81 reasons to have hope

The Cubs won their 81st game Monday night to go 31 games above .500 for the first time in 24 years. Though, many droll Cubs fans might have also noted that at the time that it also became mathematically impossible for the Cubs to have a losing season. I know there aren't many of those types of Cubs fans left--my father was one, and he's already gone to his ivy-covered burial ground. It warms the heart to know that there's a whole generation of Cubs fans growing up right now who know the Cubs as a team that has made the play-offs three time in the last decade and is about to make it four times in a decade.

My friend "The Commish," who, obviously, runs one of the fantasy leagues I'm in, is the biggest Sox fan around, and is having trouble hanging onto hope this year with the Piranhas being so good. A Cubs fan in our league told him he could never make it as Cubs fan, a sentiment to which he readily agreed.

Yes, the Cubs are winners, and they beat the Pirates 12-3 Monday to get that 81st win. Fukie seems to have his timing back at the plate, as he drove in four runs, A-Ram bagged another 3-run HR and Jim Edmonds came out his own slump with a triple and two doubles.

The Sox continued a suspended game from earlier this year in Baltimore, and lost 4-3, but then came bacl and won the regularly-scheduled match-up by the same score. thome hit No. 535, the Missile had another four hits to continue his torrid pace and Clayton Richard again was good enough for a Sox win. The best part of the evening, though, was that the Piranhas lost to Lowly Seattle. Both our teams are in 1st again. Enjoy, and don't let any dark thoughts enter your mind.