Yhency Brazoban has struggled since Eric Gagne went down with an injury last week. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

I'm mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore. This weekend I traveled to the Bronx on Friday and Saturday in hope that the Cubbies would put up more of fight against the Yankees than Mike Tyson did against Kevin McBride recently, but I was sorely disappointed. After giving up a 6-4 lead in the eighth on Friday, the Cubs played like junk the rest of the weekend. Coincidentally, this losing streak comes two short weeks after I wrote a column praising the Cubbies. With the All-Star break approaching I am going to call out the Cubs and two other underachieving MLB teams. These clubs have made loyalists punch a wall, scream at the television and cry themselves to sleep. So Dodgers, Yankees and Cubs fans, this one is for you.

Dodgers, 33-35, 3rd place NL West

What's good: Jeff Kent (.291 with 14 HRs and 53 RBIs) has been sensational for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles. Even though it's his first season in L.A., the 13-year veteran is a leader on and off the field, even trying to rally his team's spirits after a demoralizing Saturday night loss. Of course, the next day the Dodgers committed three errors and blew a lead after the seventh inning for the second time in two days (a sin they did not commit in their previous 25 seventh-inning leads, even without Eric Gagne).

What's bad: Injuries. Like the Cubs, the Dodgers have caught the injury bug, with two of their most important players, outfielder Milton Bradley and closer Gagne, going down. Bradley had kicked butt through May, hitting .298 with 10 HRs, and somehow managing to keep his temper in check. Gagne, who missed the first 35 games with a sprained ligament in his right elbow, jumped right back on the DL last week, with similar problems, and his season is in doubt. Why they  traded the heart of the clubhouse, Paul Lo Duca, last season is beyond me, but Jason Phillips isn't cutting it.

What needs to go right: Dr Jekyll-and-Mr.-Weaver need to get their act together. In 15 starts, Weaver is 6-6. His first four starts are the season are a blueprint of his performance, in starts Nos. 1 and 3, Weaver pitched 17 innings (including a complete game) and gave up no runs. In start Nos. 2 and 4 he went only seven combined innings and gave up 16 runs. With Wilson Alvarez struggling, the Dodgers need Derek Lowe, Brad Penny and Weaver to be consistent in order to stay with the Padres. The Dodgers also need Gagne  to return this season. On offense,  the rest of the team has to help Kent with hitting with runners in scoring position.

What might go wrong:  Yhency Brazoban could suffers a crisis of confidence following his most recent outing against the White Sox, meaning a team that rarely lost late is vulnerable every night. The Dodgers face the division leading Padres in seven of the next 10 games. A continuance of the recent slump could put the Dodgers 10 games back at the All-Star break.

Yankees, 36-32, 3rd place AL East

What's good: Since blowing his first two saves of the season Mariano Rivera has returned to exalted status in the Bronx and has not given up a run since May 6. Alex Rodriguez's has risen once against to the heights of Best Player in the Game. He leads the Yankees in all major offensive categories, though some skeptics still believe he isn't a clutch player. Randy Johnson's fastball looks to have come around in two straight wins, and Mike Mussina has been the toughest member of the staff.

What's bad: There is apparently an on-and-off switch with this ball club and not even Joe Torre knows where it is. The Yanks also struggle  on the road, where they are 14-19.

What needs to go right: With 13 of their next 19 games before the All-Star break at home, the Yankees need to capitalize on how well they play in the Bronx. With the second half of the season almost under way, and the Orioles still holding strong, the Yanks cannot just wait to shift into high gear. They must get consistency from their starters (that includes you, Mr. Kevin Brown) and get a new left fielder because Tony Womack's attitude and bat stink.

What might go wrong: Johnson's reverts to his early season form. The Giambi-Martinez platoon continues to be mediocre at best. The team doesn't turn it on until it is too late, even for the wild card.

Cubs, 34-33, 9.5 back in NL Central

What's good: The sweet, sweet bat and glove of Mr. Derrek Lee. Not only is the 6-foot-5 first baseman hitting .389, with 18 HRs, and 57 RBIs, his assault on the Triple Crown is not his only highlight this season. With a defensive infield that can best be described by the phrase "You're killing me, Smalls" from The Sandlot, Lee makes grab after grab out of the dirt, saving Aramis Ramirez, Neifi Perez and Todd Walker from the wrath of the Chicago press (and me!). Jeromy Burnitz and Perez have both been bright spots at the plate, and up until interleague play, Glendon Rusch was a solid pitcher. Ryan Dempster has also pitched admirably in the closers role.

What's bad: Hmmm...so hard to choose from. Is it the injuries to our two best pitchers Kerry Wood and Mark Prior (Carlos Zambrano was making a run at Wood as our No. 2, but his recent emotional meltdowns on the mound and inability to get Strike 1 have left me a little perturbed.)? Or might it be this weekend's terrible at-bats. Seriously guys, MAKE THE PITCHER WORK TO GET YOU OUT. Chien-Ming  Wang looked like a stud on Saturday and didn't reach 80 pitches until after the seventh inning. The Nomar injury has also been a lowlight. But my favorite disappointment has been the bullpen. You can't blame the troubles on the closer anymore with LaTroy Hawkins gone, but you can blame it on Joe Borowski, Mike Remlinger, Todd Wellemeyer and the rest of the incompetents.

What needs to go right: Jim Hendry must  find, a reliable set-up man. Will Olhman and Mike Wuertz are too green to take on the role. The Cubs also need a better hitting left-fielder -- with Todd Hollandsworth starting, the Cubs pinch-hit options late in the game come down to the always powerful tandem of Jose Macias and Jerry Hairston Jr. Two words: Preston Wilson. Two more words that will never happen but would be nice: Roger Clemens.

What might (and most likely will) go wrong: Prior and Wood rush back from injuries and find themselves back on the DL by late July. Nomar never suits up in a Cubs uniform this year, and Hendry is unable to make a trade to improve the bullpen or the lineup. And just to add insult to injury Lee's head explodes.

Honorable Mentions:

Boston: While 38-30 is hardly disappointing, the Red Sox seem content wading through the year as defending World Champs. Like the Yanks, they seem to think the AL Wild-Card is an entitlement.

Indians: That nine-game win streak saved Mark Shapiro from quite the rant.

Giants: OK, so some say Barry Bonds is an "important" part of the franchise, so they get a little slack there, but the Giants should be hovering around .500 (kind of like the Dodgers), not nine games back.

Braves: Though the lineup isn't as "Chipper" as usual (forgive me for that pun), Tim Hudson hasn't been the pitching hot shot the Braves need him to be.