Chicago -
By Marty Gangler
Okay, people. I hate to break it to you, but we may be really close to the best part of this season. This stretch run now should be just great to watch as fans. Just think about it.
Once the Cubs clinch this thing, the games will feel different, kind of meaningless actually. There will be super wacky lineups and kids coming up from the minors when the rosters expand in September and all of that.
Posted on August 29, 2016
By Marty Gangler
It appears the Cubs have shifted into “Yeah, it’s pretty much over” mode.
In seemingly precautionary moves, they put John Lackey, Hector Rondon and Chris Coghlan on the DL and gave starts to Trevor Cahill and Mike Montgomery.
That’s playoff prep, not stretch drive.
Posted on August 22, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Losing winnable games in the late innings is a real kick in the nuts. But even good bullpens do that from time to time.
I’m not saying the Cub bullpen is good, because right now, they really aren’t so good, but I’m saying that even the good ones blow some games here and there.
So yeah, it’s going to happen. We all just have to hope that things get turned around in these last handful of weeks in the ‘pen so things are a little rosier moving into the playoffs.
But what the heck is wrong with Jason Heyward?
Posted on August 15, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Through the course of a Cub Fan’s career you get used to a number of things.
One of those things is the Cubs ultimately losing, of course, and with that comes the second-guessing (and first-guessing) of Cubs management.
This would concern trades, free agents, draft picks, the roster, playing time, strategy, etc. Just all of that stuff.
And typically you would have really good cases for your thoughts – like you didn’t feel wrong about things too often.
Because the Cubs always seem to “cub” something up.
Posted on August 8, 2016
By Marty Gangler
As the weeks go by and the calendar turns to August ,I keep finding myself thinking: Sure these guys are good, like really good as far as the Cubs go, but I’m still not sure the roster is where it should be. Are you supposed to have five left fielders in one game?
Posted on August 1, 2016
By Marty Gangler
As the Cubs inch closer to September, the biggest “deal” there is out there is what they are going to do at the trade deadline. Or, what more they are going to do at the deadline as they made a deal for some bullpen help already with Mike Montgomery. The move that seems like it’s a done deal involves the Cubs picking up Aroldis Chapman, he of the 30-game suspension for violation of the league’s domestic violence policy (he wasn’t criminally charged due to “conflicting stories and a lack of cooperation from all parties involved.”
To some Cub fans, acquiring Chapman goes against the “good time” vibe of the present-day Cubs, a bunch of mostly young kids holding dance parties after wins and wearing pajamas on road trips at the behest of their favorite uncle, who happens to manage the team.
Chapman and the Cubs sure don’t seem like a good fit, do they?
Posted on July 25, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Kris Bryant says he has never had an alcoholic drink in his life. He’s 24.
That’s not right.
Is he immune to advertising? A cold beer with your buds!
Immune to movies? A martini shaken, not stirred!
Immune to music? He must not have friends in low places. He never slips on down to the oasis?
Posted on July 17, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Okay, we’ve all dealt with losing and the Cubs before; it’s what we know.
But this is just different. This is a brand new kind of losing.
It’s the lulling us to sleep with softly waving ‘W’ flags and then waking us up abruptly by throwing a wet smelly goat in our laps kind of losing.
It’s losing that isn’t supposed to be happening.
And it’s been going on for awhile now.
The Cubs are really Cubbing up this whole thing.
Posted on July 11, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Can we all just pretend that the trip to New York was nothing but a weird dream? Can we just go along with our baseball lives as if none of that happened?
You know, like that one weekend where you went to New York with your friend and you did all that stuff that you aren’t proud of. Sure, you didn’t maim or kill anyone, but it did get a little dicey a few times. And your poor buddy Ken. I don’t think he’s ever been the same. Ah, Ken, that was just not good. But we can just forget about that, okay? Why can’t we all do that?
Let’s just focus on the games against the Reds. Because that makes everyone happy. Like after that weekend in New York when you really got your act together. You got a new job and you got into a healthy relationship for once.
Posted on July 4, 2016
By Marty Gangler
Boy, that sucked.
It kinda felt like 2009 all over again.
You remember that, right? What with the losing and nothing going right and all of that?
But you kind of had to expect a little of this. Sure, the nerds say the Cubs should have actually won more games then they have already, but your heart was always saying, you know, this just seems a bit too easy.
Because before this week as a Cub fan, you were thinking about parade routes and how to choose between Addison or Heyward as the name of your next dog and/or child (though Willson is now in the running too.)
Posted on June 27, 2016
