We can all scratch our heads (or whatever) and try to figure out how this Cub's squad could lay such a big egg and get swept in the first round, again.  The Dodger's pitching was good but not that good.  The Dodger's hitting was timely but unfortunately helped by Cub's blunders.  Manny Ramirez did not beat the Cubs, the Cubs beat themselves.

Yeah, this is hindsight, but the best way that the Cubs should have went into the playoffs was on a positive note by doing their d$^%est to win against the Brewers.  The last game was close, where the I-Cubs kept it close against the Brewers starters, but in the end Howry gift-wrapped a gopher pitch to give the Brewers life.  Though they were also eliminated in the first round, beating a divisional rival and denying them a postseason berth would have been sweet.

If Lou had made his starters play (except DeRo and maybe Geo) and given them a special incentive to win the game, the starters would have participated in a playoff-like atmosphere, gotten some game-speed hitting in, and played as a team for a goal.  The incentive could have been something silly, like the coaches buying a case of beer (Milwaukee's Finest?) for the players if the Cubs had won, or Lou could have had a golden bratwurst prize to the game MVP.

Instead, the starters were rested to the point of not being sharp, so they could not get their game to a playoff level.  Sometimes you have to take a chance and make sure your starters are ready to go before going into the playoffs.  The Cubs starters were not ready.

I saw this today and I'm still scratching my head over it:  the Pads will give Maddux $10M for a year of his pitching service.  Is this money well-spent?  Yeah, he's a great clubhouse guy and can help stabilize the pitching corps, but will they be fortunate to have each of his wins cost less than a million?

If he's supposedly worth $10M, I have to wonder what kind of coin Fukudome will ask for.

Now that the magic number is zero (nada, zilch, nuttin honey) and the Cubs cannot help themselves in their seeding in the playoffs, what is the prediction for giving guys time off until the playoffs start?

Definitely off Sat-Sun:  Soriano, Ramirez, DeRosa

Probably off Sat-Sun:  Theriot, Lee, Jones

One day off:  Kendall?

Uncle Lou should start Marshall tomorrow and Gallagher on Sunday.  I don't know if he'll announce it post-game or wait until tomorrow when he gives the lineup.  He would also know who needs the work in the next three days and who would be able to take the time off and still be able to play at a high level.

I realize Wrigley Field is not one of those hoochie-mama good-time-rock-and-rollin' music-blastin'-out-of-the-speakers-nonstop place, but if you could choose the music to play when Kerry Wood makes his return jog out to the mound, what would it be?

At first I was leaning toward the "Rocky" theme, but that's too Philadelphia-ish.  I'm now leaning towards Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" (especially if he could ride a black helicopter onto the field).  Any other ideas?

[And I'll take care of the obvious choice and nix "Wild Thing" ala Major League.]
[And yes, it'll probably be too loud to hear anything except the roar of the crowd!]

A week or two ago I suggested Pie should be brought back to help Soriano's slump, since Alf seems to hit better when Pie is in town.  Support for that at BCB has been growing.  An article in the Parade magazine (in some Sunday newspapers) last Sunday featured the baseball "factory" town of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic.

You may recognize some of the names of players coming from that town.  They live and breathe baseball down there, having supplied 78 players to the majors since the 50's.  While some may think Soriano should be OK by having some other Hispanic players on the roster with him, the guys from DR may have a special bond.

"Some of the early San Pedro major leaguers came from the cane fields and started playing with balls made from sugar syrup. Boys still begin playing at the age of 5, improvising balls from wet, tightly rolled socks--which work well, though the ball becomes oblong with use."
Maybe that's why Soriano hops before he catches a flyball, not knowing which way an oblong ball will spin.