Sunday, August 5, 2007

Great Expectations

There is something different.

I used to view a good winning streak of a few games as unexpected. I was happy with splitting series, and content with not getting swept by teams with great records.

Suddenly, I find our team not just getting on small streak, but beating teams in contention with regularity, and winning series in ways that are mind-boggling.

Make no mistake, this isn't a lucky break here and there. This team is working as a coherent unit and manufacturing wins. We have a lot of talent on this team, a wily mix of veterans and rookies. Some veterans have World Series and playoff experience, even a World Series ring or two. Our rookies have Championship level experience in college ranks, and you can feel the hunger for a Championship for this team. These guys want to win it.

Consider this:

1. Our crop of key stars on this team -- Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano -- have been relatively quiet, with the exception of Zambrano, who is having a Cy Young year. Lee has suffered a power outage, with only 12 homeruns through August 5th. However, he hasn't been a quiet hitter. He sports a robust .327 average, and over 25% of his hits this season have been doubles. He's got 58 RBI's, and could likely finish the season with over 100. In spite of his homerun dropoff, he is still hitting the ball well and finding the gaps. Soriano is pretty much what we expected, but also not what we expected. It is asking a lot to have him repeat his season of magic last year with the Nationals, but we would have at least thought he would have more than 18 homeruns at this point. He strikes out a lot, and is often impatient at the plate, which is somewhat of an understatement in itself. However, he is a threat when he is on base, and has been lifting his average lately. When he's on, he is on. Ramirez is having a good year, and is one of the more clutch batters in the lineup. His .318 average mixed with 68 RBI's has made him a huge part of this offense. In addition, he is having a gold glove year at 3B with only 5 errors.

2. Our rookies, who generally have had some degree of growing pains as they come up to the big show, are playing with piss and vinegar. Ryan Theriot has been a little firestarter, and is defining himself as a grinder. The kid does everything he can to get on base, and manufacture opportunities for the team. Mike Fontenot has been a nice addition to the team, and played very well. He has cooled off somewhat since his incredible callup, and is hitting a reasonable .308 with 28 RBI's in just the 48 games he has played.

3. Bullpen. What on earth can you say about the good job our bullpen has done? They have been incredibly effective at holding down the opposition in the last few innings, and the starters have confidence in turning the ball over to them. Ohman is iffy at best, most times, and Howry is spotty. For the most part, Lou has done a great job in feeling out the bullpen and putting in the guy who gives us the best opportunity to win. With the addition of Wood back, if healthy and strong, it s like adding another great arm at the trade deadline. Even though we are all cautiously optimistic, Wood's rehab outing have been great, with zero pain or complications, and he seems to have his mechanics right. We can only hope.

4. Lou Piniella. People can say what they want, but he has brought a new culture to this team. Lou will not stand silently and be a part of the "Loveable Loser" mantra. Lou brings excitement and a genuine sense of responsibility to the team. If you don't do your job, he has made it no secret that he will find someone who will get the job done. Players are motivated, and with every win under their belts, they gain confidence and believe in the team. Managers can bring that to a team, and sometimes it's all it takes.

5. Hope. What is stronger than that? The fans are feeding off this team, and the team feeds off the fans. It's a cycle that perpetuates over and over again. We no longer expect to be an average team, drinking beer, and basking in the sun of Wrigley Field. Now, we tingle with anticipation of drinking beer, basking in the glory of playoffs, and the hope of marching to the World Series.

We hope. We play. We're coming.

Florida Cubbie

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