Ryan Dempster regroups after Freddy Sanchez's two-run homer in the fourth Monday.
First the Bulls captivated us with a seven-game instant classic vs. the Celtics. Then the Blackhawks took us on a joyride through the Stanley Cup playoffs. But the Red Wings are poised to turn out the lights on the Hawks' postseason party Wednesday, and if that happens, the spotlight's long-overdue glare finally will fall on the struggling Cubs.
No one has benefitted more from the Hawks' success than the underachievers on the North Side. The Cubs' losing streak reached an unthinkable eight games Monday night with a 10-8 loss to the lowly Pirates at Wrigley Field. Yet rather than putting Lou Piniella's feet to the fire, newspaper columnists and talk-show hosts have been too busy blistering Hawks backup goaltender Cristobal Huet and questioning why Joel Quenneville's team is taking such dumb penalties.
What a publicity run the Hawks have enjoyed! I can't ever recall seeing the Hawks featured on the back page of the Sun-Times for 13 straight days, as they were recently. It's the novelty factor: The Hawks' amazing resurgence captured the fancy of not only the city's non-hockey fans, but its non-sports fans as well. We love a winner and can't get enough of a good story, and the Hawks have been both.
In the process, both the Cubs and White Sox have been overshadowed -- and what a lucky thing for the team that was supposed to roll to a third straight NL Central title. We've already discussed on this blog the Cubs' offensive struggles without the injured Aramis Ramirez and their ongoing bullpen issues. The Brewers and Cardinals are showing signs of sticking around for the long haul, meaning that expected cakewalk to another postseason berth looks instead like it will be a dogfight to the finish.
As for the Sox, they made a splash last week with their courtship of Jake Peavy, and had the deal gone down, there would have been a season-long buzz at the Cell. But unless Ken Williams has another surprise up his sleeve, it seems unlikely the Sox will be a serious contender, despite their 17-3 rout of the Angels on Monday.
Can the Cubs get their act together after Monday's loss dropped them below .500 (21-22)? It's not a good sign that Piniella is having issues with moody slugger Milton Bradley, accusing him Monday of being too concerned about the umpires and not concentrating on his job. Bradley responded by saying his comments about the umps were blown out of proportion.
If Bradley thinks he has been too much under the media microscope, just wait till the Hawks are done and the daily mob of reporters in the Cubs' tiny clubhouse gets even bigger. It's an ugly outburst just waiting to happen.
What will it take for the Cubs to turn it around? Do they just need to get Ramirez's clutch bat back in the lineup and get healthy, or are we seeing signs of festering problems that could undermine the entire season?
Chicago fans had better hope the Hawks keep that Stanley Cup drive alive! The alternative seems almost too unpleasant to ponder.
Other than being Cubs, there's nothing wrong with them.
As I'm sure Keith would agree ... people should not be made fun of due to their race, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or their professional baseball affiliation.
It really isn't their fault that they suck.
Yep, and it's not the White Sox fans fault they they don't have any teeth or morals!
Look at the standings, Cubs still have a better record then the White Flags!
The best team since the 1927 Yankees does not have to worry.
When you have two winning seasons in a row then everyone knows that you are a juggernaut. Just imagine it…. TWO years in a row above .500!
They can lose another 8 games in a row and they are still going to win this weak division. Just look at the attendance numbers compared to the other teams in their division!
The Cardinals and the Brewers are not in the same league as the Cubbies!
The regular season does not matter because this team was built to win in October!
Sounds really stupid eh?
Like someone who knows nothing at all about baseball right?
Now the Cub fans know how they sound.
This 2009 version of disappontments are simply not that good. Add in injuries and poor team chemistry and voila, maybe fourth place. Big mistake with big contracts to Dempster and Bradley. Oh well, maybe they can turn things around, but I doubt it.
