Tonight’s game against the Friars was like a trip down memory lane, only this lane was more like a dark alley smack dab in the middle of Fallujah. I don’t know why, but the bull pen decided it would be a hoot to reenact one of its performances from 2012. Now, I would try to do the duck thing and just let this roll off my back, but I’ve been a Cubs fan way too long for that. I remember trading Maddux, I remember Bartman pretending to play left field, I remember getting broomed in the first round of the playoffs after winning 97 in the regular season. So nothin’ is rolling off my weary, old, hairy back, my friend.
You have to take this stuff seriously. Especially if you’re Maddon. In fact, I’d like to see him channel a little Lee Elia … and like right friggin’ now. I mean, Joe had an awesome first season, right? Better than anyone, including management, expected. So I’m not sure he’s 100% dialed in on the historical voo doo that swirls around the club like the winds in Wrigley. If Joe doesn’t bring a little Old Testament, wrath-of-God kinda whoopass down on the bull pen for that performance tonight, and just laughs it off, that’ll just invite complacency. You get enough of that and pretty soon there’ll be no joy in Mudville, pal.
And I don’t think this is an alarmist position. Yeah, the Cubs are just the 4th team to win at least 25 of their first 31 games in the last 70 seasons. No question that’s awesome. And those other 3 teams … they all won the World Series. I’m sure Vegas likes those kinds of statistics. But Wrigley is not Vegas, bat racks, cuz as our bull pen proved tonight, what happens in Wrigley definitely does not stay in Wrigley. Warren served up a moon shot that NASA woulda been proud of. And, what made it worse was the colossal turd Grimm laid on the mound beforehand, makin’ the dinger all that much worse. That’s text book Chicago Cubs bull pen crap which, thankfully, we haven’t seen much of this season. I don’t think Maddon oughta allow a single moment of that go by without using all of the kings english, and at a pretty high decibel level. Don’t get me wrong … we’re damn good this year, and I think it’s gonna continue. My problem is that in spite of that — in spite of the amazing start and our carpet-bombing offense and our cannon-armed pitching staff — a measly 20% of the season is in the rear view mirror, pallie. A lot can happen on the road to the post season. Even during the post season. Hell, ask the 2004 Yankees.
Did we win tonight? Yeah. Was it fun to watch? Until the 8th when the pen decided to remind me what it’s like to pass a kidney stone. I’ve already done that twice. Enough already.
Joe