Let's get some runs

Work has ramped up a bit lately (especially now that I'm on the precipice of being hired full-time), so I haven't gotten much chance to watch the Cubs. Based on the box scores, though, I'm clearly not missing much. Let's recap the seven games since Greg Maddux's last win, the one that took him to 5-0:

Seven games
Six losses
Four shutouts
Five total runs scored

When you're averaging less than a run per game over a seven-game span, the only question is, how on earth is this team not 0-7 in that period? Thank God for Sean Marshall, who against all odds seems rapidly to be turning into the staff ace. Zambrano finally had a good game, so of course the Cubs didn't score a single run for him in a 1-0 eleven-inning loss to San Diego on Friday night. Maddux finally lost, but for reasons that escape me he has a horrid career record against Arizona, so let's not sound the alarm on him just yet.

Still, the starting pitching has been really inconsistent. And I guess we all knew this was going to be the case, but the gambles of calling up Guzman and Hill didn't seem to work (Hill, depressingly, just doesn't seem to cut it in the majors - over two seasons, he's now 0-3 with an ERA over 9, giving up 29 runs in 28.2 innings), and Rusch has not even been serviceable, really, and we can only hope Maddux and Marshall keep it going and Zambrano finally figures it out.

The real problem, though, is the hitting. Obviously. When you score five runs in seven games, the problem is the hitting. The Cubs shouldn't be losing 8-0 to the worst team in the division even if arch-nemesis Zach Duke - by the way, younger than I am - was the pitcher, but Guzman could have tossed a gem and it probably wouldn't have mattered because this team cannot score right now. In the current four-game skid, three of the losses have been shutouts, which is humiliating. Lee is great, but was he seriously so responsible for this team's success that they can't even push a run across without him there?

Well, maybe not. Check out the BAs: Pierre, .259; Jones, .253 (though considering he was barely over .200 ten days ago, it's hard to argue he's been their hottest hitter of late); Ramirez, .198. Even Walker is down to .318, when ten days ago he was still around .380.

Really, all the evidence you need of the Cubs' offensive woes is Chan Ho Park's line from last night: 9 IP, 2 H, 0 R. If Chan Ho Park is throwing a two-hitter on you - a "complete game" two-hitter no less (though of course the game actually went 11 and Park got no decision) - you really need help.

But help doesn't seem to be on the way. On the one hand, it's understandable. You can't exactly go out and get someone at this point in the season, because few teams are looking to deal - in addition to which, you're not replacing Lee regardless. And you don't want to spend too much money on some guy you're going to either bench or cut loose as soon as Lee does return.

On the other hand, if this team doesn't start scoring, they're going to be 15 games out of first by the time Lee returns and the whole argument is going to be pretty well moot.

Sigh. I'm not even sure I can stand to watch this team right now. Maybe if they score more than three runs in consecutive games I'll buy back in.