Posts tagged ‘2010 season’

Having had some time to reflect on the 2010 incarnation of the Cubs, I’m a little concerned for my sanity, so I’d like to ask all our listeners and readers to help us compile a list of the best analogies to describe how this season has gone so far and will undoubtedly continue to go. Add your analogy(ies) by commenting on this post, and stay tuned to the show as we’ll be reading these on upcoming episodes.

Earlier tonight after reading an email from Mark, a listener in Portland, I came up with this:

It’s like an enormous pile of garbage at a dump that we’re all watching, with one more piece of refuse getting added at a time. It’s swaying. It’s really swaying.

A close friend that’s a Cardinals fan that got wind of this post as it was being written offered this:

The 2010 Cubs are like the Cubs.

Jerk.

Anyway, any help is appreciated. Truth is good.

Yesterday was an interesting day in Chicago sports. God provided Cubs fans with some blessed (pronounced “bless-ed”) relief as the final game of a 3-game set in Pittsburgh was mercifully rained out, and the Blackhawks lost a tough one in OT. Something about that Hawks loss was comforting to me as a Cub fan, though. Even a great team with awesome momentum can barely lose. Whether or not the Cubs are a great team this season, and/or whether they’ll ever be two games from clinching anything in 2010 is fully up for debate. Still, that said, two losses in Pittsburgh and a rainout has several in the local media talking about trading Derrek Lee or even a Cubs fire sale.

Holes in respective media members’ umbrellas not withstanding, these articles are holy in a most non-religious sense. I submit the following for your consideration in the 2010 Best Cubs Drama Category:

Around Town: Cubs talking Lee trade with Angels: sources

I’m not going to freak out about the fact that the word “sources” cryptically appears in the title of the article. There’s a time and place for discussing the Trib’s choice of sports article title. Something about this rumor just smells bad to me, though. It’s too easy…too simple of an idea. Kendry Morales broke his leg, so the Angels want the Cubs’ first baseman in the last year of his deal? Seems to me like the kind of thing a person with an extra few hours in Pittsburgh would dream up. Just saying.

Is it stupid to write in a Cubs blog that I think this story is light on facts? Maybe. I could be 100% wrong, and I won’t fall over myself celebrating (had to) if I’m right. Just some speculation. Maybe better to stick with facts for now.

Seven days ago the Cubs beat the Dodgers 1-zip to climb to 2 games under .500, a mark they flirted with three times last week. That number of games under .500 was their best mark since early May. Next time I find a few empty hours, this is what I’m going to dwell on, for better or worse.

Thanks to Jim in Omaha for sending us a nice email about his Opening Day and a question about Big Z’s performance…it got me to thinking and eventually to writing.

After taking some heat in recent episodes for my confidence in Carlos Zambrano and his ace status, I was really pumped about yesterday’s game before it began. “This is the year that he might win 20,” I was thinking as I drove down near Wrigley to watch the opener on Monday. These moments of Cubs daydreaming aren’t uncommon for me, especially at the beginning of April, but the early innings yesterday (minus Byrd’s awesome debut) felt like my own personal Clockwork Orange experience.

It’s not that I mind being wrong. I’m wrong all the time, and being wrong about Zambrano is well within reach. What’s worse to me right now, the place I’ve chosen to direct some of my frustration, is Exhibit B, the requisite quarterly update from the Cubs beat writers about how Carlos is a changed man and more mature than he used to be. Newsflash: every person walking the earth is more mature than they used to be. Please stop the articles that talk about a grown man’s maturity level. It’s insulting. I’m over it, and so are 99% of Cubs fans. All we want are results on the field. Alright. I just counted to ten, and I feel a little better.

Looking at this year I do wonder if Big Z can harness his ability and his emotions and gut out 18 wins for us. The best metaphor I can come up with is that they’ve been separate horses living in the same stable. Some harm has probably come from his trying to separate the two. If there is a real emotional issue (I don’t think there is, by the way), the Cubs should pay for a shrink to help him harness his tools instead of simply believing the stories their paid employee wrote about his increased maturity. Yes, he is more mature, but why isn’t he a better pitcher now than when he was 24 years old? That’s a more appropriate question for people that love baseball to ask. The answer could be unpleasant. The best answer I can come up with today is “try again soon.”

Carlos Zambrano has an entire season to answer that question for us, so I’m going to give him that without judgement, to the best of my ability. My hope is that he provides a definitive answer by getting back on track and having a good season. For as many times as some fans think he’s not a big game pitcher or whatever, the man has shrugged off injury talk and constant criticism that I know I would have freaked out over if I were in his shoes. He’s a tough guy. He can do it.

The fifth day can’t come soon enough, for me or Zambrano. Go get ‘em, Carlos. And go get ‘em, writers. In the next four days he’ll do nothing but mature.

