Don't Underestimate the Cubs: They Can Make a Mess of Anything
After all these years, I should know better than to underestimate the Cubs' ability to screw things up, but each time they do, I am somehow sickened anew. This 10-week, all-expenses-paid farewell tour of the National League granted to Lou Piniella is just the latest example.
For weeks, for as long as the least intelligent fan among us has known that the Cubs had no prayer of reaching the post-season this year, players and management alike have cried out, "There's a ton of talent in this lockerroom. We're not out of this race until there's an 'X' next to our name in the standings!" That sort of drivel.
As of the other day, however, this never-say-die franchise is under the stewardship of a 66-year-old manager ("almost 67," Lou pointed out to us) who has looked disconnected from virtually the start of the season ("Look, fellas, I'm out of answers. I really am."). Jim Hendry explained that after a long, distinguished career as a player and World Series-winning manager, Lou "deserves" to go out on his own terms.
My question is, what do Cub fans deserve? Don't we at least deserve to see what would happen if this comically awful circus troupe might perform better if it sensed some urgency; if it was under the direction of someone driven by his own hunger to turn an interim manager title into something more lasting?
I'll answer my own question—we absolutely deserve that much.
Regarding the endorsement Jim Hendry received from the Chairman on the day of the Piniella press conference...
As Rob G. wrote in the comments, the fact that Hendry, whose teams have now failed to win a single post-season game in seven years, will now be hiring his third Cubs manager is frankly unbelievable. I have nothing else to add there.
Finally, regarding the Hall of Famer in the room...
I'm already tired of hearing Ryne Sandberg invoke his four years of service at Peoria and Des Moines as proof of his fitness for a job that has crushed managers with much more experience and much more impressive managerial resumés. Sandberg somehow conveys an air of entitlement and embarrassing desperation at the same time. I would love to see him NOT get the Cubs' job if only to learn for certain if the rest of Major League Baseball is as convinced of Sandberg's managerial potential as #23 is.
I suppose there's always that job in Baltimore.
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