None of us had high expectations heading into this season, but I think the first six games have gone even worse than most of us expected. Despite the 1-5 record, Darwin “Pollyanna” Barney is keeping the faith that the Cubs can turn it around.

“We’ve played pretty well,” said Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney, who went 1-for-4 in the loss. “We’ve run the bases pretty aggressive. We’re putting ourselves in the games and opportunities to win. We could easily have three wins under our belt, four wins. We’re just going to keep going. It’s Week 1. We’re six games in. I don’t think any of us are really pulling that chute yet.

“You look back at the week, and we had opportunities to win every ball game we’ve been in. That’s good, and we’re going to build on that, and the wins will start coming.”

I’m glad Darwin’s not giving up, since he’s being paid to go out there every day. I do hope he doesn’t really believe that the wins will start coming. Otherwise he’s just going to be disappointed.

“You put into the perspective the start the Red Sox had last year when they started and they come back,” Barney said. “It’s six games in. We’d like to be in better position, but there’s a lot of game left. There’s a lot to be played and a lot to prove still.”

Oh no. He thinks this team is like last year’s Red Sox. I think the only likely comparisons are that they both started the year poorly and neither will have made the playoffs.

One reason the Cubs have started 1-5 is Marlon Byrd and his .056 batting average. Dale Sveum isn’t worried about the center fielder’s slow start.

“I think mechanically he’s got to be a little more linear to handle pitches,” Sveum said before Wednesday’s game. “But it’s still early yet. Guys get going a little bit later than other guys. We got to be a little bit better against right-hand pitching. That’s the bottom line. Our right-hand hitters, we have to take what the pitcher’s giving us. We got to be better at that on the outer part of a plate.”

At least he’s not hitting third this year. But we do need him to turn it on so that he can be traded and Brett Jackson can come up from Iowa to entertain us.