Cubs fans have been told for years that Corey Patterson was the Golden Child, the can’t-miss prospect. He isn’t. In fact, he’s doing even worse in AAA than he did in the Show. Zutroy Hawkins blew a ton of games when the Cubs folded like cheap card tables last year. When he started doing it again this year, the fans, frankly, had had enough. I will say, though, that the “Hawkins sucks” chant was embarrassing.

The Cubs were THISCLOSE to the World Series. This kind of sorry play, the inability to get a runner over, their tendency to live and die by the long ball, and the unfulfilled promise of both Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, has fans even more frustrated than they were when the team simply stunk. It doesn’t help that the team on the South Side has the best record in baseball. For the first time in a long time, losing simply will not be tolerated.

God love Jim Hendry. He stole Matt Lawton from the Pirates for a bag of peanuts and two tickets to a local comedy club. But it isn’t enough. Their pitching is far thinner than anyone will care to admit, and their hitters strike out way, way too much. I’d like to believe that the Cubs players are as sick of losing as we are of watching them lose. But I don’t see any proof of that. Indeed, last year, when they choked, they started blaming people like Chip Caray and Steve Stone. What nonsense, never mind cowardice.

I’ve spent enough time rooting for the bad Cubs. This team is too good to play this poorly, and I’m going to let them know it.