They say every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, the cloud is the Cubs' current losing streak. The silver lining is that Aramis Ramirez may, finally, be starting to get hot. After going 2-for-4 in today's 6-3 loss in San Diego, Ramirez has his average up to .220. His two-hit games yesterday and today were just his third and fourth of the season, and he homered in each game (he now has six). Note: Petco Park is one of the least homer-friendly parks in the league.
Obviously this hardly ends the offensive woes. Even with three runs today (the first time the Cubs have scored even that many since April 28), it's just five over the current six-game losing streak. Even if Ramirez does get hot, almost no one else is hitting.
Reports say that help may be on the way. The Cubs are apparently talking with new favorite trading partners Baltimore about obtaining either Kevin Millar or Jeff Conine. Neither one is hitting very well yet this year (.217 for Millar, .222 for Conine). Conine has had a better career than Millar, but he's also five years older. Either way, neither is going to be anything approaching Lee. It almost barely seems worth it to bother with such a deal (especially since we don't need to mortgage the farm system even further just for a rental).
Yet it would seem like something has to happen. I just don't know what would really help. There's precedent for teams starting poorly and coming back, even just within the division - the Astros seem to do it every year. And I did feel, at the beginning of the year, that this team was resilient. But with the Cardinals in the division, the Reds hacking away, the Brewers improved... it just seems dangerous to fall too far behind. But I know - what are you gonna do?
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