And no, I don’t mean the presidential election. I mean the baseball season for the Chicago Cubs. As of today, the team is 77-75, which is barely above 500. Which means that most likely the last game of the season will be Sunday, September 29; because hopes of making the playoffs are dwindling as fast as a race car driver’s chances in a crash with a wall.
I’ll probably write again about the Cubs; there’s all kinds of things to consider. But for today, I’m focusing on what Earl said this morning while we were brushing our teeth. I quote: “The Cubs have the highest payroll in the division and the highest paid manager in baseball. And yet, they’re still just a 500 team. We’ll see what happens next year.”
Let me parse this for you.
First the highest payroll in the division may or may not mean much, as our division isn’t very exemplary. The highest paid manager in baseball is accurate, and so far I don’t think he’s proven his worth. The team he came from, Milwaukee, just clinched a berth in the playoffs without him while the Cubs struggled all season. Additionally, he doesn’t seem to fit into the Cubs culture; he’s all business. I’m not suggesting the Cubs aren’t, but they have a certain playfulness about them that Craig Counsell hasn’t absorbed.
As for, “We’ll see what happens next year,” this is the eternal hope-filled mantra of Cubs fans. There’s always next year when it’s about the party instead of the team. Wrigley Field loves a good party. In ten days we’ll put the W flag away until next season.
And Earl will move on to football without me.
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