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Constable: Watching Cubs with ghosts of past

I make it a goal to watch all three Cubs vs. Cardinals games on television with no distractions. My son is studying for finals. My wife takes the laptop upstairs to do work. My cellphone is off. The couch is comfy. And a bottle of 3 Floyds Wigsplitter, a beer brewed with freshly ground espresso, promises to deliver the alcoholic depressant needed after the Cubs' heartbreaking loss in the first game at St. Louis, as well as the caffeine jolt to fuel my giddiness after the Cubs' bounce-back 12-3 pummeling of the Cards in Game 2.

I just settle in for Game 1, when they arrive out of the mists of the past.

"Mind if we join you?" comes a voice from a trio of shadowy vapors, not waiting for a response before sinking into spots at the other end of the couch. There's me from 1969, me from 1985 and me from 2012.

"Jake Arrieta reminds me of Rick Sutcliffe," says 1985 Me. "I just hope he doesn't get hurt like Sut did, You know we just missed the 1984 World Series and were in first place in 1985 until the Cardinals swept a three-game series from us in June."

"I feel your pain," moans 2012 Me. "The Cubs were threatening to rise above fifth place in the division in May when the Cardinals scored in the bottom of the ninth inning to give us the first of 12 straight losses and drop us into last place."

"We were in first place until I had to go back to school and we lost eight straight games in September," whines 1969 Me.

"Guys, guys, enough of this negativity," I implore the spirits. "I don't want to dwell on the Cubs' past. I just want to enjoy the Cubs' present."

With the lead runner on third and one out in the ninth inning of Game 1, Rizzo squirts a soft liner to third for an inning-ending double play.

"Did you know that Bryan LaHair hit more homers than Rizzo in 2012, 16 to 15?" asks 2012 Me.

"Did you know that LaHair now plays for the Somerset Patriots and has an outside shot of leading the independent Atlantic League in homers if he can catch former Cubs' third-baseman and current Bridgeport Bluefish Josh Vitters?" I counter.

"Do you think manager Leo Durocher would have left starter John Lackey in long enough to give up that game-tying homer in the seventh?" asks 1969 Me.

"Manager Jim Frey would have brought in closer Lee Smith," offers 1985 Me.

"I always thought we wouldn't have lost 101 games if manager Dale Sveum had made better use of closer Carlos Marmol," says 2012 Me.

"Dudes, you just missed Randal Grichuk's walk-off homer to beat the Cubs," interrupts 1969 Me, who throws in a Ron Santo-esque wail of agony.

That opening loss doesn't have time to fester, as the Cubs start Game 2 with six runs in the first inning. The specter of defeat dissipates, but not the specters.

"Only the one homer?" says 1969 Me. "Our 1969 squad was second in the league in home runs, and our third-baseman cracked 29."

That argument carries over into Wednesday's final game of the series. I turn my head to explain that our current third-baseman/left-fielder has a nice power swing, and hear a roar.

"Kris Bryant really crushed that three-run homer," 2012 Me says. "He hit it as far as Brett Jackson used to."

"Or Billy Williams," '69 Me says.

"Or Ron Cey before he got old," '85 Me says.

"Paul Popovich didn't hit many homers, but he did come off the bench to hit .312," '69 Me says.

"Enough about the past!" I scream. "The 2016 Cubs aren't the 1985 Cubs or the 1969 Cubs, and they'd have to lose 87 of the next 117 games to finish worse than that 2012 bunch. So let's all just relax."

The ghostly trio nods in agreement as Cubs' closer Hector Rondon knocks down a liner and tosses it to first for the final out in a thrilling 9-8 victory, even as '85 Me says former Cubs' speedster Tony Campana would have beaten that throw. The Cubs win two of three from the Cardinals.

"Sorry, I'm late," says the 2003 ghost of me, floating in from the kitchen. "I got into an argument with some fan about whether Bobby Hill or Augie Ojeda hit more career homers, and that distracted me."

I refuse to have a fan-distraction discussion with 2003 me. "Now, where's that bottle of Wigsplitter?" I ask.

That's when I spy Future Me from the end of the 2016 season finishing my beer. I just can't tell if he's taking a celebratory swig or drowning sorrows.

Homers such as this one made an All-Star out of Cubs' prospect Bryan LaHair. Now playing for the Somerset Patriots, LaHair, 33, can watch Cubs games on TV and tell teammates about how he hit more homers than Anthony Russel in 2012. Associated Press
This 3-run homer by Cubs' slugger Kris Bryant gave the Cubs a 9-4 lead Wednesday over the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Cubs would need every one of those runs. Associated Press
This perfect swing by Cubs' shortstop Addison Russell drove in a run Wednesday, helping the Cubs win the game and the series from the rival St. Louis Cardinals. Associated Press
With Cardinals on first and second, Chicago Cubs closer Hector Rondon knocks down this liner and tosses it to first to retire St. Louis batter Jedd Gyorko for the final out in a tense 9-8 Cubs' win Wednesday. Associated Press
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