Nearly Next Year

After years of saying it ain’t so, Sammy Sosa’s jig is up. While preparing for a Crosstown Classic that was ultimately rained out, Cubs Nation was less than shocked to receive the New York Times report that Sosa is on the list of players who failed 2003’s anonymous test for performance-enhancing drug use.

While no one can even pretend to be surprised by this development, I disagree with those who contend that this is not newsworthy. Until now, Sammy Sosa was the proud gladiator riding the noble steed of Truth and Justice. Despite the fact that the world watched him grow from a lithe and speedy 30-30 Club member to the Incredible Hulk, Sosa insisted his records were clean and his homers were real. Even as the reputations of his PED-popping contemporaries fell around him, Sosa maintained his purity. The man committed perjury at a congressional hearing on the subject and, as recently as a few months ago, Saint Sammy stated that he would “calmly wait” for his induction into the Hall of Fame after his retirement.

“I always played with love and responsibility and I assure you that I will not answer nor listen to rumors,” Sosa told ESPN. “If anything ugly comes up in the future, we will confront it immediately, but with all our strength because I will not allow anybody to tarnish what I did in the field.”

Ugly? Check. Tarnished? Check. Right about now, I’ll bet Sammy is wishing he had put that cork in his mouth instead of his bat. But it’s too late.

In the mid-to-late 1990s, there were only two Cubs worth watching—Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace. I am proud to count myself among the Gracie contingent and I spent most of Sosa’s heyday resenting his worldwide popularity and the fact that this self-serving glory hog was the face of the Chicago Cubs. Did I enjoy it when he saved the day with a mile-high home run? Of course. Like any die-hard Cubs fan, I want the Cubs to win and I will support any (legal) efforts to achieve that end. I wanted to believe the myth like so many Sosa fans seemed to, but between his self-serving style of play, propensity to swing for the fences on pitches that were low and away, and postgame sound bytes proclaiming his own godhood, Sosa managed to earn my infrequent applause, but never my admiration.

While the story of the baseball-loving kid in the Dominican Republic who grew up playing with a milk jug for a mitt is inspiring, the experience certainly didn’t teach Sammy any humility. Aside from the physical changes and the increase in his power numbers, Sosa’s ballooning ego was the real tipoff that he was a steroid abuser. His arrogance and insatiable lust for the spotlight made him a perfect candidate. [Side note: I think it’s time to start investigating agent Scott Boras. How many of his clients have been caught ‘roiding it now?]

It’s wrong to take pleasure in someone else’s misery, but I couldn’t help feeling vindicated when I heard the news today. Sosa will finally get what he deserves and I’m glad some conclusive proof came to light before the Cubs organization started beatifying him alongside true Cubs legends who earned their place in the annals of baseball history with hard work and real muscle. I can’t wait to hear Sosa’s interpretation of these new facts. I’m sure the test was incorrectly administered or his urine sample got mixed up with A-Rod’s.

After the epic 1998 home run chase that saved (and now clearly destroyed) baseball, a hero-worshipping animated movie about Sosa’s life and success was released. I think it’s time for a sequel. And the hero just officially became the villain.

It's the eternal debate that usually crops up during the summer's Crosstown Classic, Windy City Showdown, Red Line Series or whatever they're going to call it this year.

Can a Chicagoan--in good conscience--root, root, root for both the Cubs and the White Sox?

A Chicago Public Radio poll asks that very question today.

Although I'm sure the comments section below will offer a variety of opinions on the subject, I'm inclined to emphatically say NO.

While I've never been a White Sox fan and can't speak to that experience, I know that true Cubs fans are born--by geography, by upbringing or in a moment of salvation when they realize that they have been unapologetically devoting significant amounts of time and energy to a sometimes hopeless cause. There is no straddling of the fence with something like that. Either you're in or you're out. And if you're in, there's no room for any other allegiances in your heart. You root for the Cubs and whoever the Cardinals are playing.

Anything else smacks of an approval-seeking politician. I mean, the rivalry between the two teams runs deep enough to merit its own Wikipedia entry. Pick a side and root passionately, Chicago.

Am I wrong? Crazy? Clueless? To quote the great Harry Caray (who successfully worked both sides of town), "Lemme hear ya!"

