Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry must be feeling pretty smart these days.  In consecutive wins over the crosstown rival White Sox (6-5 on Thursday)  and Cleveland, the Cubs managed to score more runs in two games than it had in its previous 10.

These two offensive outbursts come just four days after Hendry replaced fired hitting coach Gerald Perry with Von Joshua.  And at a time when the Cubs downward spiral was beginning to look more like a leap into the abyss.

Today’s 8-7 win was only the fourth time this month the Cubs had scored six runs or more and the 24th time in the club’s 63 games this season.  Coincidentally, the Cubs are 22-2 when they do reach the six-run mark.

There’s no doubt the wins were nice.  That one came against the White Sox and both came after trailing in the late innings was - well - unexpected to say the least.

Come-from-behind wins have been virtually non-existent this Chicago Cubs season.  Nail-biters have been the norm.  Nearly half of the Cubs games have been decided by two runs or less and the club is an even 16-15 in those affairs.

These past two days have not been an exception.  But a funny thing may have happened to these 2009 Cubs on the way to posting a couple of late June wins.

These Cubs may have discovered themselves.

The Chicago Cubs forever have been an enigma in the baseball world.  Or at least to most of us who’ve lived long enough to watch the ebb and flow of good baseball and bad.  Good Cubs and Bad Cubs.

Of the many constants throughout the franchise’s modern day history, the Cubs have been the equivalent of the consummate money pit to their fans.  No matter how much unwavering loyalty is given, no matter how much money is thrown in the Cubs direction, they somehow find a way to keep the love-hate relationship alive.

Welcome to 2009, Cub fans.  And a new era of “I love ‘em, I hate ‘em.”

Ever since all-star third baseman Aramis Ramirez went down with a dislocated shoulder on May 8th, the Cubs offense has slowly devolved into its own funk.  The sheen was peeling away from its $130 million payroll and the glitter of all of the team’s star power.

Two come-from-behind wins in two days certainly shouldn’t be mistaken for a team that’s turned the corner and is heading towards prosperity.  But it does mean that maybe these Cubs have finally realized they’re good enough to win without Ramirez.

No matter who’s the hitting coach.