The best thing that happened to the Cubs and White Sox in this early season so far were the Blackhawks and Bulls playoff series. Can you imagine the negative press this would have been last year when neither team qualified to make their respective playoffs? Now that being said with the Cubs, I think it has gotten to the point that either they make the playoffs and finally do some damage there this season for once or they just blow this team up and start anew with the new ownership team finally intact by then hopefully. It seems to me that the panic button on the Cubs is not as frequent from the fans as in other years because most are expecting this team to just flip that switch again in the Summer and get back into the playoff race quickly when Aramis Ramirez is back in the lineup consistently. He's the guy that makes this offense tick and gel and plus, Derrek Lee should NOT hit in the 3 hole ever again for the Chicago Cubs. His skills are eroding quickly, his defense included, although it is still better than half of the 1st basemen of the league but overall, he's just not the same solid player anymore. Letting go of Mark DeRosa is now showing to be a huge mistake, not just from the numbers/production aspect, but the other intangibles that he offered to the team in the clubhouse which was very underrated. I never liked that Aaron Miles signing at all from the beginning (should have taken a gamble on Orlando Hudson) and I was clamoring about a left handed bullpen ace last Winter (was hoping we could sign Brian Fuentes, not Kevin Gregg). So definitely, Hendry made some questionable moves last offseason and he or the Cubs overall sure got cost-conscious at the wrong time. I understood the Milton Bradley signing at the time, but we should have also signed either Adam Dunn (this guy absolutely kills the ball in Wrigley Field) or Raul Ibanez's left-handed bats for left field and move Soriano back to 2nd base like what Lou has been tinkering with lately. Trusting Mike Fontenot as an everyday player backfired big time. Oh well, hate to say it again but it's still early enough though and it's not like we're 10+ games out of first place... yet. We'll see. More to come on this team later after the Blackhawks are finished with their fairy tale playoff run.
Haven't you learned anything in 101 years?
Anthony, I like your Bulls posts better. Please don't tell me that you get into these senseless Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans back-and-forth sessions, do you? Both teams are struggling overall this season and both teams have their own separate issues. There has been talk about adding a 2nd football team and 2nd basketball team in Chicago like they do in the state of California. No thanks if it's gonna be like this all the time from Chicago fans.
Cubs seemed to be motoring along and then boom, Zambrano comes off the DL. Cubs tank.
Why is it the Cubs sign so many whiners? Milton "The Trib is conspiring against me" Bradley... Ted "I throw down the gauntlet" Lilly...
Must be time for the team to turn on its broadcasters.
Jeez, let's hope Fukudome doesn't begin his batting slide now. That might throw Cubs fans over the ivy.
Don't look now, but Dusty Baker has HIS team in front of the Cubs (and with a $40M less expensive roster... yikes!!!!).
Sox and Cubs need to merge. Each coach gets to switch out all the players from the other team at will - ALL YEAR. Wrigley first of course. Gotta get that 101 off their backs. Then they all go to the Cell and Ozzie gets his year.
Would be fun to see who Lou take. I know Jenks, Buehrle, and Dye would be packed and ready to go.
Next year Ozzie would have Harden, Dempster, Z and Ramirez.
Cubs and Sox will be alright down the line. They just like to make a late push.
The 4th place Cubs are fading fast...
Joining the losers of their past...
Dusty Baker just passed you by...
Maybe you can use a Jermaine Dye...
Go Cubs go!
Go Cubs go!
Hey Chicago whatta ya say?
Most Cub fans are really ....... oh you know the rest.
I refuse to submit to the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." The Cubs will definitely come back and hit their winning stride toward the World Series. One must confess, however, that time is marching on much faster than the Cubs are. Come on Cubs, let's have a ten or fifteen game winning streak and not look back.I don't think umpires win or lose games very often, but the bad call at third last night and some of the pitches called balls that Dempster threw certainly did not help the Cubs break this losing streak.Bradley seems to have hit well lately, and with a healthy Lee and Zambrano back, things are bound to improve. Now if Micah can stop swinging at those low, inside sliders so far out of the strike zone they almost hit him, perhaps that big winning streak will materialize.
