Sunday, October 12, 2003
It's no secret that the Cubs' trio of Kenny Lofton, Aramis Ramirez, and Randall Simon have aided the team tremendously since all were acquired mid-season from the Pittsburgh Pirates. But I still find it hard to believe that a group of players acquired for basically nothing have improved their collective performance so markedly while playing for the Cubs. The whole situation runs counter to the expectations of Cubs fans everywhere.
The Cubs have a rich tradition of getting players who perform well for other teams, then play like dogshit for Chicago. The list of players fitting this description is long and distinguished ("like my Johnson," as Slider would say), including, but not limited to, the following:
Candy Maldonado
Danny Jackson
Todd Hundley
Antonio Alfonseca
Felix Heredia
Fred McGriff
Moises Alou (I'm sorry, but he'd hit .312, .355, and .331 the three years before he came to the Cubs. Now, he struggles to hit sac flies.)
As you can well imagine, these players invariably become the most despised figures on what are otherwise well-liked Cubs teams, as the intersection of high expectations and poor performance produces yet another disappointing Cubs season. I personally blame Fred McGriff for the Cubs' collapse in 2000-2001; although his numbers were OK, his presence seemed to bring an attitude of crapulence to a team that faded down the stretch. So imagine my surprise when my initial assessment of the Cubs' Jose Hernandez-for-Lofton-and Ramirez trade ("One dead body for two live bodies, I like it") turned into the Understatement of the Year. To wit:
Kenny Lofton's Postseason: .455 OBP, 10 R, 3 RBI, 4 stl
Aramis Ramirez' " : .390 OBP, 6 R, 10 RBI, .714 slg
Randall Simon's " : .444 OBP, 4 R, 6 RBI, 1.222 slg
The Cubs have 52 runs this postseason, and these guys have scored almost 40% of them. Randall Simon has 6 RBI in 18 at-bats; over an entire season, that would project to 166 RBI (that's a lot). My point is, these guys are HUGE right now, and I love them. I'm just unable to accept the fact that Cubs made a great move mid-season that's paying dividends in the playoffs. If the Cubs win 1 of their next 3, I may cry. "Strong men also cry. Strong men...also cry."
The Cubs have a rich tradition of getting players who perform well for other teams, then play like dogshit for Chicago. The list of players fitting this description is long and distinguished ("like my Johnson," as Slider would say), including, but not limited to, the following:
Candy Maldonado
Danny Jackson
Todd Hundley
Antonio Alfonseca
Felix Heredia
Fred McGriff
Moises Alou (I'm sorry, but he'd hit .312, .355, and .331 the three years before he came to the Cubs. Now, he struggles to hit sac flies.)
As you can well imagine, these players invariably become the most despised figures on what are otherwise well-liked Cubs teams, as the intersection of high expectations and poor performance produces yet another disappointing Cubs season. I personally blame Fred McGriff for the Cubs' collapse in 2000-2001; although his numbers were OK, his presence seemed to bring an attitude of crapulence to a team that faded down the stretch. So imagine my surprise when my initial assessment of the Cubs' Jose Hernandez-for-Lofton-and Ramirez trade ("One dead body for two live bodies, I like it") turned into the Understatement of the Year. To wit:
Kenny Lofton's Postseason: .455 OBP, 10 R, 3 RBI, 4 stl
Aramis Ramirez' " : .390 OBP, 6 R, 10 RBI, .714 slg
Randall Simon's " : .444 OBP, 4 R, 6 RBI, 1.222 slg
The Cubs have 52 runs this postseason, and these guys have scored almost 40% of them. Randall Simon has 6 RBI in 18 at-bats; over an entire season, that would project to 166 RBI (that's a lot). My point is, these guys are HUGE right now, and I love them. I'm just unable to accept the fact that Cubs made a great move mid-season that's paying dividends in the playoffs. If the Cubs win 1 of their next 3, I may cry. "Strong men also cry. Strong men...also cry."
