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Clinging To First
2007-09-05 10:30
by Phil Bencomo

Steve Trachsel did his part; the rest of the club did not.

With a quality start in his first outing as a Cub since the 20th century, Trachsel filled the fifth slot in the rotation admirably. He kept the Cubs in the game, leaving with only a one-run deficit, but the Cubs would get no closer.

I went to the game with my dad, and he commented, on several occasions in the late innings, that the team looked resigned to defeat, that the players had given up.

And I couldn't help but agree. Where's the spark, where's the life? What happened to that we-cannot-lose mentality that we saw just last weekend? Instead, the Cubs hit into five double plays. The scoring opportunities were there, but the runs did not come.

And then there was the bullpen that has coughed up six runs over the last two games. I suppose it's a simple matter of regressing to the mean; after all, before this series the broadcasters were touting the Cub bullpen's miniscule ERA over the last 15 games.

And so the lead is now down to half a game. I think Dodger Thoughts commenter D4P last night astutely summed up the current state of the Cubs with this remark I discovered this morning: "The Cubs make a pretty lousy first place team."

There's no denying the truth in that statement. But first place is first place, and I'll take a trip to the postseason no matter how lousy the regular season record.

* * * *

Another night game: Ted Lilly vs. Eric Stults at 7:05.

Comments
2007-09-05 11:47:26
1.   Xeifrank
The Cardinals made a pretty lousy first place team last year. Or so many thought.
vr, Xei
2007-09-05 13:40:19
2.   ToyCannon
They might again.
2007-09-05 16:58:29
3.   Gagne55
Oh snap!
2007-09-05 23:56:59
4.   paranoidandroid
Just seeing what life would be like if I stayed in Illinois. I burned my remaining Cubs gear after game 7 in 2003.

I suffered through 22 years of living as a big time Cubs fan. Rick Monday was my man when i was a kid, when he was traded, I vowed to move to LA as an adult. And I did.

Now he annoys me as a radio broadcaster, but he helped me to the left coast, and my life is great! Now if the Cubbies would just lay down for us against D. Lowe, just one more game. They could run the table through September, that would be fine, but just give us one game.

We need to close the gap to 2.5 and 3.5 before arriving in SF.

2007-09-05 23:59:01
5.   paranoidandroid
BTW, I am a Dodgers season ticket holder and a devoted fan. Never thought I'd give up my Cubbies, but the need to be in a major league stadium made me grow very loyal to the other boys in blue.

Now I'm very hungry to get to a World Series game in So Cal, and I hate the Angels.

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