"Anthony, I like your Bulls posts better. Please don't tell me that you get into these senseless Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans back-and-forth sessions, do you? Both teams are struggling overall this season and both teams have their own separate issues."
I'm into it ... Big Time!
Just today in the Trib, the Cubs got all the ink on the first four pages of the sports section. (if you count backwards; the back page being reserved for the most "Important" stories)
Trouble is; the Sox won, and the Cub ... LOST!!!
Not only that, but the Sox pounded the daylights out of the Pirates, and Jim Thome passed Mike Schmidt for 13th place on the all time home run hitter's list. I'd say this was worth mentioning at least one or maybe two pages into the sport's section, wouldn't you?
But what's the big news in the Trib? ... All FOUR PAGES OF IT???
"Cubs Lose!!!"
THIS is what's important here?
I thought that winning was important, but apparently the Cubs can suck from now until Labor Day, and they'll still be worthy of more ink than the Sox.
Go figure.
great point Edgar...
Difference a day makes huh? From what I see of the Sox, yes they need better pitching which is exactly what Kenny will improve, but those bats needed to wake up. And speed is helping a lot. Pods is making his presence felt. Good sign. The Sox were also running into EVERY team when they were hot. Thank goodness the Twinkies were ice cold until that last game. Sox and Twinkies are picking it up and the others are cooling off a little. The Sox are winning series, and that is most important.
Cubs just caught the injury bug. When you are bad, you lose to the bad teams and get clobbered by the good teams. Cubs are not like that. They will heal up and turn it around. I enjoyed Lou's pregame comments on the score yesterday. See they broke that streak. Cubs have talent and it will rise to the top during the regular season. I know Cubs fans like dominant seasons like last year, but its better to go through a few trials. It makes you stronger down the stretch. All that matters in the regular season is that you make the post season. Only underachievers take solace in regular season acholades.
Villano, your post almost exposes the fact where all this pointless bashing between the Sox and Cubs fans stem from. I mean, is this what this is really all about? Jealousy over media exposure? Wow, pretty lame if you ask me.
Edgar,
You have brought a tear to my eye.
Oh how I wish I could live in a world of boring, hand holding, Kumbaya singing, "Gosh darn it.. I am good enough!" clones.
Just a slow, middle of the road snoozefest sounds like the way to go.
Save me a bowl of that fat free vanilla ice cream made with all natural soy.
Oh by the way Edgar....
I see that you do not like the Cubs-Sox bashing but you have no problem with bashing other people for the comments that they post here.
Talk about pointless and lame.
Can you spell "Hypocrite" without using a spell checker?
I can!
Phil I am cracking UPPP!!! Fat Free Vanilla with all natural soy!!! uauauauaghck!
Villy - you are correct, Cubs, Cubs, Cubs, and more Cubs. Its just the way it is. And its like that on the SCORE also (AM 670). I listen to their station in the morning that ADVERTISES as a Sox station, and then I listen to Cubs for the entire ride into work until the commercial break when they say Stay tunned to the SCORE your Whitesox station. I always crack a wry smile and shake my head. And the Afternoon Saloon (AM 1000) does the same thing in the evening. Thank goodness for Jurko.
Edgar - of course you are right about the pettiness, but most of it is in fun. Your team is CHICAGO and rightfully so. You would make a great Chicago columnist. Fair and impartial. But just remember to laugh broh. And Chicago does need two of everything so that they can keep eachother honest, just like the Sox and Cubs do. Bears and Bulls need competition.
Philtration --
You missed one ingredient in your bowl of ice cream... Bud Light. I think it's what Cubs fans live on.
I did like Lou telling Bradley to shut the F up and play ball. Now he needs to do the same to Lilly.
I won't be surprised if Lilly has to navigate a pretty small strike zone the next time he pitches.
KLSS
Funny thing about teams that get bit by the injury bug... lots of times it lasts the entire season. My beloved Cardinals have been cursed this season by the injury bug and are keeping their team together with band-aids and duct tape. The last several games their pitching has been outstanding, but doubt it will last all season. Nonetheless, they don't use injuries as an excuse. Like Pujols, they just show up and play ball.
