The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

For some reason, I've found song lyrics for a couple of posts the last few days ("Looking For Clues", Robert Palmer, and today's, a Tom Petty lyric from the '70s).

Maybe it's just because I'm bored. Today, the Marlins announced that the entire 3-game series with the Cubs has been postponed.

So, the Cubs get a four-day vacation, and watch while their nearest competitors -- the Giants, Padres and Astros -- all play teams worse than they are. C'mon -- you didn't really think that the Diamondbacks were going to beat the Giants last night, despite scoring three in the first inning? Or that the Rockies would maintain their 5-0 fifth-inning lead over San Diego? Or that the Pirates would come back from 7-0 down to Houston (sure, they made it fun with a six-run seventh)?

Arizona has a chance to win one game from San Francisco -- tomorrow, when Randy Johnson throws for the D'backs. The Houston/Pittsburgh pitching matchups slightly favor the Pirates today and tomorrow. The same is true for Colorado, yes, even with Shawn Estes throwing tonight.

The scenario for making up the three postponed games is to play a doubleheader in Miami on the one remaining common off-day, September 20, and then to hold the third game for play on Oct. 4, if it's needed. Or, the two teams could play it as part of a doubleheader here in Chicago next Saturday.

That all makes too much sense, so I'd guess MLB will probably dither around long enough to make the Sept. 20 date unrealistic.

For now, it appears that the Cubs will maintain the existing pitching rotation, giving all the starters extra rest, and Carlos Zambrano, who was supposed to pitch the opener in Miami, will face the Expos on Monday, and if the rotation follows as it did before this enforced break, Matt Clement on Tuesday and Greg Maddux on Wednesday.

Meantime, I'm spending part of today reading Bill Clinton's autobiography. It's long.

Enjoy your weekend.