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In the spirit of the spring season, I have decided to talk about my beloved Chicago Cubs. Of all the teams in the city, I have the strongest connection with the Cubs. I remember summer afternoons watching the team on WGN, hearing Harry Caray and Steve Stone break down the game. Growing up, my favorite players were Mark Grace and Sandberg because they always played the game the right way. Wrigley Field looked like a mythical land when I was nine years old. Of course, the team was always out of playoff contention by the fourth of July but it didn’t matter to me. The Cubs and summer vacation just went hand on hand.
My proudest moments came during that magical 2003 season. The one thing I recall the most was how much fun they were to watch. They hit a ton of home runs that year with Sosa and Alou leading the team. In addition, the pitching staff had power as Wood and Prior were a deadly 1-2 punch. I’m sure we all remember being 5 outs away from going to the World Series. Yes, it was devastating to lose game 6 and 7 in Wrigley, but the memories from that postseason were enough to keep me satisfied and proud.
And that had me thinking. For the fans who have followed the Cubs for 30-40 years, I am sure they would take a decade like the one we just had. Three division titles, a 97 win season a few years ago, mixed in with some really bad seasons. But I can’t do it anymore. I am tired. Tired of the pitiful product that management calls a baseball team. In the last six years we have seen the Red Sox win two world series (after not winning any in 80 some years), not to mention the Chicago White Sox (enough said), and our biggest rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. And through it all I have continued to give my unconditional love and support. But enough is enough. Last season was horrible and this season appears like a lost cause. C’mon, at least beat the damn Pittsburg Pirates! These Cubs lack fundamentals and make way too many mental errors. Whenever the team falls behind three runs early in the game (which is quite often), I see no fight. Plain and simple it’s no longer fun to watch the Cubs play.
As fans, we deserve better. I can only speak for myself but I have gotten this feeling the last few years that Wrigley Field is now about a business making money and if the Cubs win, that’s just a plus. Currently, the team has the third highest priced tickets in the majors. Last time I checked the Cubs were NOT the third best team in the league. The Ricketts family then decided to sell the ballpark’s purity to the highest bidder, placing that tasteless Toyota signage.
Not all is lost. I absolutely love watching Castro play; at the tender age of 21, Starlin has already shown the promise of being a special player. Colvin, if given regular playing time, can be a very productive outfielder. Though Marmol sometimes loses his control, his stuff is just sick and has solidified the closer role. The Garza trade was a good pick up, though some say we gave up too many prospects. Perhaps. But do I need to remind you of Corey Patterson and Felix Pie? Both prospects the Cubs billed as stars.
This is how I see the 2011 season playing out: the Cubs will be a .500 team, Castro will make the All-Star team, and they’ll finish 3rd in the division. With a few contracts coming off the books this season, and hopefully a few nice pickups during the offseason, the team can fight for a wild card berth next season. I really see this team what the Brewers were a few years ago when they were an up and coming team with Braun, Sheets, Weeks, and Fielder. I am hoping the team can restore my faith and at the very least become relevant.