I feel really bad for any O's fans out there. How does your team turn 13 hits into only 1 run?

Mariotti's response to Jackson's nonsense:

 

When Mike Ditka wigged out and turned every Sunday into a self-mockery, I wrote he should be fired. When Terry Bevington summoned for a relief pitcher with no one warming up in the bullpen, I wrote he was in over his head. When Tim Floyd didn't get along with players during the post-dynasty collapse, I wrote that Jerry Krause never should have hired his bass-fishing buddy. When Jerry Manuel was falling asleep in the dugout, I wrote that a dismissal might caffeinate him.

 

This is Chicago, emphasis on the "go.'' Managers and coaches arrive, managers and coaches depart, and to be honest, most don't succeed. In my time at this newspaper -- hmmmm, why isn't the mayor throwing a party commemorating my 14th anniversary Thursday? -- I've written about flawed managers and coaches employed by every pro franchise in town. It's not a role that makes me particularly comfortable, but when fans devote so much time and money and hand-me-down passion to the city's teams, it's a necessary function for a columnist. Not just in Chicago, but in any place worth a damn.

 

Dusty Baker is struggling in his job at Wrigley Field. One reason he's struggling, in my opinion, is because he's once again immersed in how Cubdom is receiving him and his team. Last week, when LaTroy Hawkins -- a FORMER CUB now playing for the San Francisco Giants -- was heckled and booed in the Unfriendly Confines, Baker took the unusual step of criticizing the home fans while suggesting free agents might not want to sign with the Cubs if such treatment toward ballplayers persists. Could you imagine Terry Francona saying that about booing Red Sox fans, or Joe Torre saying that about booing Yankees fans? They know it's part of the territory and ignore it. Not Dusty. "Guys now are asking me if it's like this all the time here. ... This kind of thing is going to make it tougher,'' he said. Considering the same overly sensitive manager allowed a culture to fester last season that somehow blamed broadcasters Steve Stone and Chip Caray as the Cubs wobbled down the stretch, it's fair to wonder if Baker dislikes his surroundings.

 

So I wrote the other day that if Dusty isn't happy in Chicago and doesn't understand the frustration of the fans, who have been waiting almost a century for a World Series title, he should leave. It has nothing to do with race. It has nothing to do with the kind of ice cream he likes or how he orders his steak. It has to with his heart being in the job, a legitimate issue. And it probably wasn't coincidence that only two days later, a report surfaced in the Los Angeles Times that Baker might want the Dodgers' managerial post if Jim Tracy is fired. Just as Dusty thought Stone was out to get him, which wasn't true, he seems to think other media critics and booing fans are out to get him. It is difficult enough to manage the Cubs without carrying the baggage of daily paranoia.

 

How this possibly makes me a racist, I have no idea. But the implication was published this week by Scoop Jackson, a Chicago-based basketball commentator who writes a column for ESPN.com. Jackson decides that "certain members of the 312 area-code media ... quietly would like to see someone else at the helm of the organization that best reps America's national pastime. Someone who looks and acts more like them. Someone who won't make the comment: 'We were brought over here to work in the heat. Isn't that history?' as [baker] did two years ago, talking about us people.''

 

This is exactly the train of thought I'm afraid Baker brings with him to the ballpark each day -- that overtones of racism seep into the sociology of the Cubs. He never has come out and said so, but the chronology of the Hawkins story suggests he resents at least some segments of the media and fans. When Hawkins was traded after a brutal time as a closer, Baker was quick that day to point out the hateful letters sent to the pitcher, some with "n-word'' references. Jerks like that, as I wrote, should be hung from the center-field flagpole, but it should be noted Hawkins didn't fail because a few racists sent sicko mail. He failed because he couldn't protect ninth-inning leads. I thought the issue was dead until Baker revived it last week, breaking ground as the first manager in memory to sit in his own ballpark and take up the cause of a visiting player who'd been booed.

 

Anyone who automatically thinks a Baker critic is a racist, or a Hawkins critic is a racist, should understand something about Chicago: This is a city of equal-opportunity sports criticism. If Dusty thinks he's being treated unfairly for reasons beyond wins and losses, he should call Jim Riggleman, who often was booed for trying to protect the arm of a young pitcher named Kerry Wood by removing him early from games. Or Tom Trebelhorn, who almost caused a riot when he foolishly called a "town meeting'' by the Wrigleyville firehouse during a particularly rough stretch. If you manage the Cubs, you are booed sometimes, regardless of race, religion or size of belly. If you manage a Chicago sports team, you are booed. It's in the job description.

 

As for Hawkins, here's a list of players who have been booed at Wrigley one time or another: Dave Kingman, Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo, Bobby Murcer, Todd Hundley, Mel Rojas, Matt Karchner, Antonio Alfonseca, Sammy Sosa, Kyle Farnsworth, Corey Patterson and Hawkins. Notice how some are white, some are black, some are Latin. Notice how some are Hall of Famers. Notice how Santo is now the beloved broadcaster and beneficiary of an annual Cooperstown crusade.

 

So how dare anyone try to inject race into the Baker equation. How dare anyone suggest, as Jackson did, that Chicago's white sports columnists don't want Baker to succeed because he's black. Last I looked, I'm the only one who has been critical of him. And I'm the one who wanted to throw a party when the Cubs hired him three years ago. Baker did a great job in his first season, but like much of Cubdom, he seemed to die a little death on Oct. 14, 2003, also known as Bartman Night. Since then, his energy hasn't been as bouncy, his toothpick quotient isn't as high, he drinks more coffee and he seems to complain a lot more.

