Is the Season Over?

Well, you would think so based on some of the call-ins to the post-game shows. But, seriously, fans, this is not the case, though the fact that people are discussing it is an indication of just how much pressure is out there to win and how much irrationality exists is the Cubs nation.

This was, however, a tough loss, a game they should have won. Who's to blame? Again, in tight, well-pitched games, the result often hinges on a mistake or an error or a failure to execute. In this case, although there were a few miscues, the Cubs played well in the field. Theriot showed a lack of range on a couple of ground balls early, but the plays didn't matter. The Braves scored on a solid double by Heyward on a mistake pitch by Dempster.

The Cubs got into a position to score mainly as a result of Jurrjens wildness. Byrd walked to start the fifth, followed by a double play ground ball from Soriano where he showed uncharacteristic hustle to beat the throw at first on a generous call by the ump. Fontenot had a nice AB to crack a single and advance Soriano to third. Soto walked to load the bases. Unfortunately the pitcher was up next, but the Cubs got a break when the Braves 1B misplayed Dempster's ground ball. Theriot put the Cubs ahead with a weak sacrifice fly that was really a pop-up. Even when he is successful, Theriot right now looks lost. He made a deliberate attempt, it seems, to hit the ball in the air, but that isn't his strength.

So the Cubs carried the lead into the eighth, but if you are going to hold anyone accountable for the loss, it has to be Piniella, who managed the game on auto-pilot. Most managers these days do, unfortunately. Dempster was cruising through six innings. Maybe I'm old-school, but one rule is never take out a pitcher who is cruising. So Marshall comes in and gets three quick outs, two against tough lefties, which makes Lou look good until he decides to put in Grabow for the eighth.

I noted yesterday that the Cubs success is going to come from making the necessary adjustments. In this case, the lesson to be learned is that Grabow is not an eighth inning guy. Your eighth inning guy, like your closer, ideally needs lights out stuff. Guzman had it last year, and Caridad looks like he might fit the bill this year. So the truth is Grabow is a journeyman pitcher who is sometimes good, but he has control problems and he was getting behind the hitters. When Prado got the double, it was time to call it quits and bring in a power arm. Piniella, though, like most managers was on automatic. Grabow is a lefty, Jones is thought (incorrectly) to be a weaker hitter from the right side and the next batter is a lefty, so the book says let him in the game.

And, that, as they say, is the ball game.