CUB DROUGHT COULD END IN OCTOBER!
By JERRY RILES
They trail Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Cincinnati, in the NL Central. They are 3 1/2 games out of first place with a 36-37 record as of Tuesday. They are expected to get their star third baseman back sometime next week, and they recently promoted their Triple-A hitting coach to the majors.
The Cubs should win the division and possibly the World Series.
There, I said it. The Northsiders can win the World Series in 2009 and end that long drought.
Put aside the goat, the black cat, Bartman, and even Babe Ruth pointing toward the bleachers. This team of confused misfits will find a way to get into the Fall Classic. Will they win it? That remains to be seen, but they can definitely make it.
It all starts at the top though. That means manager Lou Piniella must manage and control his feisty bunch the rest of the regular season.
No more water cooler outbursts. No more helmet throwing tirades in the dugout. No more heaving balls out toward the bleachers after being tossed from a game.
If any of these antics are going to take place on the Northside let it be from the man in charge. Piniella. He already acted on it when he told his rightfielder, Milton Bradley to take off his uniform and go home during the Cubs-Sox series after a blowup.
Veteran baseball writer and Fox Sports contributor Ken Rosenthal recently stated that the Cubs could indeed win the World Series should they make the playoffs.
His reason was simple. Any team, once in the playoffs, could catch fire and win the title. Simple.
That being said, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen suggests Lady Luck needs to be on your side as well. The Sox caught a few lucky breaks in their run back in 2005.
Of course it’s pitching and defense that’ll get a team there, but once in the post season there will have to be limited distractions.
Carlos Zambrano will be needed down the stretch to lead this attack, so the brain cramps must stop. Bradley has to check himself and Von Joshua certainly has to come through to help this club improve in the hitting category. Aramis Ramirez also must stay healthy and contribute both on the field at third and at the plate.
Easier said than done, of course, but these are the ingredients for the Cubs if they want to end the long obnoxious drought and join the Southsiders in owning a championship.
Cubs fans take note from Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. “Yes We Can”! Go Cubbies…..
(Catch Jerry Riles every Tuesday in 5on5 only in the RedEye)
