Surely this ad with Cincinnati Reds (ex-Red Sox) pitcher Bronson Arroyo would have worked out differently had, say, Glendon Rusch thrown to him. Rusch served him up a couple meatballs earlier this year that promptly left the park. All else I can say is, ugh, Ryan Dempster, and will just leave it there in re: the Schlubs.
Summer Doldrums
Saw a few Cubs games last week up in San Francisco and — man — are they just awful. Can hardly even follow anymore! As of this posting, I believe they’ve lost 14 of their last 16 games and appear to swing at every first pitch as if they can’t wait to get sent down to the minors one by one. Adding a nother notch to their futility belt, the Padres became the first team in the Cubs’ 131 season history to sweep the season series from the No’ siders.
Wood supposedly returns this week – we’ll see how long that lasts… Prior is expected in the coming weeks as well. No D.Lee, however, for at least another month.
Can it get any worse before it gets better?
Even ‘Ballers Keep Tabs Online
“He’s not going to tell you if he’s down or not, because he doesn’t want to do that to the team. I know some of the guys have e-mailed him, text-messaged him, called him and haven’t heard back from him because he knew we were coming home in a few days. That’s pretty indicative of how he really must feel.“
That’s what Dusty Baker told the Trib Monday regarding Derrek Lee — on the disabled list for the first time in his career.
A decade since AOL Instant Messenger went live, texting and online status has become a way of life for many.
Three weeks ago, A front page Washington Post article was headlined: On IM, Keeping Tabs and Keeping Up Appearances: Status Icons Show Who’s Where When.
Even my grandfather would understand what that means. This is how we communicate circa 2006. While the lines of communication are more accessible than ever, and the news cycle runs a hideous 24-hours, nothing says more than silence.
In my opinion, it’s a beautiful thing. When the team captain goes down, he can’t sit on the bench pouting… but in this age of post-cordless, post-laptop, post-palm communication, silence says it all.
Broke and Broke
In late April 2006 I made my inaugural visit to Los Angeles and decided I would enroll in graduate school. On the second night of my visit, I watched on ESPN as Nomar Garciaparra painfully tore his groin — crumbling to the ground in the batter’s box — effectively ending his short tenure as a Cubbie.
I quickly resolved that I wouldn’t be missing the Cubs in October after all by relocating to L.A. in August.
Fast forward one year — to the day — and I’m standing at Dodger Stadium with a contorted look on my face as Derrek Lee wretches in pain at first base. ONLY THE CUBS could possibly lose two guys to injury (pitcher Scott Eyre sprained his knee on the play) defending A BUNT!
Thursday’s x-rays confirm that Lee broke two bones in his wrist – in the absolute freakiest of incidents – being run into at first base by the diminuitive Rafael Furcal.
And D. Lee, the consensus #2 first baseman in the world (if not #2 all-around), is out for two to three months. We can only hope that means before the all-star break.
It may be the worst imaginable news, but as Cubs fans worldwide share a 98th straight championshipless season, there can be only greater room for optimism, right? This STILL could be the year — and besides, it’s pitching that wins championships, right?