Somebody get me some Bufferin or maybe a beer. The Chicago Cubs lost to the LA Dodgers last night in LA, 3-1, and were quickly swept out of the playoffs. This was a shocking ouster. Most baseball fans and those close to the game, thought the Cubs would go far this year. Instead, Game One's stunning defeat turned into Game two's shocking loss, and Game 3 was a mere formality. The Cubs lost this year, but it wasn't to the Dodgers. It was to the high expectations, and tremendous hype that hung over this club. "100 years since the team won the last World Series." "This is the year." "The Cubs are loaded." "They seem to have it all."
I knew it wasn't meant to be when the Dodgers scored two quick runs to lead 2-0 in game 3. The Cubs, who failed to get a clutch hit all playoffs until Darryl Ward's RBI single in the 8th made it a two run deficit. Derrick Lee had a fine game, getting on base all night, but no one drove him home until Ward did. Soriano and Ramirez disappeared all series. The Cubs made the Dodger pitching staff look like Koufax and Drysdale of the 60's.
How do you account for one of the top NL pitching staffs of Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden, all taking losses? The Cubs quick ouster from the playoffs feels like a big disappointment, letdown, or plain bummer. What does winning 97 games in the regular season mean anymore, when you disappear in the playoffs?
The Cubs played hard, won some very exciting and big games in the regular season, but couldn't win the biggest 3 games when it counted. I think this loss was to a good but inferior Dodger team, who looked great compared to the Cubs lackluster play.
Winning is difficult. The Bulls learned that lesson a long time ago. They advanced in the NBA playoffs only to lose to Detroit a couple of years, before beating them. The Cubs won the Division. They made the playoffs two years in a row. Changing a culture of losing takes a long time, because it has taken a long time. This off-season will be a long one for the team. In the end, the players will have to look at themselves in the mirror and come up with some answers.
This process must take place and it won't be so easy. The truth is hard to face.
