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Book Review: "Sweet Lou And The Cubs"

The grizzled, day-old-bearded face of Lou Piniella glowers at you from the cover of George Castle's new book, "Sweet Lou And The Cubs", so you'd be forgiven if you thought this breezy new trade paperback was about Lou's transformation of the cuddly Cubs into growling baby bears.

While an examination of who Lou was and is, and how he got here, is part of this book, it's really a review of the 2008 season -- I suspect George thought he'd be writing a book about what would be, at last, the Cubs' championship season after ... well, you know.

We don't have to rehash the reasons for the playoff implosion here, though Castle does so in his epilogue. Full disclosure: George asked me, not long after the season ended, for my thoughts on what happened and why. I directed him to this post from last October 10, from which he liberally quoted in the epilogue. I stand by what I said there, and I repeated it yesterday when I saw this FanPost.

And that's one thing that Lou Piniella has tried to do since he came here -- get the focus on winning on the field. We've all heard about the "Cubbie Swagger" that Lou has tried to instill in the players, and Castle deftly shows us how Lou got to this point in his career; there's an excellent summary of Lou's playing and managing career. I had forgotten that Lou actually served about half a year as Yankees general manager under George Steinbrenner (1987-88) before being fired (who wasn't by King George in those days?) and becoming a "consultant", before moving on to the Reds, where he won what is to date his only World Championship as a manager, in his first season there (and you'll also find out why he abruptly left Cincinnati).

Castle also goes into great detail about Piniella's entertaining postgame press conferences. You've heard them, and the malaprops Lou is famous for. But are those really malaprops, or is he being crafty and calculating? Read the book and you'll find out. You'll also find out why the famous Lou cap-throwing tirade on the day after the Zambrano-Barrett brawl will likely be his last such blowup.

But most of all, this is a bittersweet recap of last year, with several chapters devoted to individual players and what makes them tick. I particularly liked the Ryan Dempster chapter -- it really shows how dedicated Dempster has become to his craft, after being viewed as the "clubhouse clown" for some of his career. If the Cubs had won it all, the book would have been a loving celebration from a writer who's been a lifelong fan.

Instead, it serves to remind us how great everything was... until October 1. An entertaining read, well worth your preseason time.

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How many books..........

………….can be written covering essentially the same topic?

Like you, Al, I’m tired of the Bartman, goats, etc. crap, but I think I’m equally as tired of all these “writers” regurgitating stories about the Cubs.

"Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle." ~ George Burns

by tville on Feb 15, 2009 7:50 AM CST reply actions  

You should read it to learn more about Lou and management.

There’s plenty of new material in there.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 15, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions  

just got the book reserved on World Cat

It should be interesting…

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Feb 15, 2009 2:17 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm looking forward to reading this

Thanks, Al, for bringing it to our attention.

"Truth does not do as much good in the world as the semblance of truth does evil," - Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Maxims, 64.

by Emelie on Feb 15, 2009 7:52 AM CST reply actions  

cubs

also looking foward to this.i believe it comes out in march.

by NOMAR on Feb 15, 2009 8:10 AM CST reply actions  

Looks like a good book.

I think your criticism of the attitude surrounding the Cubs was well-spoken, Al. I feel quite the same way.

I think Step 1 in the reform of the Cubs culture is being achieved now. That is, get to the postseason often enough so that every time doesn’t feel like it’s the only shot at finally winning it all. We need to get that Atlanta “ho-hum, we won the division again” mentality before we can truly relax and perform in the playoffs IMO.

I wasn’t devastated in ‘07 because I expected us to be back. In ’08, it hurt a little more because it was such a 180-degree turnabout from how magical the regular season was, but I didn’t feel devastated, just really really anxious for ‘09. I’m starting to get used to being there.

"I've got an idea...an idea so smart my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." ~Peter Griffin

by Goodie1969 on Feb 15, 2009 9:27 AM CST reply actions  

I think I'll wait for...........

the 2009 review. It took me three month to get ’08 out of sight and mind and I want to keep it there.

If you had to choose just one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor.

by Clutche on Feb 15, 2009 12:21 PM CST reply actions  

I'll pick it up as well

Im really interested in Castle’s work…I loved his book on the 69 club.. To me Lou is by far the best manager the cubs have had in my lifetime..I have been a fan since the 67 team.. He works a lineup and a pitching staff better than anyone.. His favorite players are the ones that play well, not pets like Dusty had..Also, I think management has left him alone in regards to who plays… Im not sure other managers had that freedom

LouPrules

by LouPrules on Feb 15, 2009 1:32 PM CST reply actions  

Cubs Post Season Record

Dusty Baker 6-6
Lou Piniella 0-6

When Lou wins a post season game, I’ll consider buying the book.

by Neifi Puppy on Feb 15, 2009 2:40 PM CST reply actions  

Number of championships won.

Baker: 0
Piniella: 1

Regular season record with Cubs:

Baker: 322-326, .497
Piniella: 182-141, .563

Care to reconsider?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 15, 2009 3:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Obviously, Piniella's championship was with the Reds.

He’s still won one more than Baker.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 15, 2009 3:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Lou won 2 divisions in a row with the Cubs

When was the last time that happened? Dusty gets minus points for not going out to talk to the team in that famous you know who game. You’re not saying you prefer to have Dusty back are you?? Are you Neifi Perez?

by LT on Feb 15, 2009 5:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Definately

Will pick this one up…

That's shitastic!

by CUBSfaninYANKEEcountry on Feb 15, 2009 3:20 PM CST reply actions  

Yawn

Sports books like this are rarely insightful and nothing more than season recaps. The kind of book you pick up from the bargain rack at the airport bookstore and plow through while sitting bored senseless waiting on a flight delay.

by BLou on Feb 15, 2009 6:28 PM CST reply actions  

The Million-to-One Team: Why the Chicago Cubs Haven't Won a Pennant Since 1945

I’ve read a previous book by George Castle, the Million-to-one Team, but will skip “Sweet Lou And The Cubs.”

by DrCrawdad on Feb 16, 2009 5:41 AM CST reply actions  

His follow-up on the MacPhail era wasn't bad

Although it had a LOT of mistakes that should have been caught by editing.

I’m guessing this is a decent read; most of his stuff is. It’s not, however, something that one would be likely to want to hang on to for years. Probably a one-time read.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 16, 2009 8:23 AM CST up reply actions  

I don't get.....

…. why people would go out of their way to post why they’re not buying this book. Just don’t buy it. Who cares what you don’t do? Doing something, that’s different.

"When they signed Fukudome, I knew they were trying to get me fired". - Ron Santo, January, 2008

by BeerCub on Feb 16, 2009 11:47 AM CST reply actions  

I'll pick it up

Don’t knock ‘em till you try ’em. I read Wrigley Blues, a book about the 2004 season, and thought it was one of the funniest things I’ve read. There’s a sort of cathartic relief to taking a bit of distance and laughing about it. WB was also written by a lifelong Cubs fan, and I found it easy to relate to.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Feb 16, 2009 12:24 PM CST reply actions  

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