The Cold Hard Truth

by TCobb1911 on Oct 5, 2008 1:24 AM CDT

Well, this obviously sucks. Last year, at this time, I was hurt. I was hurt because I felt the effort was very poor, and was just full of hope. This year, it wasn't just hope. It was the realistic expectations of a Championship team. Now, I'm just down right angry.

I see some posts saying, "The Umpire Sucked", and "Mark DeRosa sucks", and I wonder just what the hell is going on? I really think of BCB as the most bright, and knowledgeable Cub fans that I know. Phrases like those, even if just venting, are completely absurd. There are many reasons this series was lost, and it had nothing to do with umpires, of Mark DeRosa sucking:

A) Preparation. This team was clearly not prepared to play the Dodgers. Plain and simple. The approaches at the plate were down right sickening. When a pitcher was challenging all game long, the Cubs hitters were taking. When a Dodger pitcher was nibbiling, Cub hitters were hacking. The approaches at the plate were just rotten. The at bats looked like they were facing rookies who had never been scouted or seen before.

B) Mental Execution: We've all heard people say that everything is under the microscope when you're in the playoffs. You damn right it is. You can be the best team over 162 games, when you have the talent to go on long win streaks, or make up for bonehead plays, but in a 5 game series, you better be anticipating the ball hit to you, and playing sound baseball, or you will be exploited. Game 1: Soto up after a leadoff double by Ramirez. Count is 2-0, and he takes two fastballs thigh high, down the middle of the plate. What the hell are you looking at? Those aren't pitches you move a guy over with, those are pitches when you're in that spot of the lineup, you hammer, and produce. And worse yet, he didn't even move him over, because he swung at strike 3 in the dirt. Game 3: Mark DeRosa, Soto on third, 1 out. First pitch ground out to third. Runner stays put. Did anyone note the location of that pitch? Up, and way in. How is that a pitch you expect to drive to the outfield, hit in the air anywhere but the infield, or hit to the right side? Complete lack of a plan. That's just two of many. It makes me wonder what Gerald Perry is doing. Maybe he is saying the right things, and guys just have cotton in their ears. Especially Soriano. I cannot believe that a guy who can't adjust his belt, much less his approach, is making that much money. I'm not even going to dive into defense. We all know what happened with that grease-fire.

C) Attitude: I've never seen grown, professional men, look so uneasy in my life. They were so wound up, and so tight, they couldn't probably tell you where the hell they were. I've said it time, and time again: when you're wound up that tight, there is no "bend not break". The slightest bend, and the whole damn thing shatters. Thats what happened here. I put a lot of blame on Lou for this. He's a Type A personality. He is a tense guy. There is no doubt in my mind, he does not have the capability to get guys to relax. I don't care that they won 97 games. Not one time the whole season, did they have their backs completely against the wall. The two times since he's been here, that they made it to the playoffs, they've looked tight, and lost.

Those are the reasons they lost. Lets not blame it on one guy, or the umpires. We'er better than that. Its terrible. I'm sick to my stomach. This team needs leaders of men. Not 25 guys who look to lean on their teammates when the going gets rough.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Great post.

Angry, yet smart. Nice.

by bms on Oct 5, 2008 1:33 AM CDT reply actions

This one is the most painful!

I dont know about the rest of you, but I put more time into this team than ever. For who, for what? I feel like we have been robbed. You made a great point; this team does not have a leader. Who is the leader??? D-Lee? He is a good guy, good player. Great? No. Leader, not so sure. A leader is a guy who gets the troops motivated, gets people to follow.
As the game’s played on, did you watch the dugout? No one was in peoples face. No one had fire in their eyes. DeRosa was probably the closest to it and he is a very good player with a great attitude but THE LEADER needs to be able to put the team on his back when they need it most. The Cubs never saw that guy.

by thisisitflyfishing on Oct 5, 2008 1:34 AM CDT reply actions

In baseball

I think a leader is a different concept than elsewhere. A leader comes to the plate and hits a couple of three run bombs, thus relaxing the rest of the team, and making them feel someone has got their back. When no one hits, there is no leader. Manny R is a leader in this way, even tho he is otherwise a complete free spirit. He makes the whole team loose, ’cuz you know he is gonna terrorize the other team throughout and have a few big hits. We can use a couple of those guys.

by cubmudgeon on Oct 5, 2008 7:41 AM CDT up reply actions

The reason they lost...

…is right there for everybody to see, they don’t have enouph players that thrive in a playoff atmosphere, plain and simple. And especially some of their veterans that need to set the example for the young guys.

Things need to shaken up this offseason so players take notice that this isn’t good enouph number one, and the fact that they will have a player or two they can see as a posiitve example who takes charge.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 5, 2008 1:35 AM CDT reply actions

Anyone else see Al's comments?

I could not agree more with what he said. That is the way we all should feel. This is a total shame.

by thisisitflyfishing on Oct 5, 2008 1:37 AM CDT reply actions

Agree on the issue of leadership

Lee and DeRo had ok series at the plate, but that’s about it. Soriano and ARam all basically disappeared for the second series in a row-that’s an indictment on both of them as players. Sori is not a leadoff hitter, can we stop discussing it? He belongs in the one hole as much as Ward does. And the discussion about the lack of a left-handed bat-might have we left that guy off the playoff roster with Micah?

Sad.

by VolPowers on Oct 5, 2008 1:49 AM CDT reply actions

how many ABS would Hoff have gotten?

1 or 2?

Are you really going to play him in right field in big games? He’s probably played there 10 or 15 times in his whole life. He played first all year at Iowa.

by jeff_pico on Oct 5, 2008 1:53 AM CDT up reply actions

On the other hand...

…I do think you move Lee and give Hoffpauir a shot at first next year. If he fails give first to DeRosa…Maybe give Fontenot a chance at a full time job this year – I think he earned it.

by MIMuggles on Oct 5, 2008 2:33 AM CDT up reply actions

I said in a post two days ago I was looking forward to game 3

to see how this team would carry itself. One look in the dugout gave the answer. No pride, no fire, no leadership. It pains me to say it but they are losers. I wonder if this can be fixed.

by Carolina Cubbie on Oct 5, 2008 6:29 AM CDT reply actions

Rec'd

In response to

A) – this is a running theme through two post-seasons now. Both the D’backs and Dodgers looked better prepared by advance scouting to run through the Cubs than the Cubs looked to respond. That’s on management.

C) You hit it exactly. One of the great things about Lou is that he will shake things up, throw anything against the wall and see if it sticks. But carried too far, it undermines player confidence. What was Swingnmiss Micah getting all that late playing time for if he wasn’t going to make the roster? Lou should have looked at Fukudome if he was going to play Dome or Fontenot and said, “You’re the guy. You will produce in the playoffs.” He should have allotted playing time that last two weeks accordingly. Lou had the guys to win with and instead of leading them, he dithered around with the roster to the last minute.

The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.

by DGU on Oct 5, 2008 7:03 AM CDT reply actions

Disagree

You are placing all the blame here and management and Lou. It was the players who didn’t execute. Dempster doesn’t need scouting reports to know that walking 7 isn’t good. What good would scouting reports do to help DeRosa and Lee field DP balls hit right to them? I’m not sure any scouting report would have helped Ramirez who seemed in a fog all series.

Personally I think the Cubs makeup isn’t right. People may not like them but I wish the Cubs had some White Sox attitude in them. Give me some AJP cockiness. The Sox won 3 straight must wins to make the playoffs. They are going to lose to the Rays because the Rays are a more talented team. Still there is somsthing about the Sox attitude that I like.

by rlpete on Oct 5, 2008 7:42 AM CDT up reply actions