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Wait ‘Till Next Year for the 102nd Time!

Nolan Thomas Written by Nolan Thomas, Friday August 21 2009
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OK, I know it is only August and there is another whole month and more of baseball left, but at this point, all I have to say is that the Chicago Cubs are officially out of the race this season.

 

As I mentioned in an article at the beginning of the season, on paper, the Cubs had the best team in the National League and possibly all of baseball. (Article here)

 

However, this is the Cubs we are talking about here and after all, for the last 101 years we have been proudly proclaiming, “Wait ‘till next year”. Well it is time to make it 102 years; the Cubs are done for this season.

 

I must say though, I am actually kind of relieved that they are choking at this point and have not played the kind of baseball that they have the potential to play and that they are basically out of the picture at this point. At least I will not have to worry about the Cubs being swept in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row. I do not think that I could take that again. My heart is just not strong enough to go through that once again.  

 

I really cannot explain why the Cubs took such a free fall this season. Oh sure, I am sure that the constant injuries that kept popping up to numerous key players throughout the season had something to do with it, but I am not going to use that as an excuse.

 

On the other hand, of course, I could say it is the curse. Moreover, as much as that idiotic goat sounds and makes you wonder considering all of the years this has been happening to the Cubs, I am not going to use that as an excuse either.

 

No, I will tell you why a promising team that looked prime to take the National League by storm this season instead as fluttered out and once again become the Cubs we have come to know and love throughout our lifetimes, the players, well certain players anyway.

 

There are few on the team that continue to hold up their end of the bargain. Derrick Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kouske Fukudome, Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot, and Rich Harden continue to play the game the way it is supposed to played and have basically held this team together for this long this season. Although Ramirez and Lilly have both spent time on the DL this season, but you cannot blame them for that, especially when the injuries happened because they were giving 110% trying to win.

 

No, I am talking about Carlos Zambrano, who did not follow the trainer’s advice to stay in shape and be able to pitch at his best. Or his lackadaisical attitude that he does not need to give it all every time he steps on the mound and still expecting to win with ease.

 

I am talking about Alphonso Soriano, who is paid millions and millions of dollars and is not only a liability on the field due to poor defensive skills, but this season he has been absolutely terrible at the plate. Oh sure he has had a few big hits, but I blame the opposing pitcher for that. All you have to do is throw sliders low and outside and Soriano will wave at it not even coming close to actually hitting the ball. This is especially true when he has two strikes on him and every pitcher and team in the league knows this.

 

I am talking about Milton Bradley, who the Cubs picked up in the offseason after he had a stellar year last season with the Rangers. Oh but not this year. The first half of the season, you could have bet the house that on a 3-2 count he would take strike three and swing and miss at ball four. In addition, he would argue the strike three call, get ejected from the game and get all riled up. This is nothing new for Bradley.  He has come around lately and is playing much better, but it is too little too late in my book.

 

I am talking about Geovany Soto, last season’s rookie of the year who showed up to Cubs camp this season after the Baseball World Classic out of shape and not ready to play at all. It all went to his head and the drive and desire to succeed that he had last season all went right out the window. Then he admitted that he smoked marijuana during the Classic. Here it is August and he still must be in haze because his bat is nowhere to be found.

 

I am talking about Aaron Miles, who the Cubs picked up from the Cardinals to compete for the second base job, after hitting over .300 last season, he has yet to break the .250 mark with the Cubs and has been injured for most of the season.

 

I am talking about Carlos Marmol who last season was lights out, no worries, nasty stuff that nobody could hit. If he was in the game, the other team did not have a chance in hell of scoring. This season, if he could get the ball over the plate and stop hitting batters he might have been even slightly effective. However that is not the case and more often then not this season, can he not only hold a lead, he has given up the lead all together as well.

 

I am talking about Kevin Gregg, who was supposed to be such a good closer that the Cubs decided to not resign Kerry Wood, a Cubs fan favorite, in favor of Gregg. Talk about a decision blowing up in your face. Gregg has been horrible. What other closer do you know of that goes into a game two nights in a row with the lead of 2-3 runs and ends up giving up a game winning walk off home run? In addition, three nights later after two nights off, comes in and does the same exact thing.

 

I am talking about Manager Lou Piniella or maybe it is General Manager Jim Hendry. How in the hell are Soriano and Bradley still getting a chance to play when you have hungry young players on your bench such as Jake Fox and San Fuld, that would most likely produce a hell of a lot more on the field and at the plate and help the team win?

 

Is it about winning or always playing the guys who make the most money? If I were Piniella, I would play the player that gave me the best chance to win regardless of how much money the prima-donna players were making if they were not producing on the field.

 

However, this is the Cubs and for yet another year it’s “Wait ‘Till Next Year”!

 

Thank God for football season! 


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2 comments


0 up down 0
Big Poppa TCBig Poppa TC, over 2 years ago said:

I'm with you on the wait 'til next year, but while I'm convinced the cubs could be better, i'm not convinced they will be.

0 up down 0
Tyler JuranovichTyler Juranovich, over 2 years ago said:

Finally you realize that the Cubs have no hope. They never did have any hope. All the injuries made sure of that