Friday, July 06, 2007
Don't look now, here come the Cubbies
But the Cubs began the season in disfunctional manner. The offense struggled, the bullpen struggled, ace Carlos Zambrano was getting hammered on a regular basis. Baserunning blunders became a feature of the Cubs offense, and in May they made an art of blowing leads and coming up short. On June 11, the Cubs were 4-13 in one-run games, the worst record in the majors. The biggest news out of the Cubs dugout was a fight between Zambrano and Michael Barrett, his own catcher, and the Cubs were falling apart. On June 4th, manager Lou Pinella was suspended after throwing a tantrum and accidentally kicking an umpire. Barrett was traded to San Diego shortly thereafter, as the Cubs appeared to be sinking without a trace falling 8 1/2 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central.
And then suddenly something changed. Since June 4 the Cubs have the best record in baseball and are finding unlikely was to win. With last nights win over the Nationals, the Cubs have won 4 straight series (including sweeps of the White Sox and the Rockies)for the first time since April-May 2005. Zambrano has dominated his last three starts, and the Cubs have climbed back to within 4 1/2 games of the Brewers with one series left before the break.
Can the Cubs stay in the race? Who knows? I learned twenty-five years ago not to make predictions about the Cubs, but I also learned that their periodic stretches of competence must be recognized and enjoyed. They are few and far between.
10 Comments:
By 
, at
Fri Jul 06, 02:31:00 PM:
Dammit TH, you are NOT supposed to talk about it. You'll jinx it.
By , at
Fri Jul 06, 03:00:00 PM:
But how about those Padres and their all star pitcher Chris Young! 2.00 ERA and league leading opponents batting average.
Any other Ivy MLB all stars out there? Ever?
By 
Charlottesvillain, at
Fri Jul 06, 03:11:00 PM:
Anon 3:00, you show your youth if you can't even come up with Yalie Ron Darling.
By Charlottesvillain, at
Fri Jul 06, 03:15:00 PM:
Anon 2:31, first, don't blame it on TH, who is innocent. If the Cubs fade don't blame me; I only WISH I had that kind of mojo.
By Purple Avenger, at
Fri Jul 06, 05:05:00 PM:
By Georg Felis, at
Fri Jul 06, 06:13:00 PM:
By Purple Avenger, at
Fri Jul 06, 07:40:00 PM:
8 in the 8th baby, 8 in the 8th.
The Cubs ALWAYS find a way to choke.
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Fri Jul 06, 09:31:00 PM:
As a lifelong Red Sox fan, let me assure that people eventually get delusional and believe that their team has finally won a World Series. New England is full of people who believe the urban legend that Boston won it in 2004.
You can't fool me, though.
By , at
Sat Jul 07, 12:52:00 AM:
I understand that the cubs have come close to a world series but never quite get there and CHICAGO is run by RICHARD DAILY the WINDY mayor for the WINDY CITY
By , at
Mon Jul 09, 09:16:00 AM:
The best hope for the Cubbies is that the Brewers aren't really that good, and ther est of the division looks pretty poor too.
Chris Young is off to a great start. Hope he keeps it up in the second half.
Penn's Mark DeRosa is the Cubbies 2B.
And who can forget Doug Glanville...
TIGOBLUE
