When is next year?

It is mid-august and the charging Chicago Cubs are in a familiar place: right in the middle of the chase. It looks like we have about fifteen days to fulfill our destiny. Will the dawn of September bring tidings of another year that we almost won the division.

Everything looked wonderful and then, Soriano goes down, Ramirez won't be 100% for the rest of the year, Piniella calls a team meeting, and so many Cubs fans cringe at the pattern that is emerging. Unable to take the Division lead from one game down in the midst of a four game Milwaukee losing streak with the Cardinals acting like they want a piece of the action, the Cubs seem to be losing the July/August steam that is known to so many of us.

Eternal optimists, do not fear. Kerry Wood has returned and looks very good. Jim Hendry continues to tell us that Jaque Jones and Cliff Floyd will hit home runs, and Soriano says he can play hurt.

Piniella said earlier in the year that this team has a losing mentality. It looked for a time like he got them to shake it, but we are back in the rut at the first sign of adversity.

Maybe it is the result of 18 straight games, maybe it is the torment of years past, maybe I ought not think of that little man with his headphones, maybe we will be alright. We certainly have the talent, but haven't we heard that before.