4/13/2005 09:26:00 AM by Rob

Is it too early to trot out the "must win" card?

It's a beautiful early spring day here in Chicagoland, and today, we will be treated to starts by TWO franchise pitchers.

So WHY am I queasy?

You know why, because you are, too.

I will not argue Mark Prior's readiness to pitch to major league hitters, because I can't. His last start, he was beaten like a Afghan wife who let her veil down. There is no logical reason to believe that he can stifle the Padres today, but stifle them, he must, because there's no way that this offense is going to outscore anyone, as they are comprised now.

Let's look ahead at what happens if one of these guys falters this afternoon. Hell, let's get absolutely medieval, and project what will happen if both crap the bed!! Every last know-it-all, from the blogosphere to the "legitimate" media, will run for the hills, echoing doom and panic from the highest perches. And Dusty Baker, King of All Baseball, will proclaim that there ain't nuthin' wrong with his boys, that it's the media's fault that they lost, which will only serve to piss us off even more, and the vicious cycle that spun out of control ever since Bartman reached out to catch a pop foul will REALLY start to dig in and gain traction.

I'm a Cub fan. Been this way my entire life. I can't even imagine any other alternative. I cannot take it for granted that these two all-stars, blessed with more raw pitching talent than any other existing twosome in the league, will sweep the Pads today. It's just NOT in my programming.

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