What He Really Said: The Lou Piniella Translator

After it was reported Cubs manager Lou Piniella was heard yelling at Alfonso Soriano in Spanish after the Game 2 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers, I felt it would be a good time to translate Piniella's other post season quotes.  Let's just say, it's been a long two games:

"I told Mark [DeRosa], it's not do-or-die.  I mean, this isn't life or death, you know?  It's a game.  It's entertainment"

Translation:  Why are you giving Cubs fans more reasons to jump off the Sears Tower by being brutally honest with them?  Remember, this is only baseball.  Besides, by January, Cubs Convention will be sold out and Fukudome will still be my right fielder.

"Look, the amazing thing is the fans take it to a little bit of an extreme here.  I mean, you can see them being loyal, you can see them wanting the Cubs to win."

Translation:  For goodness sake, they gave Zambrano a freaking standing ovation down 6-0.

"Actually, we're sending a pretty good pitcher out there on the mound in Los Angeles on Saturday in [Rich] Harden, and we're sending a darned good pitcher out to the mound on Sunday in [Ted] Lilly.''

Translation:  Our season is hanging on the cortisone shot-arm of Harden and the 2007 glove-tossing left arm of Lilly, if we even get to Sunday.

"Listen, you play the way we played, it doesn't matter who your opposition is.''

Translation:  After all four of my infielders committed an error Thursday, I doubt we could beat Peoria Chiefs.

"I don't think you can win 97 ball games playing that way. It was not good baseball."

Translation:  Then again, I did start Fukudome for a majority of those games...

"There are important issues in this country that people should be paying attention to, not only what the Cubs do."

Translation:  Just look at the last team I managed in Tampa.

"Look, you could bring a live goat here and put it in the dugout and it wouldn't bother me."

Translation:  It couldn't be worse than watching Soriano do that hop before each fly ball.

"There are no curses here.  When will [the fans] learn that there are no curses here?  They just haven't won here in so long they just look for things to hang their hat to."

Translation:  At least there aren't any curses here, in this press room.  Out on the field is a different story.

"I've said it many times: Good pitching, good defense, timely hitting - those are the intangibles that win baseball games."

Translation:  Hence why we have lost the first two games.

"Unfortunately, [Fukudome] has to swing the bat a little bit … or more than a little bit."

Translation:  He has to swing and actually make contact, once, please.  No more striking out and twirling at the same time.

"Right now [Mike] Fontenot is our best bat coming off the bench."

Translation:  It's always nice to have a good hitter on the bench, as opposed to actually in the lineup.

"[Ryan Dempster and I] talked about the importance of throwing strikes before the ballgame."

Translation:  We talked about how important throwing strikes are before the game, but he didn't realize I meant during the game.