It’s that time of the year again when I start to loathe being a Chicago Cubs fan.

Most baseball aficionados are aware of the 2003 debacle when Steve Bartman became the scapegoat for a burned out pitching staff and a spotty defense.

The Cubs provided a lackluster performance in game seven when the entire team had fear written all over their faces.

Follow that with a year where the Cubbies looked to be in good shape for a wild card slot. Then they went 3-7 in their last ten games while the Houston Astros went 9-1 to take the final spot.

In 2006, the Cubs decided they would try to have the worst record in baseball.

They did.

2007 brought manager Lou Piniella to the north side and with him, a division championship. However, the Cubs left their bats in Chicago and were quickly disposed of by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the playoffs.

This season, the Cubs have remained in first place since May. But the recent injuries to pitchers Carlos Zambrano and mid-season acquisition Rich Harden leave me hopeless.