Photo by Zesmerelda

The Home Opener isn't until today (weather permitting...), but this young Cubs season has already been filled to the brim with drama, heartache and ecstasy.

If you watched tonight's game, I hope you had a defribillator standing by during the fifth inning. With the Cubs up 6 to 2, starter Ryan Dempster sought to throw the game away with one pitch by loading the bases for the Brew Crew's powerfully rotund Prince Fielder.

Fielder connected and sent a towering fly ball to right centerfield. Fortunately, Cubs outfielder Reed Johnson (a mid-game replacement after Milton Bradley shockingly injured his groin) was ready to perform an Easter miracle. Flying through the air with the greatest of ease, Johnson scaled the wall, stretched his mitt over the top of the wall and snatched the ball from the clutches of the centerfield bullpen to nullify a would-be game-tying grand slam.

See for yourself. I've watched it about 12 times and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it. My favorite part might be Fielder's dejected walk back to the dugout. That's gotta hurt.

I've seen a lot of baseball games and this is definitely near the top of my list of defensive plays. Aside from Johnson's impeccably timed jump, the situation surrounding the play increases the importance of the catch. We won the rubber game of the series, made Brewers fans cry on Easter and created some awesome momentum going into our first homestand. A stellar defensive play means so much more when it has side benefits like that.

This weekend's series is also a testament to the grand rivalry that has developed between the Brewers and the Cubbies. Every game was a playoffesque battle, and I'm happy to report that we're winning the war right now.

Nevertheless, the Cubs have some questions to answer. Most pressing: Does Lou Piniella know how to manage the bullpen? How much more time do we give Kevin Gregg as closer? And is Johnson's catch just one more reason to put Fukudome on the bench?

Leave your thoughts below and happy Opening Day!

So you probably already know that Google is in the process of digitizing Life Magazine's vast photo archive. But maybe you didn't know that the Chicago Cubs have a strong presence in that archive and you can find a lot of cool images of Cubs players back-in-the-day and historical shots of Wrigley Field.

The photos seem to be named by whatever Life Magazine story/feature they were shot for, such as "Chicago Cubs' Opener," which contains dozens of old school crowd and player shots.

These photos beg an important question: Why don't we wear suits and fedoras to Cubs games anymore? Just wait 'til I'm king...

To take full advantage of the archive, you might have to get a little creative in your searches. A search for "Chicago Cubs" obviously yields the most results, but you will get some different results if you try searching for "Cubs" (you might have to sift through some baby animal shots) or search for "Cubs baseball."

The search is obviously not perfect (A search for Cubs legend "Billy Williams" will yield a lot of Lando Calrissian shots), but there are truly some hidden gems to be had in the archive. For example, I know many Cubs fans who have been waiting their whole lives to see an image of Sammy Sosa taking one of his mighty swings at a pinata in a Manhattan restaurant. You're welcome.

It's time to 'fess up: I've been a lousy Cubs fan lately.

As a lifelong Chicagoan who hates winter weather by January 2, there are few things I long for as much as the onset of Spring Training. Pitchers and catchers reporting is the one sure sign that the cruel Chicago Winter is at least 1/3 over.

But this year--at a time when the World Baseball Classic made Spring Training last longer than a regular football season--I found myself thoroughly disengaged.

WHY?

Busy with work? Yeah, I guess so.

Still disappointed by the Cubs' underwhelming cameo in the 2008 playoffs? You bet.

Uninspired by Hendry's offseason moves? Definitely.

All of these factors combined to place me completely out of the loop on normal Spring Training developments such as

• Loose-lipped players' making wildly outlandish predictions about their team's undeniable success this season
•  Media-fueled feuds between players who are competing for the same roster spot
• Falling in love with an outstanding no-name player who had a fantastic spring but disappointingly gets cut from the roster before Opening Day
• Watching Kosuke Fukudome continue to fail.

Now that I think about it, maybe I was better off without Spring Training this year.

But none of that really matters anymore. Monday is Opening Day 2009 and it's time to do what Cubs fans do best: Turn the page and start again.

Put that Mark DeRosa jersey in the garage sale and think of a nickname for Aaron Miles. I'm sure Chicago Tribune copy editors are already drooling over the endless headline pun possibilities..."Winning Attitude Drives Miles"...."Miles Goes the Distance for Cubs"...

