The Cubs’ loss to the Brewers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday puts the Cubs on the spot. They’ve lost both of their series this year, and at home, no less. Whatever happens tomorrow — let’s say they again salvage a game, as they did against the Nationals over the weekend — they’re now 0-for-2 as far as series are concerned. And that’s not good.
The first series can be laid squarely at the nullpen’s feet. I won’t call it a “bullpen” until it earns that title. But this series hasn’t been the nullpen’s fault at all. Today may have been on Dale Sveum, who left Ryan Dempster in a bit too long and paid the price when George Kottaras took him deep to win the game.
Tuesday night’s loss was squarely on Paul Maholm, who simply didn’t get it done. And Monday night’s game has already been written about here. I would hate to think that a four game sweep at home could come to pass, or even that the Cubs won’t win games until a series has already been lost. That game plan won’t hold up, over the course of a season.
My daughter’s elementary school is about a mile northwest of Wrigley Field. I had a little bit of time before I picked her up today, so I drove past Wrigley Field. I’m not sure why, but I wanted to go by and see the ballpark. And there was the blue flag, floating in the breeze. I took a few pictures of it — it must be my masochistic streak acting up — and one of them had a seagull, or whatever those birds that now frequent the park after games are called.
The bird was flying near the flag, and he seemed to be intent on getting into my shot. So, there are two ways to interpret this natural photobomber. One way is the bird is rising from the ashes of another lackluster performance. It does seem to be on the rise, at least in the shot above. But the other way to interpret it is the bird is leaving its mark, so to speak, on the flag and on the team. Maybe it wants to create another white splotch on the flag, beyond the man-made one that’s already there.
So which is it, baseball fans? Is the bird a harbinger of good things still to come, or an omen of a team that’s already a lost cause, just one week into the season? It all depends on your nature, I suppose. I’ll reserve judgment for now, but if you want to leave your take on it in a comment, please feel free.
