Just when most everyone (including myself) was ready to put proverbial nail in Chicago Cubs coffin, looks as though they are back in NL Wild Card race to stay. After soundly thumping Pittsburgh Pirates once again at Wrigley on Friday Afternoon, they currently sit 4 ½ games behind Atlanta and look ready to pounce despite a rash of injuries to their starting rotation and offensive lineup.

I must give credit to much maligned Dusty Baker for keeping this team together when it appeared they were likely candidates to fold up like a tent. Also, much praise goes out to guys who filled in on Kerry Wood and Mark Prior while they were on disabled list, Glendon Rusch and Sergio Mitre. Baker has plenty reason to be optimistic. "We feel very good and confident that we finally got our pitching staff back that we were starting with," Baker said. "When you can put a guy like Rusch in bullpen and Sergio, it builds everything. Now it's kind of glue putting pieces of puzzle together. I feel a whole lot better having those guys back. It's like having your whole army back."

Your wife loves people and having "them" around. You, on other hand, could be a hermit. Well, at least they are in town shopping and you have a rare opportunity to take that private shower, without little Billy knocking on door.

You are in hallway and you have just removed your shirt and pants and pitched them 10 feet into hamper in laundry room.

What's that noise?!!!

The back door just opened. Your (your wife's) company is back from town. Rats! You have to make a split second decision. No time to think it over. They will be around corner in less than three seconds.

There are some people you would not mind seeing you naked but not this bunch. Why open yourself up to brunt of dinner time jokes?

At super human speed, you balance yourself deftly on your right foot and yank your left sock off. You aim (under immense pressure) and throw your sock at hamper. Bull's eye! Switching to your left foot, you balance yourself so gracefully that a ballerina would be envious, reach down and rip your right sock from your sweaty foot, shoot once again for hamper. Swish! Dead center. Now, moment of truth.

You flash back to final game of Bulls and Jazz. You are Michael Jordan. You, on other hand, have less than one second to get your shorts off, shoot for hamper, spin around and duck into bathroom.