 

Baker is logging enough misconceptions to be fueled by some misguided mope named Scoop. I was pleased to hear him deny the Dodgers report with vigor. "I didn't sign here for four years to think about going somewhere else," he told reporters. "I signed here for four years because I thought it might take that long [to win a championship], No. 1, and No. 2, because I wanted to make sure we saw this thing through. ... And I want to win here. ... I want the town to eventually, at some point in time, be extremely proud of the Cubs team.''

 

Which is all Cubdom wanted to hear. And if he somehow leads a flawed club to the playoffs, the people will praise him, including me. Does that make me fickle? Maybe.

 

But never racist.

A good outing from Mariotti, surprisingly.

 

The Phillies grapped Aquilino Lopez off waivers and sent him to Scranton. Quite a nice pickup. Lopez has logged 63 Ks and just 10 walks in 60.3 IP this season, mostly in AAA. Lopez has surrendered 11 home runs in that stretch, but they all came while playing in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs, not exactly favorable conditions for pitchers. He is well worth a flyer here.

Needless to say, the Orioles are in a funk. That's their seventh straight loss and with Sosa declining fast, Palmeiro under fire for steroids, and everybody else seeming to slump at the same time, it's not a fun time to be in Baltimore.

 

Next up on the Yankee Scrapheap - Dennys Reyes, via minor league deal today.

 

And how about Chip Ambres?

Too bad he's wasted on a team like the Royals.

 

Your gossip of the day comes courtesy of rotoworld, which reports that Derek Lowe has been accused by his wife of having an affair with a TV reporter that covers the Dodgers. She apparently hired a P.I. to find this out, but is trying to save her marriage, although Lowe has reportedly asked for a divorce. He was also known as a guy who spent a lot of nights on the town during his days in Boston.

Too bad he's wasted on a team like the Royals.

But on the other hand, would he get a shot otherwise?

Kaz Ishii is finally out of the Mets rotation. Jae Seo will replace him and start Saturday against the Cubs.

My first game of the season was a Jae Seo start. He's having a great year and deserves the opportunity.

I would not be surprised to find out Lowe is banging Lindsay Soto or Carolyn Hughs (maybe both?). I actually hope he's banging Soto since I like Hughs but she's too pretty to pass up.

Apparently Jose Macias is a better option to pinch-hit with the bases loaded and one out than Matt Murton. As per the usual, rookie pitcher is making the Cub hitters look foolish. And his one flaw, the base on ball, isn't even a factor, since most Cub hitters don't take four pitches of any variety in a single at-bat.

 

I'd say it's about time (again) to put Williams in the pen and insert Rusch back into the starting rotation.

Hawk Harelson is such a clueless homer. I've got the game on right now and they were bragging about being the best road team in baseball. Jackson brought up the A's and Harrelson responded with something along the lines of "to me, that's a thing of the past. I don't care if we face them or not in the playoffs. We gonna kick their booty." What exactly is he basing this on other than arrogance?

This must be little league or something, because Michael Barrett just messed up a rundown at third which let the winning run score. I was listening to Santo and Hughes by this point and Santo's reaction made this the funniest Cub lose this year. They went from being so happy about the K and excited about having Rollins in a rundown and then you hear....

 

Hughes: Wait, Barrett threw it to third and Rollins is going to score!

Santo: OHHHHHHHH MANNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!

 

Giving that they played awful fundamental ball, they deserved the L tonight. I'm still over here in stitches.

I'm surprised Bruiser is silent regarding the Cubs/Phillies game. The Cubs made several costly, careless mistakes and it cost them the game. Robinson Tejeda delivered his best start of his career, walking none over six innings while striking out six. Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen questioned why Rusch is not in the rotation.

 

Good win for the Phillies. Worl will cause me to miss the rubber match unfortunately.

Spoke too soon. And Ron Santo's calls when the Cubs lose are a thing of absolute beauty.

 

Pat Hughes: Brant Brown drops the ball!

Ron Santo: NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

They keep finding new ways to lose, but I think it helped not to see it go down and just hear Santo's reaction instead. I'm pretty sure I'd be livid right now, but I'm too busy laughing. Sounds like both radio and TV announcers called out the three Cubs pitchers not bothering to even go to first on the grounders Lee took during the game.

The Phillies' announce crew called them out as well.

Well, when Bob Brenly calls you out, something's wrong.

Phew, the Jays held on and eeked one out over the White Sox despite not getting anyone into scoring position past the first inning. Boston keeps winning, but they're gaining ground on the Yankees and with Oakland losing they pick up a game in the wild card, too.

Ray King coughs up another late-inning homer, but the Cardinals hold on to win one over the Marlins by 9-6. Beckett pitched great for six and a third innings, but once the middle relief came in, the Cards just went to town, with what seemed like an endless stream of doubles in the eighth inning. Strangely enough, Pujols went hitless tonight, but the team still managed to put up three field goals.

John Olerud is heading to the DL, so that means Petagine is coming up from Pawtucket.

 

About fucking time. But Millar is going to play in place of Manny it seems, so his string of "Warning Track Power" at-bats continues.

 

Oh man, that Cubs lost was simply hilarious.

John Olerud is heading to the DL, so that means Petagine is coming up from Pawtucket.

FREE ROBERTO PETAGINE!

I'm sensing this game is already over. Abreu hits a grand slam before Prior records an out.

Lee Mazzilli has been fired as the O's manager. Guess it makes sense, since it was his fault that the rotation blew up, Palmeiro tested positive for 'roids, Sosa's a bust, and Roberts has cooled off immensely since the All-Star break. I sense a turnaround for the O's in the weeks to come!

The Mets late inning loss today to the Brewers more than likely ended their season. They've lost so many games like this throughout the season I've become numb to it. They are finally starting to hit and then the starting pitching (which was reliable pretty much the whole season) goes in the tank.

 

In the offseason this team desperately needs a high OBP guy at the top of the order and serious bullpen help. I just hope they can finish .500 for the first time since 2001.