-------------------------------------------------UPDATE---------------------------------------------------

 June 24-26, @ CHC (48-28, .632, 3 Games) 2-1, 40-37
June 27-29, @ GNATS (30-47, .390, 3 Games) 1-2, 41-39
June 30-July 3, KC (33-43, .434, 4 Games) 2-2,  43-41
July 4-6, Ponson Testers I (39-38, .506, 3 Games) 1-2, 44-43
July 8-10, @ Gaston's (36-41, .468, 3 Games) 0-3, 44-46... THAT sucked
July 11-13, @ PHN (47,31, .603, 3 Games) 1-2, 45-48

So, 5-11.  I mean seriously... we couldn't win ONE in Toronto???  God Damn you Cito Gaston.  And we could ONLY win one in the infamous baseball town that is DC?!? 

That sucked.  Or did it?  Maybe, now, MacPhail and Co. won't feel the need to hang on to some of the veterans to "try to make a run" or whatever reason they might have given.

  If you said under .500, give yourself a pat on the back, you blastphemous motherfucker. 

Sure it sucks to suck, but, we suck.  Get used to it, for now.  It'll get better.  I promise

Ooh child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh child, things will get brighter
Ooh child, things are gonna get easier
Ooh child, things will get brighter

Someday we'll put it together and we'll get all done

------------------------------------------END UPDATE---------------------------------------------------

So I know we've already revisited Stacey's "The next four weeks are going to be brutal," but this is not about that.  This is actually about the NEXT four weeks.

Here we stand on June 23rd with our boys in a bus on the way to ChiTown (actually, probably already in their ChiTown hotel) with a 38-36 record.  That's right, TWO games over .500, 3.5 games ahead of The

Gaston's,
7 back of the PHN, 2 behind MFY, and 5.5 out of the Wild Card... Who'd a thunk it, huh?

After going 13-14 on The Original "Brutal" Stretch, we found ourselves thrilled. Since then we went 7-2 at home against the NL (not our strong suit since interleague's inception), and now 1-2 on the road against the Brew Crew. Honestly, I'll be happy with 2 out of 6 against this young Crew at the band box that is Miller Park, and in Chicago where the Cubs are 32-8 at home (That's an .800 wpct.!) and have the best overall record in baseball. If we don't get swept by them I'll be happy and surprised.

The upcoming schedule looks a little like this.
June 24-26, @ CHC (48-28, .632, 3 Games) 2-1, 40-37
June 27-29, @ GNATS (30-47, .390, 3 Games) 1-2, 41-39
June 30-July 3, KC (33-43, .434, 4 Games) 2-2,  43-41
July 4-6, Ponson Testers I (39-38, .506, 3 Games) 1-2, 44-43
July 8-10, @ Gaston's (36-41, .468, 3 Games) 0-3, 44-46... THAT sucked
July 11-13, @ PHN (47,31, .603, 3 Games) 1-2, 45-48

July 14-16, ALL-STAR BREAK

July 17-20, Los Tigres (36-39, .480, 4 Games)

Any guesses as to our record, +/-.500, or position in the standings at the break?

After all that, I say we go into Washington 39-38, take two of three from them (losing Sunday's game, of course) putting us at 41-39. Then back to Baltimore where we take 3 of 4 from KC and one from Texas.

So into the last week before the break we'd be 45-42 with 3 in Toronto and 3 in PHN. We sweep the Jays, and steal one from Boston, putting us at 49-44 at the break. After the ASG Detroit comes to town for four where I say, conservatively, we split.

Is 13-10 too pollyanna? Or is that actually realistic with this team this year? I'm having trouble discerning between the two.

Opinions?