But I digress. Back in Cubdom, Piniella has been more vocal of late and starting to light fires under some people's asses because the Cubs players appear to be waiting for something -- perhaps the rest of the Central Division to collapse, shrivel up and blow away. Ain't gonna happen. Regardless of injuries, the Cubs have underachieved given the talent, the budget and the pre-season predictions. I know a lot of folks still consider it "early", but 1/4 of the season has been played and soon enough, 1/2 will be gone and folks might be surprised to see the Cubs looking up at three or four teams in the standings. Sure, it's the Central Division and the Brewers have a suspect pitching staff, the Cardinals are overachieving and the Reds have Dusty, but the Cubs lack a sense of urgency that is difficult to "manufacture."
Maybe Lou will turn the ship or maybe he will suffer thru a similar situation Jim Leyland found himself in a few years ago with a talent heavy Detroit team that didn't make the playoffs.
Whatever happens, the seats will be filled at Wrigley, the beer will be spilled and the crowd will be singing "102 bottles of beer on the ivy, 102 bottle of beers...."
At least that's a Cardinals fan's hope.
;-)
Gee Phil, if trashing or in your world of blogging, if “making fun” of one of your own Chicago sports teams is what keeps you interested in the wide world of sports, then to each your own of course, but I still think that stuff is old and lame as your church choir reference of Kumbaya, a term I haven’t heard since back in grade school. I’m not proposing that we all get along and do the line dance in synchronization. My original point was that both Chicago baseball teams have their own separate issues and play in different leagues. If you only have 1 spot in your heart to root for 1 hometown team, fine, so be it, but to go out of your way to trash another hometown team is, to put it mildly without offending anyone, mind boggling to me when you can save the comedic rants for a rival team from a different state (or a different school if we’re talking the College game) that is in your own League or Division. It’s bad enough certain fans get sensitive about outsider fans from different states who trash talk their favorite home sports teams, but to hear that stuff coming from hometown fans in your own city or Chicagoland area? I don’t like it, but that’s just me. I can see why some of the back-and-forth jabs get ugly in writing or in person at the bars or wherever, for that matter. This is not just directed to you Phil or to the exclusive mainstream Sox fans, but to the exclusive Cubs fans who do the same as well. Yeah yeah, I know.. whatever, right? Well “whatever” right back atcha then… I’m just calling it like it is.
Yes Phil, I can spell just fine on most words without using a spell checker. I am an educated person with a family sports background and with all the education degrees of higher learning in my possession, but hey, I'm not trying to brag here because I know full well that sports bloggers tend to use that against others as being "arrogant" so I don't bring it up much. So again, call it what you want, but I'm saying it like it is between this particular context of the Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans back-and-forth ranting sessions.
And Keith, I understand the "fun factor" between the segment of Chicago fans and their respective sports teams, but I don't think it gets funny when the blogs turn into an expletive nightmare or when fisticuffs occur at a sports bar or at a sports venue over these rants among Chicago fans over our very own teams. I've seen it happen many times in person. When InterLeague baseball first started, yeah, I'll admit, it was fun at one point, but it got old fast. And I'm not the only person that feels the same way, I'm just not hesitant to say or write it out loud as it is. If you listen to a lot of sports radio these days, even the radio jocks are cutting off callers who get overboard in the Cubs fans vs. Sox fans rants when trying to cover a baseball discussion.
But hey, it's free writing in FCP so if some of you guys wish to continue such talk, nothing I can do about it of course, but I can write what I want to also of course.
Edgar, if I had more time, I'd get into it more. 70 hr. weeks and no energy 4 thought. 1 spouse, 3 kids, 2 son in laws, and 3 rug rats are Cub fans; THE KING, 4 kids, 1 son in law, and 4 rug rats are Sox fans.
Got it!
Oh, and while we're at it here... I just found out that the Cubs won again today, but Zambrano got ejected in the game for arguing a call with an umpire and apparently made contact with the ump. Z is expected to face suspension. Way to go, knucklehead. Like this struggling Cubs team needed that from their ace.