Turn on the TV, turn down the volume and turn up Pat and Ron on the radio.

Invest in a new stress ball and prepare yourself for some thrilling late-inning victories and some "How could they possibly blow that?" defeats.

Expect injuries.

Expect excuses.

Expect to make the playoffs anyway.

BELIEVE. It's nearly next year all over again. Go, Cubs, Go.

Remember the 2008 Chicago Cubs? Sure you do. They had a great season...waltzed into the playoffs...choked immediately? Yeah, those guys. Well, I hope you took a picture, because Jim Hendry spent the winter months breaking up the band.

In some cases, this was a good thing. We dumped a drummer who couldn't keep time (Rich Hill) and a much-hyped guitarist who fooled people for a while, but actually only knew three chords (Felix Pie).

At the same time, there were some questionable moves, too. Why would you get rid of Mark DeRosa? The guy can play any instrument you hand him, the fans adored him and he spent last season driving the band's van to every successful gig. But enough with the tired musical analogy. Let's just look at the facts.

HE GONE:

 Jon Lieber

Ronny Cedeno

Felix Pie

Mark DeRosa

Henry Blanco

Jason Marquis

Michael Wuertz

Rich Hill

Kerry Wood 

(among others) 

 WHO WE GOT:

 Paul Bako 

 OK, so we got some other people, too. Most notably, troubled outfielder Milton Bradley. Between this acquisition and the Cubs Spring Training invitation to So Taguchi, we have now affiliated ourselves with two of the best names in baseball. Perhaps not the best players, but definitely among the best names.

But let's get back to Bradley. I will join the chorus on this one and say that it makes little sense to relieve ourselves of clubhouse leaders and classy, old-school gentlemen of baseball like Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa only to replace them with Milton Bradley. The man has the self-image of Sammy Sosa with a fraction of the home runs.

I sleep at night by convincing myself that, although the Cubs are hundred-year losers, they are lovable because they try hard and respect the game. It's hard to convince myself that Bradley fits that criteria and I can't help but think he will drastically throw off the chemistry of a team that just traded away its outspoken leaders. I hope I'm wrong.

Also, where is Jake Peavy? Maybe Paul Bako can be his personal catcher. it worked for Maddux...

I will close this rather disjointed post by addressing my favorite off-season acquisition: Tom Ricketts. When everyone else was high on Mark Cuban, I wanted the Cubs to land in the pocket of a true fan, and that's exactly what Ricketts is. The man loves this team and knows what his blue-and-red-clad brethren are waiting for.

This is the year? I don't feel that way just yet and I'm still leery about everything I mentioned above, but I'm sure my tune will change when Arizona warmth is pouring out of my radio and Pat and Ron lead me once again to believe that 101 years is where the futility buck will stop.

With today's trade for relatively unknown potential closer Kevin Gregg, Jim Hendry announced that the Cubs will not seek to re-sign our veteran free agent closer, Kerry Wood. This is truly the end of an era.

For 10 seasons, Kerry Wood was the human embodiment of the Chicago Cubs--so much promise, yet so much disappointment. He was the only Cubs player who was present for every single one of the past decade's spate of futile playoff appearances and had the type of up-and-down career that every Cubs fan can relate to.

Sure, it was annoying to watch him re-injure himself year after year after year, but hope always sprang eternal--usually in the first week of Spring Training--until he aggravated some tendon or threw out his shoulder and spent the next three months on the bench.

Nevertheless, I have a special place in my heart for Kid K. His strikeout prowess was undeniable and when he was on, you were in for a treat. The guy had four seasons where he coaxed 200+ strikeouts. And let's not forget that little 20-strikeout performance on a rainy day in May of '98. We got Wood! But then he would slip on a banana peel and land on his wrist, throwing fans into fits of scouring the market for free agent pitchers.

The best part about Wood was that his Cubs career ultimately had a fairy tale-ish ending. He beat the tremendous odds and came back last season to get 34 saves as a rather effective closer. Coming from the Mark Grace School of Baseball, it was good to see a player be so commited to his team and vice versa. Wood and the Cubs were running a three-legged race together, and though they fell frequently, they always got back up and nearly reached the finish line this season. 

