Sammy Sofa

Until he tweaks something next year. Obviously the offseason provides a chance to heal, but back problems don't tend to just go away for good. I didn't say it would go away for good, and even if he came back stronger I'd still prefer to see somone else hitting 3rd with Lee hitting 2nd or 5th.

How much of Lee falling off power-wise could be attributed to his back? I seem to recall the back issue coming up here or there as the season went on. It seemed like after he tweeked it with that funky swing earlier in the season that his mojo really tailed off. Obviously, I'm not expecting him to return to 2005 levels and I know he's getting older, but I wonder if the offseason will allow his back to fully heal and if we'll see a boost next year compared to 2008.

Because DeRosa can't help but look lesser when compared to the dazzling paragon of baseball godliness playing the other side of second.

BLOW THE CHOKERS. CHOKE THE BLOWERS. YEEEEEEEE-HAW!!!

I thought you were quitting them. I'm so confused.

If the goal of a leadoff hitter is to generate runs, Soriano is not "inept."

Hell, I'll take 2006, 2007 or 2008 DeRosa. I'm not picky. He stepped up when he started playing fulltime.

The 2003 Cubs Dodger-ed the Braves. It happens.

Yep. I don't really mind how it's set up. Yeah. I'd prefer 7 games, but I really don't have a problem with 5.

I have to agree with this... it hurts, but I can't say I wasn't prepared for it. 2003 was like I was blindsided in the head with a hammer. Yeah, same here. Nothing is going to let me down like 2003, or 2004. This ending stinks, but I went into it somewhat prepared thanks to 2003 and 2004.

Odds I'm still a Cubs fan at that point: 100% 100% for me. This applies to the rest of my natural life. Personally, I don't have time for even a hint of fairweather. To each their own. If you guys still enjoy it, do it. But there's a point where it's just not fun anymore, and these guys are getting close to it for me. I can handle a couple first-round losses. But, as always with the Cubs, the losing has to be stretched to the point of absurdity. They can't just lose three straight, it has to be by a combined score of 20-6. They have to almost have more errors than runs. It has to be 9 straight lost playoff games by a combined score of 57-18. It has to be another year of "If they don't win it all none of it matters" talk. It has to be another year of every single time the Cubs are broadcast on national TV seeing the Bartman play 10 times and hearing the phrase "101 years" 35 times. Good, go. But, don't come back when we do win it all. Which we will. As a stat guy you have to think it is pretty good that we are getting back at a much better rate to the playoffs than we ever have. We will break through at some point. You do realize that's the same thing you, your dad, and your grandfather have said, right? You all should be very empathetic towards the helplessness of the victims of abusive relationships. What? Most of our fathers didn't see this team put together consistent playoff pushes.

I don't get the "same stuff as always" gripes. For almost 40 years, the Cubs managed a whopping total of 3 playoff appearances. In the last 6 they've gone 3 times and just missed a 4th. Yeah, the results so far hae been painful, but putting together teams that can get into the postseason mcuh more often drastically increases the odds of actually pushing through to the Fall Classic. The odds of seeing playoff failures also must increase in that scenario. I'd much rather see the Cubs fail more often in the playoffs like this than hinge everything on a fluke push once every 10, 15 or 25 years.

Seems terribly redundant.

I don't love it. I'm tired of it. I'm just emotionally dependent on it. Man, I thought you were more zen than me. I am. But I don't want to be zen about baseball. I want to love baseball. I can't love baseball with a team I hate. I hate the fans' attitudes, I hate the field, I hate the history, I hate the stupid way the streak follows them around in every piece of media coverage they ever get, anywhere, about anything related to the team. But there's this stupid ethos that once you pick a team you stick with them, so I'm stuck with them. Very odd.

When do we start blowing the chokers?

I don't love it. I'm tired of it. I'm just emotionally dependent on it. Man, I thought you were more zen than me.

Yeah, they really talked too much. ... What?

It would have been nice had the Cubs put up any kind of legit effort though. But they didn't. And this is what happened. It is what it is. The Cubs are getting into the playoffs much more often now than in their last 60 years. It gives them a better chance to go all the way, but it also drastically increases the odds of things like this happening. I'll take that so long as they keep putting a competitive team out there. Eventually, you'll punch through. You definitely have a lot more faith in this franchise than I do. Although obviously not a perfect team, how much better of a team/season can a team have and still completely fall flat on their collective faces? Who knows? A team less good than this one could win it all. That's the nature of baseball. There's no set model to win the WS.

Getting blown out every game. Sorry, my "no, it's not" wasn't in response to you. It was to someone suggesting the team should be blown up.

Exactly. Anyone saying this team needs to be blown up is just being ridiculous. They're right back in it as is and arguably significantly better with just 1 or 2 tweeks.

How do you build a team around "not choking?"

It would have been nice had the Cubs put up any kind of legit effort though. But they didn't. And this is what happened. It is what it is. The Cubs are getting into the playoffs much more often now than in their last 60 years. It gives them a better chance to go all the way, but it also drastically increases the odds of things like this happening. I'll take that so long as they keep putting a competitive team out there. Eventually, you'll punch through.

Good for the Dodgers. They showed up to play and took advantage of the opportunities given to them. You gotta earn it at each level, and they earned this one. See you next February, Cubs. It's a sad end, but it was a hell of a ride this season, and easily the one I've enjoyed the most in my 25 years as a Cubs fan.

Eh. It's baseball. It is what it is. That's why we love it.

Despite the anti-climactic ending, I really enjoyed this season. I can't wait until next year.