Way to go, Edgar! I'm just finishing work anxiously awaiting the 'Hawks game (could be the last this season, hopefully not!) Anyway, I'm a long time Cubs & Sox fan, now living in Minnesota. I hate the bashing between the North & South sides (as I grew up in the 'burbs and attended games at both Wrigley & Comiskey.) After all, there was no inter-league play back then... the Cubs proudly represented the National League & the Sox proudly represented the American league...all in the name of the GREATEST CITY in the world, CHICAGO! (I have zero problem bashing the Cards, Mets or Twins!!!)
Maybe the Cubs have H1N1 or S1W or whatever it is called....but I love the NON-Bash Blogger Bashing Bash that is taking place here between some long time chums! Talk about heart warming. You fella's (and lady) really know how to bring a tear to a fellow enemy blogbatant!
Keep it up....and I would say Edgar I tend to agree with you again...about how its not so bad to like both, even though I am a die hard CubsFan and couldnt watch 10 mins of a Sox game unless they are playing the Cubs,RedSox or the Yankees on national TV or are in the Playoffs... but, I think it would lose you points in this argument by having me as your advocate. Besides, I charge a hefty retainer fee.
Yes Edgar..... anyone who posts a comment that you do not like or you disagree with then you go into a long winded rant about what they should and should not say and you even dissect their motives behind their words…. according to you that is.
Such insight into our minds!
We all must back "our" local teams like good little sheep because we were born here or live here. Now that is some deep thinking.
And here I thought that I was free to make up my own mind as to what I like or don’t like.
I never tried it your way.
Watered down PC thinking so we can all be on the same page and in total agreement on all topics.
Of course when you have something to say then that is you "Just calling it like it is" because your opinions are just so much more important, more informed and far more interesting then everyone else's.
All hail Edgar!
You're not getting it, Phil, and frankly, I doubt you ever will because you're so wrapped up in enjoying your rants and witty comments directed to the Cubs organization and Cubs fans. Nowhere in the 3 years that I have blogged in Full Court Press have I told anyone what to write or what not to write or felt the need to crown myself as king of bloggers. I am way past that need for self satisfaction in my life, believe me. All hail Edgar, Phil? Is that really the best you can up with to defend my criticism of Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans ranting sessions of who can come up with the best trash talking comment? You know, I actually respect most of your posts when we discuss most other sports topics with the other Chicago teams, but not this Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans stuff. So go ahead if you really feel that I'm trying to act like some know-it-all because you're not even close and really, I never said that my mission was to change your minds and start hugging each other like one big happy family. I said I don't enjoy the Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans bashing because I think it's pointless and I'll continue to do so whether some of you like it or not. All hail Phil, he figured me out as a fraud! Not. Just ridiculous that this blog topic has now stooped to this level of arguing. I'm moving on... new topic please!
And Culzie... just so you don't misunderstand also, but I'm not even endorsing that all Chicago fans should like or root for both baseball teams. Just leave the other Chicago team alone and save the ranting for the more deserved rival team in your own division. That's it, simple request, but nooooo, now some people (without naming names) are taking my criticism as some sort of quest for a blogging award. Unbelievable.
Edgar,
You posts are a contradiction to everything that you are preaching and you are taking this and yourself far to seriously.
It is just sports and it is just entertainment.
Nothing more.
Lighten up or you are going to have a chest grabber.
Lets end it right here then. Okay?
The Cubs still suck.
Phil I almost flatlinned at that 8:09am post! I have a tear running down my face.
Agreed Phil, I'm moving on as well... for now. ;)
I love you Keith.
There. I said it!
Is it wrong?
It's Whine-gate 2009 at the ol' ballpark.
In this latest version to strike the Cubs team, the NL umps are conspiring to destroy all that is fair and just around the plate.
No doubt, we will soon be seeing headlines like these:
Big Z Inks New Contract with Kool-Aid; Demands New Dispenser in Dugout. Kool-Aid launches new ad campaign featuring Big Z. Slogan: Kool-Aid. The Drink for Idiots.
