Complaint-free zone: Cubs sweep, all's well again
Cubs' sweep no revenge but evidence it could happen in October
This is one of those rare, surreal occasions when Cubdom has nothing to bitch about. Other than Tony Romo not bringing Jessica Simpson for his seventh-inning singalong, which actually might have been a godsend, what isn't to like about a sweep of baseball's hottest team? Even the seagulls were happy, walking around the outfield in the ninth inning to catch either a closer view of another comeback victory or, perhaps, Reed Johnson's gold chain.
At least the birds were civil as they sauntered across our TV screens, unlike the dunderhead who was hauled down by security officers after leaping from the bleachers. Um, that's how many stupid-fan episodes at Wrigley Field this season compared to U.S. Cellular Field? Four to zip, I believe. But, oops, I'm complaining. And there's no reason to complain.
(AP)
PHOTO GALLERY
Cubs 6, Diamondbacks 4
Cancel the weekly therapy visit. The Cubs are back in a first-place divisional tie after a three-game silencing of the Arizona Diamondbacks, winning Sunday when pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, swinging a pink bat to honor his breast-cancer-surviving grandmother, ripped a game-winning double in the eighth. It's still only May, of course, requiring me to issue the usual warning about overgiddy fans and media dropping World Series references and conveniently compartmentalizing the 100-year plague. But as we near the season's quarter pole, I think it's permissable to examine the National League and arrive at a reasonable conclusion about the Cubs and D'Backs:
Expect both to be playing in October, probably against each other again.
We finally saw the Cubs reclaim their rampaging form of last month, when Sports Illustrated put Kosuke Fukudome on the cover and everyone from Ronny Cedeno to Sam Zell developed World Series diarrhea. I can't explain why they're 14-6 at home and 8-9 on the road and why the majors' highest-scoring offense tends to dribble spittle away from Wrigley. But pressured locally to re-establish themselves as an elite team, the Cubs made their case against the league's best, holding Arizona's improved offense to seven runs in three games. And while they didn't have to face the impenetrable pitching ace, Brandon Webb, the Cubs didn't use Carlos Zambrano, who wisely was scratched from Sunday's start for the same reason the D'Backs scratched old man Randy Johnson: You don't risk injuring an arm or back on a bitterly cold, damp, windy day that included a 58-minute rain delay.
People who think this is wimp stuff don't understand the fragility of a $91.5-million arm. You didn't get to see Zambrano's pink shoes on Mother's Day, but he'll start tonight against the slumbering San Diego Padres with a good chance of extending the winning streak to four. In the meantime, appreciate the unlikely charm of three straight come-from-behind wins. Lou Piniella does.
"I was real happy to see it," he said. "Good clutch hitting. Our pitching, our defense, everything clicked well."
There even was an Alfonso Soriano sighting, the most encouraging weekend sign. He's legs are still sore with muscles seemingly capable of straining, cramping or tearing at any time, but for one afternoon Saturday, he was back to his crazy-fool self on the basepaths. He scored from first base on a hustle play, running through third-base coach Mike Quade's stop sign when Arizona phenom Justin Upton inexplicably held the ball in right field and lobbed it lazily to the infield. Later, Soriano raced around third and scored again, though a brief moment of hestitation sent shivers of concern through the stands.
"It's more that I'm scared because I was running a lot today and it was a little cold out," said Soriano, who went 4-for-5 in the 7-2 victory. "I think I'm OK. I have to play a little more and feel confident about my leg."
He had to notice how quickly the boos, which began Friday for the embattled $136-million leadoff hitter, turned to cheers. Such is the fickleness of Cubdom. "Having it happen twice, I don't like close plays at home. But I was safe both times, and that's important for me and the team," Soriano said. "Sometimes you think too much, and you think about your leg and the cold weather shutting you down. But I like to be aggressive at the plate and on the bases. I'm glad to have a big day, but it's more important we won."
Sunday, Soriano contributed with his mere presence. Held out of the lineup by Piniella, he pinch hit in the eighth and was intentionally walked to load the bases. Next up was Ward, one of the sport's best pinch-hitters. He made Arizona pay on what was a weak strategical weekend for manager Bob Melvin, whose team fell apart the day before after he yanked rookie starter Max Scherzer. "I'm not going to let Soriano beat us right there," Melvin said. "We have a chance for a double-play ball and we've got Ward hitting (.174) up there. That's really not that tough of a decision" It is when Ward, who tied Saturday's game with a pinch-hit single, crushes the game-winner deep to right-center.
If you haven't noticed, the NL has more consternation than contenders at this juncture. Assuming the Florida Marlins and their $22-million payroll -- less than the 2008 wages of Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi -- are a 23-14 mirage, I don't see much in the way of fearsome competition. The New York Mets still might be the league's best team after Johan Santana reaches the second half, when he is all but unhittable, but they are fighting age and growing sentiments that Willie Randolph isn't the right manager for the job. Last autumn's shocking pennant winners, the Colorado Rockies, have been exposed as single-month frauds and won't be a factor. The Padres suddenly stink, and anyone who thought Dusty Baker would make a difference in Cincinnati will laugh at his latest blunder: The Reds batted out of order in the ninth Sunday, with backup catcher David Ross erroneously hitting in the No. 8 hole instead of ex-Cub pariah Corey Patterson.
"The guys hit out of order, and it's my job to catch that," Baker said. "So I take full responsibility."
Then you have the woes of the Cubs' two biggest divisional rivals, the St. Louis Cardnals and Milwaukee Brewers, each of whom had a high-priced closer beg out of his pressurized job over the weekend at Miller Park. "I don't deserve that ninth inning right now. It's very simple. It's embarassing," said Eric Gagne, he of the $10 million salary this season. The Brewers granted his wish and demoted him, just as the Cardinals did when Jason Isringhausen made the same request in the other clubhouse. At Wrigley, Kerry Wood was looking Eckersley-like by comparison, notching a couple of 1-2-3 saves in the series.
None of which represents revenge or payback over the Diamondbacks, of course. Sweeping a team in May doesn't negate being swept the previous fall. But I suspect the Cubs will have another chance this October.
Truly, life is good in a mope-free zone, if only for a day or two.
