Not good

The team is only as good as its most recent game.

We'll say the same thing about home plate umpire Jack Samuels, who warned both benches that another HBP would warrant an ejection. Zambrano, one of the league's most notorious hotheads, went on to hit Daryle Ward - those two guys had been jawing at each other on the basepaths - and no ejection. Then Mike Johnston hits a Cub and Samuels tosses both Johnston and McClendon. That should be the last time MLB leans on that minor-league umpire in a pinch. It doesn't excuse the loss, not by a long stretch, but it's pretty pathetic when the umps huddle up every time someone protests and then the home plate guy can't apply his own rules consistently.