Derrek Lee is congratulated by Geovany Soto after his game-tying homer in the ninth.
A week ago, we were bemoaning the Cubs' lack of offense and Milton Bradley's clueless defense after a sloppy 7-4 loss to the Twins. The next day, the Cubs were shut out 2-0 for their fourth straight loss, and there was a whiff of panic in Wrigleyville. Now, euphoria reigns after back-to-back comebacks from huge deficits, the latest an improbable 8-7 win Friday over Cleveland after trailing 7-0 against Cy Young winner Cliff Lee.
That's the beauty of the 162-game marathon that is the major-league baseball season. The highest highs and the lowest lows, an endless roller-coaster of emotions, the perfect fodder for sports-talk radio. On the one hand, the magical manner in which the Cubs rallied from 5-1 down in the eighth to beat the White Sox 6-5 Thursday and then managed to top that feat against Cleveland can't help but make you believe they are playoff-bound. On the other hand, by the time you read this, they may already have played the Indians again on Saturday, and if that game doesn't go their way, the momentum of the two previous days will be lost.
An interesting stat on SportsCenter: ESPN's research found that the Cubs became only the sixth team in baseball history to win consecutive games in which they trailed by four or more runs in the eighth inning or later. The last team to do it was the 2005 Yankees, who did indeed go on to make the playoffs.
Confidence can be an invaluable ally for a baseball team, and there's nothing like coming back from big deficits to make you think anything is possible. ''This is something we should be able to build on,'' shortstop Ryan Theriot, who singled in the winning run in the 10th inning Friday, told reporters afterward. ''You never feel like you're out of games, and the guys we've leaned on in the past are the ones coming through now.''
Chief among them is Derrek Lee, who sparked the rally vs. the White Sox with a three-run homer in the eighth and tied Friday's game with a ninth-inning blast off Kerry Wood. Lee, who has come under criticism the last couple of seasons for not hitting with the authority he showed in 2005 and the first month of '06 (before he injured his wrist), has hit in 16 straight games and delivered consistently in the clutch.
So what are we to make of these Cubs? Are they truly -- finally -- on their way? As I wrote on another thread, I remain absolutely convinced they will win their third straight division title. But forget the ups-and-downs of the regular season: All that matters is what happens in October. The Cubs have lost nine straight postseason games dating to the debacle that was the 2003 NLCS. Until they snap that streak and actually win a playoff series, they have no real cause to celebrate anything.
If they do win the division title, I would advise them to keep the champagne packed away and skip the victory laps around Wrigley Field. Get back to the World Series for the first time since 1945 and then, yes, you truly have something worth celebrating. After what we've witnessed the last two days, that intriguing possibility appears to be back in play.
The Cubs are finlly looking like the team we expected them to be. Seeing D. Lee and Bradley doing some hitting and Theriot being Mr. clutch hitter are great improvements. Now if soriano can start batting around .400 for a while, the Cubs should catch up with the field and not worry about their backs.
To the Cubs faithful - I salute you. Most of you kept your heads. Cream rises to the top and always will. Now I will go as far as the post season. But watch BRADLEY step up.
Yep.
Lose two in a row and the sky is falling and they need to make drastic changes.
Win two in a row and you can book that victory parade for the best team in MLB history.
Sounds like high maintenance to me.
Most FCP posters know that I'm an ardent Sox fan. Nevertheless, I've also voiced that I'm one Sox fan who wouldn't mind if the Cubs gave their agonized fans a world championship. Please, I'm being trying to be very objective here even as it appears that the Sox are about to take two of three from the Cubs here in the eighth.
I think the Cubs are under far more pressure this year than the White Sox. The Sox are clearly in a transition year where they've kept just enough of "the old" to give them a chance for one more chance at a division title, but realistically it's seen as somewhat of a crap shoot in spite of what Kenny Williams is saying. On the north side, look at how much they've spent. Look at the team on paper. If I were a Cubs fan right now, I'd be on the warpath.
I normally try to refrain from "I told you so's," but I warned Cub fans that signing Milton Bradley was a mistake even after his success in Texas. He is clearly a head case for one thing. Combine that with clubhouse/dugout antics as well as injury factors. This is one of the problems with Hendry, he doesn't seem to take into account the all-important ingredient called "chemistry" or intangibles as he assembles a ballclub. He is, IMHO, little more than a signer of checks. I don't want to say he's poor, but there's no way that he gets a grade better than "fair" as a general manager.
I think the Cubs will improve with the return of Aramis Ramirez, but there's clearly more that's missing there. You're now two games under .500 and June's almost over. That's not supposed to happen to the team that so many said would dominate the National League.