Tony did it on purpose.
July 17, 2007
OK boys. . .it’s on.
You (the Cubs) might be one of the hottest teams in baseball right now, but the Red Forces are rising. . .and you are still the Cubs. Carpenter is coming back soon. The rest of the guys are slowly coming back (half of our starters). Most importantly, someone lit a fire under Albert’s ass and he is tearing up the league (NL Player of the Week).
My guess would be that it had something to do with the All-Star game, where Tony kept him on the pine in the key moment of the game. Everyone knows Albert would have won the All-Star game with one swing. Everyone thinks Tony had his head up his own Poo Hole(s) [thanks Chad] by not sending Albert up to the plate to win the game.
A lot of people also think that if Cubs’ Manager Lou Piniella were managing the All-Star game, he could have done better. Well, in order for Lou to manage the All-Star game, that would mean the Cubs would actually have to go to the World Series for once (do I need to continue?).
But since LaRussa is always thinking three steps ahead of most mortals, you would have to think Tony took one for his real team. He left Albert on the bench, knowing full well he was risking yet another NL All-Star loss, but he did it anyway knowing controversy would follow. He basically laid down the challenge to his best player and guess who responded.
After going like 0-77 without a homer or whatever the stat was before the break, now Albert is taking the team on his back. Sure we got our asses handed to us in Philly the first two games, but Sunday’s homerun-fest announced our intentions. Here we come.
If you look ahead on the Cardinals schedule, you’ll see that next Tuesday starts a 3-game series against the Cubs, followed by a series with the Brewers. I predict that the Cubs will be the Cubs. They will find a way to lose ground to the Cardinals within the next two weeks. The Cubs and Cardinals will beat each other up for the NL Central Crown, and the stupid Brewers will be collateral damage in the whole thing. IN THE END, THE CARDS WILL PREVAIL.
Mark my words.