The Chicago Cubs begin their quest to end a fairly long drought this evening when they take on the tradition-rich Arizona Diamondbacks in game one of the 2007 NLDS. The Diamondbacks, it should be noted, have won exactly half as many World Series titles since entering the National League in 1998 as the Cubs have since they became a charter member of the National League in 1876*.
Somehow, the Cubs have been given the tag of "favorite" in this epic 5-game throwdown. I feel compelled to ask whether or not the "experts" picking the Cubs have actually seen the Cubs play this year, but I'm not without hope. If Big Z can out-pitch Brandon Webb and give the Cubs a win in Game 1, I'm going to feel pretty good about the Cubs chances. If, on the other hand, the Cubs throw Zambrano and Lilly in Phoenix and come home down 2-0...guh.
History weighs heavily on a Cub fan's mind whenever the Cubs begin to taste a little success, and this year is no different. Twice in my lifetime, the Cubs were in total command of the NLCS and already selling World Series tickets only to implode (I remember who Tim Flannery is, Leon - do you?). I'm normally not a "JUST GET THERE!" guy, but if the Cubs made it to the World Series - they could get swept for all I care! - I'd be ecstatic. It would be nice to have happy stories to tell my grandkids after I regale them with such epic Cubs tales as "Kal Ran Out of Gas" and "Candy Fell Down" and "Leon Once Did So Much Blow...".Lastly, memo to Steve Bartman - you and I both know you didn't cost the Cubs anything in 2003. That being said, watch the games on TV, and hopefully when Alfonso Soriano hits his fifth homer of the series in game 3, he'll be hitting it over a Tru-Link fence.
* - In fairness to the Cubs, they didn't start playing the World Series until 1903, and there wasn't a series at all in 1904 or 1994, so ... I have no idea what point I was trying to make here. The Cubs have spent the last 60+ years playing some brutal baseball.
