By Marty Gangler
“In a 35-day stretch that ended Sunday on a steamy afternoon at Busch Stadium, the Cubs survived two West Coast trips, two City Series, a day trip from Toronto to Cooperstown to Tampa Bay, manager Lou Piniella’s Tropicana Field homecoming and injuries to their ace, their leadoff man and their center fielder,” Paul Sullivan writes in the Tribune today. “The only thing Piniella could do after the long, grueling stretch ended was lean back in his chair with a cold one and be thankful it was over.”
Tell us about it! We’re exhausted!
Just when it looked like the Cubs were world-beaters, that same old Cubbiness started to show. It reminded us here at The Cub Factor about the way the Cubs are like life’s little activities.
* Raking.
* Taking a nice walk on the beach.
* Walking in on your hot date in the men’s room.
* You were just about to get that big new route you wanted.
* You get beaten to the last beer.
* Someone else in your fantasy league pulls off a big move.
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Week in Review: The Cubs went 4-3 this week splitting a four-game series against the Giants and taking two of three from the second-place Cardinals. If this season was a roller coaster this would be the part where you think your car might be going off the tracks. And you really aren’t sure if it’s part of the ride or a malfunction.
Week in Preview: The Cubs close out the games before All-Star break with six at home against the Reds and Giants. If this was still a roller coaster ride, this would be the part that you look forward to.
The Second Basemen Report: – Seven games this week started by three second basemen. Mike Fontenot led the way with four starts; Mark DeRosa had two, and Ronnie Cedeno had one. DeRosa also got one start in right and later moved to left, and three starts at third. Cedeno got one start at shortstop. Eric Patterson pinch hit twice. Former second baseman Alfonso Soriano managed to make the All-Star team from the DL as an outfielder despite his inability to play the outfield. Just like Jim Hendry drew it up.
In former Second baseman news, Tony Womack is currently a free agent. Tony advises that “if you’re an infielder getting played in the outfield, you probably screwed up somewhere.”
The Zam Bomb: Pitch counts make the Big Z furious.
Lost in Translation: Mikey-o Fontonanto is Japanese for pocket dragon.
Sweet and Sour Lou: 65% sweet, 35% sour. Lou is down another four points on the Sweet-O-Meter due to more losing than he’d like. And just like your real crazy drunk uncle, Lou doesn’t care that you made the Little League All-Star team, he wants some damn production.
Center Stage: Jim Edmonds started six of seven games this week in center, including his homecoming in St. Louis. And the way he played, it kind of looked like he was still playing for them. Thanks, Jim.
The Cub Factor: Catch up with them all.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: A complex algorithm performed by the The Cub Factor staff using all historical data made available by Major League Baseball has determined that neither Soriano nor Fukudome deserves an All-Star bid.
Over/Under: The number of Cubs that shouldn’t have made the All-Star team that did: +/- 2.
Mount Lou: Moves to level orange as an eruption could come at any moment. If things go bad early this week, villagers in the Wrigley area are warned to seek higher ground, like Schaumburg.
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Posted on July 7, 2008