Houston, we have no problem

The Cubs play the Astros approximately 74 times in the second half, so it's good that things kicked off to this kind of a start, and equally good that the crappiness of the first half conclusion - somehow losing two out of three to the Pirates - was immediately counteracted by a sweep of a team that has been a pretty consistent historical bugaboo for the Cubs.

Game-by-game positives

Game 1: Cubs 6, Astros 0
Another nice game for Zambrano; more good work by Marmol; Jones managing not be completely worthless; the Cubs capitalizing on the other team's mistakes; a shutout.

Game 2: Cubs 9, Astros 3
Another great outing by Lilly; a pounding on Roy Oswalt; Ramirez and Soriano going nuts; first team homer since June 29 (wha??); not panicking after an early run allowed.

Game 3: Cubs 7, Astros 6
Winning a slugfest; not panicking after going down 5-0 in the second; Lee's first home run since June 3; beating up on a guy they're supposed to beat up on in Wandy Rodriguez; the bullpen having another nice outing (5 innings, no runs to salvage Marquis' 4 innings, 6 runs); comeback win; Soto getting a hit and RBI (maybe one of the three catchers we're carrying could start hitting?); winning a game with the wind blowing out to left; getting to four games over .500 for the first time this year.

All told, you have to be pretty darn happy with how things turned out. Buster Olney says the Cubs have the easiest schedule among NL contenders after the break, although the Brewers were listed at #2. 3.5 back of Milwaukee is suddenly a pretty small cushion when we're not even to August yet - just ask the 2001 Cubs, who led the division by four games on July 27 and ended up five games back. I still refuse to buy this Brewers team as wire-to-wire division winners - sorry, Milwaukee fans, but if you think your team is as talented as the 2006 Tigers (the oft-made comparison because of the "out of seemingly nowhere!" factor), you have another think coming. I'm not saying the Cubs are definitely winning the division, and at this point it sure seems like if they don't then the Brewers will (not buying the Cardinals right now), but if the Cubs keep playing how they've been playing for the last three weeks? The Brewers are toast. Mark it down.