10. The duck cars. It's fun to tell your kids there is a boat driving down the road.

9. The Roberto Clemente Bridge - a historic suspension bridge. The main cables almost look giant bicycle chains.

8. Watching your six year old destroy a foot long, part of pretzel, and some ice cream.

7. Play area by the river. After a 3 hour car ride, it's nice to let them run around to burn off some energy.

6. $5 Nosebleed seats that have a nice view. Aforementioned six year could follow the action.

5. Caddisfly hatch. Interesting little bugs.

4. Nice fans (for the most part)

3. The confrontational saxophone busker. Friendly, boisterous, confrontational (in a fun way).

2. The views of the river and downtown. Awesome fireworks after the game.

1. Walk off HBP, how often are you going to see that? (please don't answer)

This season, we have to find things to look forward to, ways to find positives. There is still some good entertainment value out there. You just have to be realistic about what you are going to see on the field.

Hey guys sorry for the misleading title, but I just wanted to let some of you guys know that I am currently working with a kid, training him to become a Cubs pitcher. I am annoucing the birth of my son on May 10th 2012. We named him Ace, because he is our ace, and it is my hope that someday he will lead the Cubs out of the darkness. You guys will have to excuse my excitement, but this is my first son and now I actually have someone I can work with to become the next best thing for the Cubs. So within the next 20 years, if you guys hear of a Cubs prospect leveling through the farm system named Ace, he is my son!

Paul Sullivan (or Paul O'Sullivan, as I like to call him, because it abbreviates to POS) has an article saying that the Cubs front office will turn to major league moves after the draft. Given that the Cubs are not going to contend any time soon, and their only likely promotions from the minors anytime soon might be Anthony Rizzo or another reliever, there might be more addition by subtraction on the way. Which of these moves that have been mentioned on this site is most likely to happen in June?

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Reading some comments from the past couple days, I'm amazed at the level of despondency on BCB. Oh, I know the worst losing streak in 10 years is cause for concern and the team is certainly hard to watch right now. I'm not saying some sadness/disappointment isn't appropriate -- but the degree of it really surprises me.

I guess what I'm saying is, didn't we all sort of expect this generally? More after the jump.

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While, in theory, I could go into quite a bit more detail on this game, I was a bit occupied. The question at hand is, "Would I pick Pierce Johnson in the two latter First Round picks?" Three questions that I will ask (that have little to do with Pierce Johnson) precede my assessment.

Poll

Pierce Johnson. Whatcha think?

• He should throw upper nineties and be available at 43,
• I don't like that his change-up isn't perfected yet.
• I'd be happy with him at 43.
• I hope he's available at 56.
• If we were picking in the mid-30's, I'd like him there.
• He should room with Soler in Peoria in August. (All polls must have a Soler option.)

  30 votes | Results

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First off, I used to be jealous of Al getting to watch all the Cubs games from the bleachers. Al, although I'm completely optimistic about this regime, I've got to say I don't envy you right now. I was in Chicago last weekend vs the white sox, and we just flat sucked. No other way around it. Wrigley was nice as always, and the burger and beer(s) were good, but I felt like the oriental guy in the movie Major League when he said, "they're still shitty." We have some decent players who i consider to be very good "complementary" players, but you only need a lineup with 2-3 of those guys, not all 9. I think any of our guys could be contributors on a standout team, but none of them are seemingly capable of leading it. Hope this turns itself around in the next couple of years. I was trying to think of a good story and forgot the guys' name - who was the young kid who got called up a few years ago in an "emergency"? i think he got called up from A or AA, pitched a hell of a game, and i don't think ever pitched in the big leagues again? thanks.

Haven't seen any discussion of this anywhere, so it's apparently not a great idea -- however, it seems like the right move when you bring Rizzo up. Put Rizzo at first, Move LaHair to left, leave Compana and DeJesus where they are -- at least until Jackson replaces Compana.

Soriano's offensive numbers look much better at second base than at left. I find it very unlikely that we can move him in the next two years, if not all three on his contract, so we've got this issue like a sore in our mouth for quite a while going forward. Barney is no long term anwser at second anyway -- with weak OBP and Slugging. His D might be better than Soris, especially now, but that doesn't make him good. Nor does it justify not making the move.

Perhaps Soriano doesn't want to play there, I don't know. But, do we really care if he gets upset? Get Sveum or Theo to talk him into it.

From Phil Rogers: SS Javier Baez, the Cubs' 2011 1st-rd pick, is close to being assigned to low-A Peoria out of ext. spring. Rob Whitenack to Daytona soon.

Hope I'm not stepping on your toes here Josh. Great to see him graduate from EX ST and get to Peoria with a good amount of season left to be played. Its also great to see Whitenack get back on the mound and throw like he has been lately.

The joy of the college tournament season. Much of my viewing is based on what Bristol allows me to see on my computer. This week, they ramp up their coverage. They are (unsurprisingly) running a bunch of SEC games. While the SEC is the best conference there is, I'm not sure how much I will watch it pre-draft. I'm getting familiar with them, and as needed I can check them out as needed in two weeks.

Poll

Nick Petree throws a barely 90 MPH fastball. He is a pitcher's pitcher. Do you want him?

• Only as an undrafted player.
• Any time after Roind 20.
• Somewhere in the teens.
• Twelve or sooner.
• Pitching is for hard-throwers only. No.
• Only if he finds a pad for Jorge Soler.

  35 votes | Results

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I'll admit I'm only a fairly new Cubs fan. I've only been supporting them for about three or four years now. I love the team to bits, and my days would be empty without baseball... but it's taken me this long to realize how cursed, weak and frustrating this team is on a daily basis.

A month ago, I had some hope. The series against St. Louis was slightly inspiring, same with the two games we stole against the Phillies and the wins over the Dodgers and Braves.

But it's the little things that get to me. And I'm sure you've all ranted about this before. Like the fact that when Soriano sucks a** at the plate, the teams hitting is competitive. But when he hits four homers in eight games, LaHair falls to nothing and everything around him is worthless.

Then there's the other things as well, like when the Cubs fall down by more than 3 in the early innings, it's almost hard to continue watching. Because a comeback rarely happens.

I guess the point in this fanpost is, how did the rest of you deal with it in your early years of Cubs fandom? I've finally come to the realization that this team is never going to bring joy anytime soon. And the "hope" we all talk about is just a funny dream that is nice to think about on on opening day...but a depressing sore point come May.

Any advice is helpful.