Two weeks of good baseball

Finally!

After suffering along with every other Cubs fan on this planet during the miserable months of May and June, Chicago has finally put together a good run. Not since the season's opening 14-8 start have the Cubs played baseball this well as a two-week run of 10-4 indicates. It will be interesting to see how it pans out this year, but if the Cubs can continue to "show up" and play the game the way it is intended, then I won't have much to argue about. Chicago is 5-2-2 in its last nine series and that is encouraging.

My suggestion is to lock up CF Juan Pierre for at least another year and in my opinion a three-year deal would be justified -- his presence in the leadoff spot is something the Cubs haven't had since Kenny Lofton in 2003. I would also like to see a Barry Zito added to a starting rotation that looks like it is shaping up as Carlos Zambrano-Mark Prior-Rich Hill-Sean Marshall/Carlos Marmol for next year. Throw in a Juan Mateo in the bullpen along with Scott Eyre, Bobby Howry, Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster, and Michael Wuertz, and the pitching staff looks pretty solid.

Diamond corners of Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez sandwiched around Michael Barrett, Cesar Izturis, and Ronny Cedeno also looks to be formidable. Put Pierre in between a Matt Murton/Angel Pagan and Jacque Jones and that could see some good production as well. Just think if a big bopper could be added to that outfield!