What a game yesterday! Woooo! Just when you thought that the Cubs were on the edge of a total "Cubbie Occurrence," Sean Marshall comes to the rescue. Marshall closed down the Giants' momentum with 2 great innings of, at times, overpowering relief pitching, followed by a hit to start the rally in the 11th.

We are one game from the All-Star Break. At that time I will break down the first-half performance of our beloved Cubs. But for now, what is obvious is that the Cubs lack a top-level setup man. Carlos Marmol has shown a sad tendency to let us down when we rely on him too heavily. I'm thinking of yesterday, and in the playoffs against the Dbacks. In my opinion, he doesn't have enough heart to be a closer. He might also not have enough to be an October setup man, not if there is no one there to pick him up when he gets down.

This would all be OK if this weren't the year that Bob Howry got a little bit too old to be really good. Chicago fans might remember his closer days with the South Siders. After he hurt himself he was replaced by Keith Foulke during the Sox' better years in the early 00s (or whatever I should call it). Howry vanished, and then resurfaced with Cleveland after arm problems.

But now, the Cubs long list of right handed bullpen arms looks thin after Kerry Wood. Howry gives up too many hits, as does Jon Lieber. Marmol seems either that he is hiding an injury, or he is going into a mental funk. Michael Wuertz was recently sent down to AAA to re-learn his slider. If breaking the 100 year curse depends on Michael Wuertz, well, maybe Rex Grossman can win a Super Bowl for us so we won't feel so down this fall.

It is settled then: we need another reliever. Where do we find that? The best place to look is teams that have a lot of veterans and thought they would contend but will not.

Padres: suck.
Have: Heath Bell, Cla Meredith.
Need: to blow it up and rebuild.
Why not: they might not want to make any more trades with us after we sent them Michael Barrett. Let the buyer beware SD -- not our fault.

Mariners: wow, what a train wreck!
Have: Brandon Morrow, Ryan Rowland-Smith
Need: talent.
Also: could we try and get Ichiro? Though that would give us TWO Japanese right fielders. But then Fukudome would have someone to hang with.

Indians: just not their year.
Have: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez.
Need: to reload to take on the Central in 2009.

Any of these trades could probably happen in exchange for Rich Hill. Felix Pie might work too. The roster tinkering is not done; more additions need to be made. This is the best opportunity I have seen for the Cubs, ever, and that we-can't-win feeling is somehow overruled by the number 100. Thanks also the Red Sox, White Sox, Dbacks, Marlins, and Angels for making this the decade where teams that no one thinks can win do.