As mentioned in today’s episode (download – mp3), in the next episode of Cubscast Sheps and I plan on taking an in-depth look at our NL Central division rivals. It’s always good to know the competition, and how to make fun of their planned home plate celebrations. Hopefully that’s not something we’ll see much of all season, let alone the first week.

Anyway, this offseason and Spring has been chock full of things to glean about this year’s version of the Cubs. Here’s my short list of what to watch for the first week of the season as the Cubs head to Atlanta and Cincy:

1. Run Scoring: This always seems to be our greatest strength (2008) or Achilles’ heel (2009), but I’m especially interested to see how the permanent removal of Alfonso Soriano from the top of the order impacts how many early runs are scored. Part of Soriano’s inability to get on base consistently was covered up by the occasional leadoff HR, so it could be minimal. However, if Ryan Theriot continues to hit well and Fukudome/Colvin solidify the #2 spot, opposing pitchers aren’t going to last long into these early season games.

2. Randy Wells: One of the things we haven’t been talking about this Spring is the continued rise of Wells, who now is the Cubs’ #3 starter. I love how this guy approaches the game, and his ability to adjust to hitters that have memorized the book on him is going to say a ton about his own preparation for the season. One start never makes or breaks a year (unless your last name is Prior), but a strong start on Thursday Night Baseball could be the confidence boost Wells needs to have an oft-dreamed, rarely-enjoyed solid April.

3. Soto, Baker, and Fontenot: Catcher and 2nd base were among the very weakest positions for the 2009 Cubs. Everyone’s been buzzing about Geo’s weight loss, but his RBI total has to go up in order for the Cubs to be successful over this entire season. He was clutch two seasons ago, so a 2-out RBI or (crosses shoelaces) a game-winning hit this week will be a great sign. I’m also curious to how many starts Koyie Hill gets in the first week, and if those starts are spun as him winning the playing time vs. simply giving Geo a rest once a week.

2nd base is still one of the biggest unknowns as far as who will get the bigger chunk of playing time between Baker and Fontenot. Here’s hoping Lou Piniella asks them both to get hits before every game, as apparently that works. Fontenot has had an excellent Spring, and if not for Tyler Colvin would be leading the team in Spring RBI’s. Not a stat to go crazy over, but still indicative of his lofty upside. A few months ago we weren’t even sure the Cubs would offer him arbitration.

4. Esmailin Caridad: Pat Hughes and Ron Santo have barely scratched the surface when it comes to enjoying this guy’s name, and here’s hoping he brings more laughter than groans to Ron the first week. For a rookie-laden bullpen, the Cubs are expecting a lot, especially when it comes to Caridad. He should be on at least a 1/3 of an inning scoreless streak at the week’s end (clever math), but if he has at least 2 holds to his credit I’d be willing to bet the Cubs end the first week over .500. Wait, don’t do that scoreless inning math.

5. The fans: This isn’t a throw-in because I’m out of ideas. I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, especially since we’ve been getting a ton of emails from fans heading to Atlanta for the opening series. It’s not scientific, but something about this offseason has definitely bred optimism, and especially when the Cubs play out the series in Cincy, I hope to see plenty of Reds fans booing the chants of “Let’s Go Cubbies!” that the WGN mics pick up. The fact that there’s a real chance to outnumber home fans in either of the first two series of the season is amazing, and a testament to Cubs fans across the South and lower Midwest.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned to the show for plenty of additional season preview talk before Monday’s opener, and as always, Go Cubs!

UPDATE: This meetup is for “all ages,” as we’ll be in the lobby and not the bar area! Thanks to Melissa for asking us to clarify this.

As mentioned in our last two episodes, Sheps and I are hosting our annual Cubscast listener meetup this Saturday in the lobby of the Chicago Hilton which is at 720 S. Michigan Ave. We’ll be near the Northeast corner of the lobby (near Michigan and Balbo), at the tables immediately behind the bar area. Join us from 2-3 PM and we’ll have a limited open tab going until it runs out.

You don’t need a convention pass to attend, so even if you’re not planning on being at the convention all weekend, feel free to drop by, we’d love to hang out. Also, in case you’re wondering what goes on at a listener meetup, here’s a few reasons to attend:

* Vent, commiserate, receive therapy regarding the 2009 season
* Share convention stories from the weekend so far
* Toast to Hall-of-Famer Andre Dawson
* Hear about the new giveaway we’re launching this weekend
* Get the lowdown on our plans for the 2010 season

We’re also thankful for several listeners that let us know they couldn’t attend this year and sent in donations to help us offset the costs. If that’s something you’re interested in, please visit our support/donation page. One listener even sent a donation and said it was for the beer we’d be buying him. Ha.

Go Cubs! See you in a few days!

Lou and Sheps