Yes, a win is a win. And we suppose notching a W vs. King Felix Hernandez on his home turf — even if it was an extra-inning 3-2 win — was a good thing. But there was something so blah about this victory: The Cubs scored their second run on a hit by pitch, wild pitch, then a single. Like we said, blah. Also, it took them 13 innings to score three runs versus a team that came into the series 13 games under .500. So forgive us if we're not dancing in the street after this one.

ESPN Chicago: Byrd, Cubs cool off Mariners with win in 13 [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: Byrd's RBI single and relievers lead way to victory
MLB: Byrd breaks through with winner in 13th [+ video]

A Better Bullpen? Believe It.
Relievers Have Actually Been Solid in June
When John Grabow took the hill yesterday, we thought, "Here comes the loss." Yet the formerly embattled pitcher threw two scoreless innings. Once seen as the team's biggest Achilles heel, the bullpen's ERA in June has been a respectable 2.77 (compared to 4.80 in April). With "Cash Money" Cashner owning a stellar 0.90 ERA and Bobby "Bob" Howry at 1.04, this weakness has, incredibly, become a strength. Meanwhile, the Cubs are batting .250 with runners in scoring position, the third-worst in the NL. There's your culprit.

Chicago Sun-Times: Bullpen on rise gets job done

What to Do, What to Do...
Time for Cubs to Face Reality, Get Trading, etc.
Now that the season seems to be pretty much over (let's be real here), we're starting to see more lists of things the team needs to do. The blog The Way Things Should Be recommends admitting the season is finished, starting Tyler Colvin every day, and calling anyone and everyone to get trades going. Agony & Ivy's list for Lou begins with the whopper: "Fire yourself." Assuming he doesn't do that, there's this wisdom: "Move your veterans out of the middle of the lineup when they go into prolonged slumps. If their feelings are hurt, send them to the club psychiatrist." Yeeeeowch.

The Way Things Should Be: The Chicago Cubs 2010 June/July To-Do List
Agony & Ivy: The Cub factor: Lou's to-do list

The Blame Game
Don't Point the Finger at Piniella
Cubs fans have one question about this season: What the hell went wrong? So people are looking for a scapegoat, and that's where manager Lou Piniella comes in. But View from the Bleachers gives an impassioned defense of the skipper, asking, "What is Lou going to do when the heart of his order has all of the sudden started playing without heart?.... no team will win when their big hitters are stinking up the stage." Hmmm.

View from the Bleachers: No love for lou?

Misery Is a Lenny-Splendored Thing
Remember Lenny Dykstra? Yeah, He's Kinda Nuts.
Man does not live by Cubs news alone. So every now and then, we'll run a story that's worth reading on its own. Maybe it's about the Cubs, maybe not. In today's Good Read, a GQ writer recalls taking a job with Lenny Dykstra. Not too long ago, people thought the chaw-chewing, wall-running-into former Philly/Met was actually a financial savant. Then he started a magazine for mega-rich athletes, and it turns out he wasn't what anyone thought he was. Or actually, maybe he was.

GQ: You think your job sucks? Try working for Lenny Dykstra

The odds seem to be on Chad Tracy getting moved when Aramis Ramirez comes back... Want to drink, watch the Cubs/Sox game, and raise money for a good cause this weekend? You have excellent options for either Saturday or Sunday. Take your pick... This is both funny and painful.

Submit your Rant on Facebook
*Don't be a Sox fan... be clever. If it's smart enough, we'll publish it here.
What's this?