Come to Think of It...No Defense for Cubs' Performance in Game Two of NLDS

No offense, but in a word: offensive. This pathetic performance in the 2008 NLDS by the Chicago Cubs has been an embarrassing indictment of a team and a manager not ready for the bigtime.

No, sir, you can’t blame any goats for this one. The only curses are the words flying from Cubs fans' mouths upon witnessing this debacle thus far.

And you really can’t blame Carlos Zambrano, either. For there is no defense for the type of defense the Cubs played in the second inning. Before "Big Z" finally served up the double that cleared the bases, he got ground balls that should have been handled by Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa, and Derrick Lee, consecutively.

Oh, but nothing to worry about, Cubs fans, just listen to ol' Lou Piniella. For he seemed to have no particular sense of urgency prior to the game when he was asked if it was "do-or-die." He brushed it off in typical Piniella fashion, ignoring the obvious truth that this was a must-win game for the Cubs.

Aw, sucks; say it ain’t so, Mr. Piniella.

This was supposed to be the night the Cubs showed us what they were made of. Instead, it turned into the night Chicago died.

Even his own players were contradicting Piniella before the game. For example, when asked the same question, DeRosa admitted that “Yeah, it’s pretty do-or-die.” Oh, sure, this current group masquerading as the Cubs will show up in LA-LA land. But it won’t matter. For all practical purposes, this series is over.

Piniella was also clearly outclassed by Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who schooled Piniella on doing the little things necessary to win ball games. While Torre was hitting and running and bunting in the five-run second inning, Sour Lou’s guys were swinging wildly at the plate and looking like deer in the headlights on the field.

Instead of picking up his option year, at this point I might pick up something heavy to throw at Piniella. He clearly did not have his team prepared to play, and it showed once again.

Oh, and by the way, you can’t blame the fans this time, for they were on their feet and raucous from the start. Starving for something to get excited about, they were loud and nothing like Wednesday’s crowd. But the Cubs thanked them by chasing pitches outside the strike zone, and displaying a lack of execution that would make a school girl blush.

No offense and brutal defense. Other than that, how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

So now we go to LA down two games to nothing. If the fat lady ain’t singing, she’s certainly clearing her throat. This isn't just a hole the Cubs have dug themselves, it's the Grand Canyon. Perhaps if Lou had lit a fire under his team instead of being too busy in denial, his team might have been sharper, crisper, and more mentally tough. 

Then again, maybe not.

Look, the Cubs didn’t win 97 games during the regular season by accident. But they’ve wilted under the pressure just like they did last year against Arizona.

And give the Dodgers credit; they have a team built for success in a short series. They’ve played loose while the Cubs have played tight. And as that noose tightens and the end gets near, let’s ask Piniella if it’s do or die time yet. I’d be interested to hear what he has to say now.

Come to think of it, I don’t want to see or hear any more. I prefer happy endings. No offense.