Chicago Cubs baseball once again managed to misinterpret the Latin phrase “carpe diem” or “seize the day” to mean “crappy denim” or in Chicagoan, “mediocre slacks.”
With yet another opportunity in this 2007 season to put distance between them and their favorite second-place team, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs for the second straight day stared that devilish entity called opportunity straight in the eye - and wilted in the Arizona heat.
Or perhaps a more apt term would be “folded.” Like a cheap tent.
Maybe someone should tell this Chicago baseball team that it’s the last week of August, and despite themselves, they’re leading the Central Division. Maybe someone should remind these Cubs that only 33 games remain in the 2007 season and following tomorrow’s off day, they’ll be playing a ridiculous 24 games in 23 days.
And maybe someone should bring to their attention that all the bad baseball and close losses in April and May doesn’t require a repeat performance in August and September. Innocent bystanders that we are, we’ve seen enough Cubbie bobbles, bungles and blunders in 2007 to know they’re always capable.
Finally, maybe it’s time for Chicago manager Lou Piniella to tell it like it is. This is a Cub team that’s not only the best on paper in the Central Division, but perhaps the entire National League. And there may not be a more underachieving team in all of baseball.
All the close games that have slipped away will likely be the difference between coasting to the Central Division crown, or facing a three-team shootout in the final week. My money’s on the shootout.
The Cubs have 33 games remaining - 26 of those against Central Division opponents, including five against St. Louis and the upcoming three-game set against Milwaukee. The remaining 18 division contests are home and home sets with Pittsburgh, Houston and the red-hot Cincinnati Reds (Remember the Cubs’ collapse of 2004?).
With a 10-14 for the month of August the Cubs can count their lucky stars to still be in first place. They also can be thankful that their closest competitor, the Milwaukee Brewers, seem to want the division title less.
Comments 2
Jason Marquis continues to be frustrating as well…he leaves too many pitches up, as evidenced by getting tagged in the first two innings, then settles down.
Kendall failing twice to get the bunt down cost us dearly. Simple execution play, I mean come on, Blanco did it in his first AB off the DL on that squeeze against the Giants.
Posted 28 Aug 2007 at 7:21 am ¶Why Hendry didn’t pursue Suppan over Marquis I’ll never know. I agree - it’s the fundamentals that have killed this team since April. Blanco may not have the skills to be a regular, but he is about as fundamentally sound a player as they have.
Posted 28 Aug 2007 at 5:50 pm ¶Post a Comment
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