Cubs 'trying to stay positive' during skid
By Paul Sullivan
Tribune staff reporter
August 6, 2005, 9:53 PM CDT

NEW YORK -- The mood in the Cubs' clubhouse is no different now than it was a month ago despite their dwindling chances of staying in the wild-card playoff chase.

"We're trying to stay positive," first baseman Derrek Lee said. "Obviously we're not playing well. We need to turn it around, but also we don't want to get too down on ourselves."

Some of their hitters have gone into second-half slumps. Since the All-Star break, Lee is hitting .272, Todd Walker .271 and Jeromy Burnitz .206 after going 2-for-20 on the trip to Philadelphia and New York.

"It seems like we've all gone into a funk at the same time," Walker said. "If you do that, you're not going to win too many games."

But scoring runs isn't the only problem vexing the Cubs. They have regressed in several key categories this season, dropping from third in the league in fielding percentage in '04 (.986) to 12th (.983) and from third in earned-run average (3.81) to eighth (4.30).

Only Cincinnati's pitching staff has fewer saves than the Cubs, while only Colorado's staff has issued more walks.


Well the players probably do need to stay up. Fans can get down lol. I think we will turn it around, but probably too late.