I would have liked to have seen Wood as a career Cubbie, but I trust that Hendry has a plan. He always does, right?

But now for the real burning question: Where does Jake Peavy fit into this puzzle?

It's been more than 24 hours since the biggest, quickest and most pathetic letdown of my sports fan life, but the anger, pain and confusion are still as fresh as they
were when Alfonso Soriano ended the Cubs' World Series chances with a half-hearted half swing. (Give him some credit, though. I'm pretty sure it was the first pitch of
the NLDS that he actually tried to take.)

Unfortunately for all of us, we now have a painfully long
offseason to nurse our wounds and decide what can be done to make a team that won 97 games more successful in October.

But let's not think about the future just yet. Let's wallow
in self-pity and linger over the questions a bit longer. It's our Cub-given right.

I have only been around for a quarter of the lifetimes of
losing that the Cubs have inflicted on their fan base, but I think it could be reasonably argued that the last 25 years have been particularly painful, given the bait and switch routine the team
has pulled in 1984, 2003, 2007 and now 2008.

This was The Year. More than any other season thus far, I
had completely convinced myself of that fact. To stomp on the competition all season long and then go out in a sleep-walking whimper is both inexplicable and inexcusable. I wanted the Cubs to keep it surreal, but I guess I should have been more specific about the type of surreal that I wanted.

The series we just witnessed is not lovable losing. This
isn't the sort of thing you can blame on an overeager foul ball-seeking fan, a black cat, a goat, a curse or any other random Cubbie Occurrence. This is good old-fashioned choking--a word that has haunted me from the mouths of Cubs haters for decades, but is undeniably applicable right now.

After asking "Are We There Yet?" for 100 years, Cubs fans now have new questions to ponder: How could they do this to us? Where were the energy and the fire that this team has shown on so many occasions this year?
Why couldn't the Cubs get more than two hits in a row? Why didn't Reed Johnson play? Can we trade Fukudome and Soriano for some magic beans?

I've always been a firm believer in the idea of the True Cubs Fan, and this concept becomes even more important at times like these--when the wheels have fallen off the
bandwagon and the sound of thousands of people rushing for the exits is nearly deafening. It's not cool to be a Cubs fan right now, so most of the newbies are abandoning ship. "Hey, those White Sox are still in it! Let's get back on the Red Line and keep going South! Anybody want a free Cubs hat?"

Nevertheless, after the most talented Cubs team of my life
(or my Dad's life) gives the worst playoff performance imaginable, even the True Cubs Fans are probably fingering their Cubs fan ID card right now and
wondering why they put themselves through it every year. I've been wrestling with that demon since the botched double play in Game 2 and I still don't have an answer.

Being a Cubs fan is an addiction to an insidious drug that
offers its users the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. The lows always come at the end of the season though, so your Cubs withdrawal is so strong by the time spring training rolls around that you've forgiven Aramis Ramirez for
going 2 for 23 with zero RBIs in the '07 and '08 playoffs. Ryan Dempster gave up a grand slam to James Loney? That won't hurt so much in March. It'll just feel good to have the Cubs back in your life again. I promise.

Rest assured we will be singing "Go Cubs Go" when the sun is shining and 2009 is The Year, but forgiveness is much more difficult to muster right now. That's why--in good times and bad--I've always preferred a different Steve
Goodman ditty as my favorite musical homage to the Cubs.

This one goes out to all the True Cubs Fans who will never
understand why it has to be this way, but will continue to stick it out. Better luck next century. Go Cubs.

Do they still play the blues in Chicago
When baseball season rolls around?
When the snow melts away,
Do the Cubbies still play
In their ivy-covered burial ground?
When I was a boy they were my pride and joy
But now they only bring fatigue
To the home of the brave
The land of the free
And the doormat of the National League

You can't have a legitimate sports blog during the playoffs without making a few predictions. It's just not allowed.

Unfortunately, I--like many Cubs fans--wear my predictions on my sleeve every season, so there's no point in wasting your time with a lengthy explanation about why I believe the Cubs are going all the way this year. They just will. "It's gonna happen" and all that jazz.

The series against the Dodgers? I'm thinking Cubbies in four.

