, and while Nationals' starting pitcher (and Cinci native) Zach Day warms up for his shelling at the hands of the Reds tonight (Day has a 7.11 ERA coming into this one. Seven-Eleven is good if you're looking for a convenience store. It's not good if it's your ERA).

But, I digress. We were talking about the Cubs. Get it while you can, Cubs fans (if there are any left after that road trip), because I have a feeling nobody's going to be talking much about the Cubs for quite some time.

Unless it's to compare them to the 2003 Tigers and 1962 Mets.

John, KC2HMZ