As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan - or at least one who’s been following them since the age of 3 - needless to say I’m never sure how to react when the Northsiders are still taking to the field come October, and this year the script is certainly no different.  Being the eternal optimist that I am, I do still naively believe every time around that this one could be the year… and then I come back to earth and realize that if it didn’t happen in ‘84, ‘89, ‘98 and ‘03, it probably won’t happen this time, either. 

Perhaps it’s because I’m a little older this time around, or maybe it’s because I have four distinct past disappointments to fall back on, but heading into the NLCS this time around I can honestly say that the anticipation and excitement level of playoff series past just hasn’t been there. Despite the fact I picked the Cubs to advance over Arizona in five games, I knew that I was picking with my heart and not my head. And then I watched the first two games and realized that I was simply being a fool. I don’t think real Cubs fans believe in these curses everybody loves to bring up at the slightest sign of Cubs postseason fatigue, but this time I think there is a distinct presence that is causing the latest rapid descent into “waiting for next year” - Lou Pinella.

In both Games 1 and 2, the fearless leader of the Cubbies managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (or at least neutrality) and failed to give his team a chance to win, respectively, while seemingly contradicting himself. Allow me to explain:

In Wednesday night’s Game 1, workhorse #1 starter Carlos Zambrano is dealing. I mean, he is DEALING. On top of his game, his only mistake wasn’t even a mistake - one of those bastard Drew brothers (Stephen, to clarify) slapped a pitch on the low, outside corner for a homer in the 4th. But the Cubs tie it up in the top of the 6th, and after using 16 pitches to get through the bottom of the inning, Big Z’s statline is as follows: 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 8 K, 1 BB, 85 pitches.  Exactly what you want from your ace in Game 1 on the road - he’s keeping your team in the game - no, he’s carrying them on his back - and, cripes, he’s even got your lone extra base hit! The player who is one of the biggest potential headcases in the sport is on his game, under control, and ready to give you one more inning before calling it a night.

It was the immortal Herm Edwards who said (or hollered), “You PLAY to WIN the GAME!” Well, Lou Pinella had a different theory on Wednesday - he decided to play to win the game… on Sunday. Rather than trot out his ace - one that regularly blows past the 100-pitch mark - for the bottom of the 7th, Lou decides instead to turn the game over to his bullpen in order to save Zambrano for Game 4. It took all of four pitches for someone named Mark Reynolds to blow up that plan, as he hit a towering shot off of reliever Carlos Marmol to give the D-Backs the lead for good. And just for good measure, Marmol, who was easily the most consistent reliever for the Cubs this year, gave up another run, all but burying the Cubs on a light-hitting night against a solid back end of the ‘Zona bullpen. Well, thanks for nothing Lou. Maybe someone will wake him up in time for Game 2? Well, maybe not …

On Thursday night, Cubs #2 starter Ted Lilly looked like a World Series pitcher… a Little League World Series pitcher. Don’t let that stoic glare fool you - that was the look of someone who was masking fear and inepititude. Through three innings he had been lucky to only give up four runs - all in the second inning - while letting the leadoff hitter on in each frame, walking four batters, and slamming his mitt to the ground before Chris Young’s home run had even cleared his left fielder’s head.  The previous night Lou was so in love with his bullpen he wanted to friggin’ marry it. So what does he do in the top of the 4th with two outs,  a runner on second and Lilly due up to bat? Well, let’s keep the shaky guy in there and let him hack away. A prompt strikeout later, Lilly’s back out on the mound for the bottom of the fourth. Well, a third of it, anyways.  After a leadoff running bunt single, a strikeout (vs. pitcher Doug Davis), and another walk, pitching coach Larry Rothschild visits the mound. Whatever he said didn’t work - Chris Young smacks a triple, and THEN Lou decides it’s time to go to his beloved bullpen, down 6-2. The Cubs wiggle out of the inning, but the self-inflicted damage has already been done. 

So in two games, Pinella mismanages both his starters, both resulting in game-changing situations - although with the Cubs making Doug Davis look like Doug Drabek (circa 1990) the Lilly non-lifting might not have mattered anyways. Whatever the case, the Cubs dropped two winnable games thanks to BitterSweet Lou - who staunchly defended his decision to pull Zambrano in Wednesday’s post-game press conference and justified Lilly’s staying in the game just before the 4th inning implosion by telling Tricky Dick Stockton and Ron Darling that he’s been a guy who will have some bad innings early but has rebounded to give us 5-6 good innings. Newsflash, Lou - it’s Game 2 of the NLCS… you’ve got plenty of fresh relievers, a long man in waiting in Jason Marquis, and you’re in a winnable game that, while you don’t NEED it, you certainly could use it. You can’t afford to let Lilly work out of it, but he let him, and it didn’t work out. Now you are behind the 8-ball against a team that doesn’t fear you, hasn’t beaten you 6 out of 8 times this season, and, most importantly is simply playing better baseball than you are.  Congratulations Lou, you’re getting outmanaged by Bob fuckin’ Melvin.

No need to blame a cat, a goat, a walkman-wearing geek, or anything else when this year’s inevitable defeat comes… just look at the bench. Besides, an even 100 years of misery really does have a nice ring to it.

And, because I don’t like leaving random thoughts in my head, here’s some things that have been flaoting around in la cabasa regarding the first two games:

- The tone for the series might have been set on Monday, when MLB’s mandated fan rally took place in all participating cities. The “memorable” ex-Cubs representing playoff teams of the past included Andy Pafko (’45 Series, good choice), Tim Stoddard? (’84 East Champs… OK, I’ll say I was too young to remember him), Mickey Morandini?? (’98 Wild Card; was a Cub for 2 seasons … perhaps Scott Servais and Amaury Telemaco weren’t available), and DOUG GLANVILLE??? (’03 Central Champs… seriously, he played in 28 games that season! Couldn’t they have gotten a guy who’d played for the Cubs for awhile, like Jose Hernandez? Or a pivotal bench guy, like Lenny Harris? Or a fan favorite, like Augie Oje… shit, nevermind.)

 - Mr. Aramis Ramirez and Mr. Cliff Floyd …. Please pick up a white courtesy phone. Also, pick up your bats. Thank you. (In fairness to Ramirez, he’s making good contact… but still a goose-egg in the hit column).

- Screw Augie Ojeda. I mean, really, damn that little bastard to hell.  I think him and Ryan Theriot should hold a pre-game joust to see who gets to hold the title of “scrappiest middle infielder” in this series. Tell me you wouldn’t show up early for that on Saturday.

- Was that a Kerry Wood sighting last night? Seriously? Fastball at 96-97, and he was just daring guys try and hit it during his first of two nearly flawless innings of relief. Screw it, I say we start him Game 5 if we get there.

- It’s been awhile since Dick Stockton’s done baseball, hasn’t it? And was Ron Darling really the best color analyst available? Seriously? Maybe it’s just me, but can’t you just see Darling and Dave Magadan strolling around the Big Apple trying to pick up chicks and seeing if they’ve “still got it”? This needs to be a sitcom… perhaps on TBS late nights following the Frank Caliendo show! Wonder if he does a good Lou Pinella impersonation?