Forget starting pitching. Ruben better be on the phone for relievers. Enough of hoping for Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, JC Romero and the others to regain 2008 form. It’s two years removed from that magical October and reality has to set in sooner or later.

The Phillies dropped their second in a row to the Cubs Friday, 4-3, thanks to Madson. The reliever the Phils were ecstatic to get back from the DL — you know, the guy who got hurt kicking a metal chair after a piss poor outing — gave up a homer to Aramis Ramirez in the eighth inning.

Ryan Madson might want to consider switching careers because he's lost GQ points on the mound.

The Phils had played tough thanks to the bat of Ryan Howard, who continued to surge with his third dinger in two days. Shane Victorino also went yard to round out the Phils scoring.

Marlon Byrd hit a two-run shot in the sixth, followed by Ramirez’s solo blast in the eighth to give the Cubbies the win.

Joe Blanton pitched OK. Yes, three runs in seven innings is a nice line. However, the man also walked the pitcher with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. That’s not a run you can give up on the road.

Still, the Phils had a chance to grab a win, but Madson put a quick end to that.