Little League
My father was never a baseball fan or a sports fan. He never missed an opportunity to put down my beloved Cubs. He didn't like Fergie Jenkins or Ron Santo. I admit he never made fun of my hero, Billy Williams. Then again, Billy was not as outspoken as Fergie or Ron.
My father often listened to WGN-AM in Chicago. That is where he picked up most of his information about what the fellows were doing. Maybe some of his friends talked about them as well.
When the Cubs were not playing well, he liked to say they were playing "little league". I do not know if he thought of that on his own or heard someone else say it, but it always made me angry. This was a professional sports team, not a little league team. Sure, they are going to make mistakes and lose sometimes, but why beat them up.
I was reminded of all of this late yesterday afternoon, watching the Cubs lose in the eleventh inning in Los Angeles. There were fine pitching performances lost (again) in that game. Rich Hill is back on track after a couple of rough outings. Michael Wuertz and Bobby Howry pitched okay after recent meltdowns.
Scott Eyre allowed a pinch-hit home run to future star Andre Ethier to tie the game at one. I could be upset about that but it pales in comparison to the later meltdown.
Angel Guzman had pitched two perfect innings. He allowed no hits are baserunners. The Cubs had squandered scoring opportunities again, but he was rolling along fine. Then he walks pinch-hitter Ramon Martinez to start the inning. Manager Lou Piniella could have pulled him there, but that is the sound of a back-seat driver. Piniella is trying to instill confidence in his young pitcher. He left him in to face pinch-hitter and back up infielder Wilson Betemit. Betemit walks. Ball four was no where near the strike zone.
After another terrible pitch to Rafael Furcal, Piniella finally lifts him for Carlos Marmol. Marmol comes in and intentionally walks Furcal to face former Cub Juan Pierre.
Three straight walks to load the bases and a weak hitter at the plate. Marmol hits Pierre with a pitch. The winning run scores. If that cannot be described as a little league inning, what can?
Do you blame Guzman for the walks? Do you blame Piniella for not pulling Guzman faster? Do you blame Marmol who has been effective, but wild in the times we have seen him pitch?
Maybe this is not going to be the great year for the Cubs we all hoped for when the pocket book was opened this winter. Maybe the bullpen is going to allow the season to drift away. Maybe Piniella is going to experiment away the season.
After a long, frustrating day yesterday, the Cubs return home for an afternoon game today. Were they too tired? Maybe. They tried to come back in the ninth, but the game was too far gone. Another decent starting pitching performance lost.
Last year is was starting pitching and lack of timely hitting that killed the team’s hopes. This year it is relief pitching and a lack of timely hitting. Maybe we can pull it together before all hopes are gone.
My father often listened to WGN-AM in Chicago. That is where he picked up most of his information about what the fellows were doing. Maybe some of his friends talked about them as well.
When the Cubs were not playing well, he liked to say they were playing "little league". I do not know if he thought of that on his own or heard someone else say it, but it always made me angry. This was a professional sports team, not a little league team. Sure, they are going to make mistakes and lose sometimes, but why beat them up.
I was reminded of all of this late yesterday afternoon, watching the Cubs lose in the eleventh inning in Los Angeles. There were fine pitching performances lost (again) in that game. Rich Hill is back on track after a couple of rough outings. Michael Wuertz and Bobby Howry pitched okay after recent meltdowns.
Scott Eyre allowed a pinch-hit home run to future star Andre Ethier to tie the game at one. I could be upset about that but it pales in comparison to the later meltdown.
Angel Guzman had pitched two perfect innings. He allowed no hits are baserunners. The Cubs had squandered scoring opportunities again, but he was rolling along fine. Then he walks pinch-hitter Ramon Martinez to start the inning. Manager Lou Piniella could have pulled him there, but that is the sound of a back-seat driver. Piniella is trying to instill confidence in his young pitcher. He left him in to face pinch-hitter and back up infielder Wilson Betemit. Betemit walks. Ball four was no where near the strike zone.
After another terrible pitch to Rafael Furcal, Piniella finally lifts him for Carlos Marmol. Marmol comes in and intentionally walks Furcal to face former Cub Juan Pierre.
Three straight walks to load the bases and a weak hitter at the plate. Marmol hits Pierre with a pitch. The winning run scores. If that cannot be described as a little league inning, what can?
Do you blame Guzman for the walks? Do you blame Piniella for not pulling Guzman faster? Do you blame Marmol who has been effective, but wild in the times we have seen him pitch?
Maybe this is not going to be the great year for the Cubs we all hoped for when the pocket book was opened this winter. Maybe the bullpen is going to allow the season to drift away. Maybe Piniella is going to experiment away the season.
After a long, frustrating day yesterday, the Cubs return home for an afternoon game today. Were they too tired? Maybe. They tried to come back in the ninth, but the game was too far gone. Another decent starting pitching performance lost.
Last year is was starting pitching and lack of timely hitting that killed the team’s hopes. This year it is relief pitching and a lack of timely hitting. Maybe we can pull it together before all hopes are gone.
posted by Alexander Dimm | 9:09 PM
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