As If You Didn't Know

The Trib reports that the current state of the economy will impact the timing and financials surrounding the sale of the Cubs.

Indeed, everything has changed. No championship glory. No easy access to funding.

This situation should never have dragged on this long and now it will continue.

Harden Staying

The Cubs picked up Rich Harden's 2009 option year and will pay Harden $7 million in the final year of a four year deal he inked with Oakland.

The 26-year-old pitcher went 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts with Chicago after the July 8 trade. Harden struck out 181 in 148 innings and had a .183 batting average against. His one post-season start was unspectacular, giving up 3 runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Overall, the Cubs think that if they get 25 starts (his combined total with the A's and Cubs in 2008) out of Harden next year and he is productive, then it's a good deal. I agree. $14 million might get you a top pitcher (might) and paying $7 million for one that pitches 85% of his starts and is a consistent 6 innings per start would be worth it. However, you really want to see something more in the playoffs.

Harden was diagnosed with rotator tendinitis and some "subtle instability" in his right shoulder (no tear was detected) and it appears he will not be needing surgery. He should be ready for the start of next year.

Decisions on Wood and Dempster are up next.

All Wet

An unnamed Cub player broke a pipe in the Dodgers' visiting dugout. The usually media discussion has taken place.

1. OMG! Stupid athletes. This is so like the Cubs.
2. Who cares.
3. If this was the Sox, it would have been blown out of proportion

I fall into the "who cares" category. They got trounced and showed some emotion. The Cubs have offered to pay damages. Nobody got hurt. It has also been noted that this has happened in that clubhouse before (and not by the Cubs). I believe the article mentions a Dodger employee saying this is the fourth or fifth time this year.

And So It Goes...

Another quick exit. Another year without the big prize.

This Cub team played in this playoffs like the team I saw in spring training, not the team I saw sailing through the summer months in control of their own destiny. Missed opportunities, bad fielding, weak hitting, and pitching that couldn't get it done. A fragile looking squad with a ton of questions and very few answers.

Soriano thinks this team isn't made up for the playoffs...a sprint versus the long haul of the season. I say none of them played up to their capabilities. So, while Soriano may be correct, it isn't the reason they lost this series.

The team hit .240. Soriano 1 for 14, Soto 2 for 11, Ramirez 2 for 11, Theriot 3 for 11. The core of the lineup was unproductive. The pitchers had a 5.19 ERA and of the four big starters, the biggest question mark (Big Z) was the only one with an ERA less than 6.00.

None of that diminishes what the Dodgers did. They produced the runs and their starters were on target.

The Cubs, yet again, were not. After two playoff sweeps in a row, it's time to consider what can be done with this squad. I'm not sure tinkering on the edges will get it done. On the other hand, the team is solid and probably doesn't need a total overhaul.

We've got all winter to think about it.

This is the end....

The fat lady has not sung, but from what I've seen recently, I'm not sure why I should believe the Cubs can pull this off. That said, they do have a team capable of winning three in a row now. However, the odds are not in their favor.

Can we get at least one win? I don't want another 3 and out. It's very demoralizing as a fan.

In other Cub related news, an Elgin high schooler was told her Fukudome jersey was inappropriate for school and had to wear a gym class tshirt for the rest of that day. Talk about educators being out of touch with the students.

Now, even given the concept that someone is so blissfully unaware of our Cubbies, couldn't one of the big brains that discussed the matter have looked it up on the Internet? They do have computers don't they? Apparently the matter was sorted out by the afternoon after a call from the student's mother to explain the situation. This kind of thing is just too absurd to believe.

Best of all was this quote from the mother that appeared in the Courier News online article

"She's a big Cubs fan, and we got the jersey at Dick's (Sporting Goods). We
were going to get a (Kerry) Wood one, but it cost more," said Nancy Howe.

Now that's good stuff.

Game 1

I don't have a ton to say about it. Cubs lost. Things didn't go as planned.

I would have left Dempster in too, so I am not going to get all lathered up about game management.

Overall, a tough pill to swallow in a short series. The Dodgers are a good club and you can't get away with putting guys on base all game long and having location problems. On offense, you have to move runners over and you have to hit with RISP. No excuses. Let's get them tonight.

I will say that watching the game in a bar always reminds you of what utter tools people are. If your emotions are going to ride from elation to deflation on every pop fly you think is a home run, it's going to be a long night of roller coaster emotions. The umpire was calling a decent plate and he isn't the reason Dempster walked all those guys. The atmosphere of a crowd that is such a joy to be around when your team is winning 2-0 can turn dangerously toxic just a short while later. I wonder what the Mayor's policy is on beer sales in Wrigleyville if the Cubs lose so embarrassingly that people are screaming profanities at the top of their lungs.

Try to relax and enjoy it. If the Cubs lose, so be it. It will still have been a fun season from a fan perspective. Ultimately, what I want even more than that elusive championship is the feeling that, should this team not advance in the playoffs, they will actually be back in the playoffs next year. Part of the gloom was always the sense that you never knew when the next playoff appearance would happen.

A Couple of Rally Pics from Yesterday