...and Losers

I am writing this before Friday’s Cubs game, so technically they still have a mathematical chance to make the playoffs, but even if they somehow leapfrog the Astros and Giants, they’re still a bunch of losers. This has been one of the most disappointing seasons in memory, but not simply, or even primarily, because it looks like they will fail to make the playoffs despite having been touted as the pre-season favorites to win the World Series. No, this has been a disappointing season because the way the Cubs have acted and played this year has made me not even want to root for them. I have never observed such a bunch of whiny crybabies who can’t get the job done -- against the Mets? against the Reds? Against Aaron Harang, John Riedling, Gabe White, Jose Acevedo and Juan Padilla -- yesterday’s Reds pitchers who came into the game with an average ERA over 6.00 and who the Cubs couldn’t score more than 1 run off of in 12 innings? Now certainly the Cubs have failed before, and I and Cub Nation have forgiven them, but the way they’re failing now -- bad baserunning, failing to lay down bunts or hit the cutoff man, perpetually swinging for the fences, even with the wind blowing in -- combined with their boorish behavior -- blaming umpires, getting suspensions, berating Chip & Steve, chastising the fans, etc. really makes this Cubs team an absolute joke. There’s a slight chance they might still get to the playoffs, but really, they don’t deserve to.