Could this be it?

Gene Wojchiechowski tried it with his book Cubs Nation. Kevin Kaduk tried it in his book Wrigley World.  The movie Chasing October tried it as well.  So far, no one has been so lucky as to write a book chronicling one year of following the Cubs the year that they win the World Series.  I don’t know if anyone got an advance prior to this spring and has been following this team around.  But, I think this version of the Chicago Cubs has what it takes to get it done.

Why the optimism? I don’t know. Yesterday excepted, the Cubs have not given anyone much cause for any optimism the last three weeks.  They are beat up (see Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Cliff Floyd), tentative (see Derrek Lee, Matt Murton), raw and inexperienced (see Felix Pie), overpaid (see Jacque Jones, Jason Kendall), and only marginally talented (see Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Koyie Hill).  Still, I like all of these guys — even Jacque Jones.  Jones has been the whipping boy the last year and a half; he was no favorite of mine.  Instead of sulking and ripping the fans and demanding a trade out of town, he stuck it out, and now he’s proving to be useful with the glove and bat.  I like this team in general.  Derrek Lee has been in a terrible slump, yet he doesn’t play dumb. Kendall has seen his best days, but he knows how to handle the pitching staff.  What’s not to like about Theriot and Fontenot (other than their refusal to pronounce the “t”s at the end of their names)?

Most of all, I love this pitching staff:

• Carlos Zambrano, the  ace who might actually kill to win a baseball game.  He might get overly emotional, but he always cares more than the most fanatical fan.
• Ted Lilly, the Bull Moose left-hander whose consistency has been the most welcome surprise.
• Jason Marquis, the St. Louis Cardinals reclamation project, who isn’t particularly good, but isn’t as terrible as he was last year. One day I’m hoping he shows me why Greg Maddux thinks he can be a dominant pitcher.
• Sean Marshall, the tall lefty who was actually pretty good last year before fading after the All-Star Break.  He has quietly been giving the Cubs a chance to win every start.
• Rich Hill with his curveball to die for.  When Hill is at his best, like yesterday, his hook buckles my knees — and I’m only listening to the game on the radio.
• Carlos Marmol, the closer-in-waiting. He has been an actual season-savior for the Cubs.
• Bobby Howry, who hasn’t been terribly consistent, but seems to fear nothing.
• Scott Eyre, who one day might get it together.
• Ryan Dempster, the guy who thinks he’s a comedian and who others think is a closer.  He’s not a good closer, but he will contribute to this club.

Finally, there’s Kerry Wood, who has been mediocre at best in his relief appearances thus far. The velocity on his fastball is back, and he has at least one breaking pitch back.  If his arm holds up, he could close. I’m not betting on that, but there’s no player in baseball history that I’m pulling for more than Kerry Wood.

Why am I unduly optimistic? I like how quickly the Cubs spring to life in June and July to get back into the race. I don’t think Milwaukee nor St. Louis are better than the Cubs. And once they get into the playoffs…

I like that pitching staff.

This might be the ugliest team ever to make the playoffs, but why not? We’ve waited long enough.