For the love of all things goats and related to goats! He was running to third base and directly towards me as I sit in that area of the stadium. I was clapping and excited and then, what the....NOOOOOOOOO!
A few hours later I walked home disgustedly and angry. History shmistory, I wanted a victory, but losing an All-Star never crossed my mind. I had not been worried about injuries; it wasn't even a glimpse on the radar. And that is where I went wrong. You see, I am a rare breed, an optimistic Cubs fan. Instead of hoping for a three run inning, I should have been prepared for the 'Fonz to come up lame. It's the Cubs, this is supposed to happen, it's a foregone conclusion after all.
Soriano is out until Labor Day at least. We can all pray that he makes an appearance by the Brewers series, but that is probably unlikely. So there is only one question to be answered, Who? Who is going to step up? Who spoke up in the Clubhouse on Sunday night? Who was vocal on the flight to Houston? Who is going to be the man? The obvious answer seems to be Derrek Lee. The team and the season crumbled in heap just as he did that awful night in Los Angeles. The 2007 Cubs are too talented to back down. Even without 'Fonz, the lineup is still potent. The Cubs have not been winning with the long ball this year anyway and Soriano has been putrid since the beginning of July.
This injury does not have to cripple this team. I am not going to take a shot at clairvoyance as I did last year, but with D. Lee's example, A-Ram's bat, The Riot's hustle and Might Mike's scrappiness, this team has a chance to survive. Is Kendall comfortable enough to speak up? Will DeRosa continue to shine no matter what he does? Can Lou keep it going? Will The Hendry make any moves?
Jermaine Dye would look really nice right about now, but I doubt that anyone of his caliber will clear wavers. Therefore, it is up to Eric Patterson or Felix Pie or anyone else they call up to be satisfactory. They do not have to be great; they just have to fill part of the void. However, Derrek and Aramis have to step up, they have to quell the fear and lead by example. The Cubbies have two viable All-Stars in the infield and a dugout director not scared to do whatever needs to be done. Under a previous regime I would be much more worried. I am not happy, but I am optimistic.
The Cubs enter a seemingly soft spot on the schedule for the next few weeks which should help lessen the blow. Even without Soriano, trips to Houston and Colorado followed by home match-ups with STL and CINCY, the Cubs should win most of those games. Yes, the 3, 4 and 5 holes out of the rotation have been spotty at best, and someone will have to step up there as well. Speaking of....will the real Rich Hill please stand up? Who is this guy? Is he the end of the '06 guy, the April '07 guy or the other guy? If the Rich Hill from April shows up it would do a lot to boost the team's confidence and that of their fans as well.
Clearly there are plenty of people on this team who can stand up and stand out. There are multiple places to look for leadership, direction and drive. In sports, one always hears the phrase, "Who wants it most?" This seemingly entails that the person who works the hardest and tries the hardest will do the best or win the prize.
Well, to the members of 2007 Chicago Cubs, who wants it? Will the real Derrek Lee please stand up?
Feel free to contact me at brian@chicagocubsonline.com and until next time....
Stay Classy Cubs Fans!!
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