Piniella Blames Batboy for Team's Ills.
Bradley To Zambrano: "You don't know JACK about Blowups!" (Clubhouse fight ensues)
Fox, Upon Arrival in Bigs, Pleads to be Sent Back Down.
Ted "I'll taunt you a second time" Lilly offers hurdling classes to season ticket holders along right and left-field foul lines.
Gatorade Launches New Ad Campaign Slogan: Gatorade - We Fuel Rage.
Told you guys I'd catch you at another post and here I am. Cubs,Cubs,Cubs. What is wrong with these guys living up to expectations? Obviously they won't or haven't yet. I see no one touched those comments about Dusty's Reds having a better record. Around the time he was fired fans were knocking themselves out mentioning how much of a manager he didn't resemble and blamed him for just about everything that went wrong besides Bartman. In some small manner I think it's a matter of chickens coming home to roost. Dusty didn't have the benefit of ownership digging deep in their pockets and pulling out a superstar. They didn't do it once on his watch. Then he got blamed for overusing pitchers whose only job is to pitch. If you call going out and bunting on most at bats something special go ahead. (Not everyone kills with a bat like Z WANTS to)Fellas 20 years ago pitched just as much and didn't fall apart and also they didn't have the luxury of medical breakthroughs that players have now. Players don't have to be a substitute teacher during the offseason to suppliment their incomes like players did then. It's a job that they can work at year-round. Cub fans want to blame everything that goes wrong on some superstition or some bad luck when they are just as much the problem. The legacy became possible while fans were showing up fiddling away while Rome was burning. Now before anyone say that I'm a Sox fan throwing stones I have to remind you that as a kid I was a big fan of the Cubbies. Wasted most of my summer days watching them futily fielding teams with the likes of George Mitterwald, Larry Bittner, Tarzan Wallace, Mick Kelleher, Rick and Paul Reushcel, Jose Cardenal, Steve Ontiveras(a guy who was balding and flipped that helmet to hat on real quick so we couldn't see it) and guys who weren't really better than what other teams had in double A. The Sox at least tried to get a few almost has-beens to play over the years. I distinctly remember at 13/14 going to games and giving Dave Kingman a standing O during his every at bat along with everyone else in attendance. Most of the time he'd pop out or strike out and we'd do it all again his next at bat. We were waiting for that long ball that came about once every 20/30 at bats. Basically you can say that that we were a glutton for punishment. That's what being a Cub fan borders on. Going away to the Army broke me of that bad habit you can say. It brought me closer to my Bears because they had a TEAM. They had stars who knew what they were doing. Some homegrown from being drafted. They weren't failing mercenaries like these guys. They didn't have a coach with a history of winning somewhere else trying to live up to those dreaded expectation. The one thing bad you can say about Ditka is that he didn't live up to the expectations of what his team had done before. We could forgive him for choking the rest of the way because he got us something we had never had before. He got a million passes for it. Pinnella and his guys are not getting a pass because in truth he and them have done nothing to deserve a pass from us. It's still early but where have you heard that before?
WHo cares...William...your a quitter dude! I have no respect for that.
Obviously you care to try to provoke a response. I'm not about to go back and forth with you. I've got some sleep to lose tonight so let me get started.
ok..i care.
i re-read your post "one who shall remain nameless" and am i totally hypersensative to your overtones...or do I sense a faint
Dusty vs. Pinella
Would you go as far to say that maybe even a Dusty was unfairly fired in Lou of Pinella? (pun intended)
No. It's not a Dusty versus Lou debate. It's a debate over why the Cubs stink sometimes. It's saying that you can make what you think is the perfect bed and it still has springs stabbing you in your butt. I think Dusty and the Cub faithfuls needed a divorce because it got to the point where they switched from the Billy Goat curse to the it's all Dusty's fault curse. And just so you know; I did like the intended pun.
It is AUG 22 what happen to your baby blue cubbies.