So with a few minutes remaining before the first pitch gets things underway, I'm going to make a few more predictions that go beyond winning and losing. We'll see how effective my soothsaying skills as the next month plays itself out, but for now:

I predict that Jim Belushi will be burned at the stake in Daley Plaza if he ever again dares to "rewrite" and cover a classic Cubs anthem.

I predict that Mike Fontenot will retire at the end of the season to concentrate on starring in more funnyordie.com videos.

I predict that Kosuke Fukudome will draw a walk.

I predict that Mark Prior will be sitting in the stands at Game 3 in Los Angeles, massaging his elbow with tears streaming down his cheeks.

I predict that Aramis Ramirez will get more hits in the playoffs than he did last year. When you're trying to top zero, it isn't that hard.

I predict that Steve Bartman will ride on a "We Forgive You" float in the Cubs World Series Championship parade.

I predict that Felix Pie over Micah Hoffpauir was not a wise roster move, but it won't matter.

I predict that a Cubs World Series appearance will ensure Ron Santo's selection to the Hall of Fame this year.

I predict that your car will get sideswiped in that "Easy Out" parking space near Wrigley tonight. Serves you right for actually scoring tickets!

I predict that numerous celebrities will fill the best seats in Wrigley wearing Cubs hats that still have the tags on them.

I predict that there will be a live goat at Wrigley at some point in the next month, and it will be less gross than that dead one was last year.

I predict that Dusty Baker will be rooting for the Dodgers, dude.

I predict that the slogans on fan-created Cubs t-shirts will only get stupider as the playoffs progress.

I predict that Carlos Zambrano will hit for the cycle in Game 2, becoming the first Cub to do so since Mark Grace in '93.

I predict that a Cubs-Sox World Series will help Chicago's chances of hosting the 2016 Olympics.

I predict that there is simply no predicting some of the crazy things that will happen to the Cubs in the next month.

Got more predictions? Sure you do! Leave 'em in the comments!

It was a throw-away line in a pre-game interview on WGN radio a few weeks ago, but it sums up the feeling Cubs players and fans have had all season long.

“It’s been surreal,” said Cubs rookie catcher Geovany Soto, responding to a question about his unprecedented success and the team’s drive to the playoffs. “Let’s keep it surreal.”

Let’s keep it surreal.

That’s a pretty good slogan for a team that has won the division title in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 100 years. And that’s a pretty good mantra for a team that needs just 11 more wins to stop an even more significant 100-year drought.

Yes, the Cubs’ early clinching gave Cubs fans something they have rarely been accustomed to—breathing room. While we were sitting pretty in our Central Division Champs t-shirts and hats, the Cubs’ biggest rivals were struggling mightily for their own sip of the playoff champagne. I’ve got to admit that I took some pleasure in watching other teams play under the gun for once.

By closing the season against the Mets and the Brewers, an extremely relaxed Cubs team held the destiny of the Wild Card race in the palm of its hand. Kudos to Lou Piniella for fielding a decent team each night to keep things interesting (even though the Iowa Cubs and their expensive star, Kosuke Fukudome, filled most positions).

Nevertheless, we got to watch firsthand as the Brewers begged, borrowed and stole their way to the NL Wild Card. It would have been nice to prevent them from reaching the playoffs completely, but I see it as just one more beatable team standing between the Cubs and their World Series ring. I’d play the Brewers over the Mets any day of the week.

As an added bonus, we saw the White Sox collapse in an epic fashion usually reserved for teams like the 2004 Cubs. There is something sweet about the City of Chicago hosting a rally for the playoff-bound Cubbies on the same day that the White Sox will be grasping at straws in a winner-take-all match with the Twins. Again, a part of me is pulling for the Sox, since I would love to beat them senseless in a Red Line World Series. (Not that they’ll ever get that far. Don’t hate me, Sox fans. The facts are undeniable.)

Finally, Cubs fans—and indeed general baseball fans—should delight in the fact that neither the Cardinals nor the Yankees reached the playoffs this year. Indeed, the Cardinals were pretty much awful for the entire stretch run and clinching the division against the Redbirds was especially sweet.

Tomorrow the Cubs will begin the NLDS series against the Dodgers. Hopes are high, curses are lifting, Bartman is pardoned and victory seems imminent. Is this a dream?

Let’s keep it surreal.