03-09-2009, 06:03 PM
From the August 26th, 1985 issue of <i>SI</i>, entitled "How the Mighty Have Fallen. (1984's Division Champs are Faltering)":
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The plot for the Cubs' riches-to-rags story sickened with each injury. Last week they lost their fifth starting pitcher. Scott Sanderson tore a ligament in this right knee Tuesday when his spikes caught in the dirt on the mound. He joined Rick Sutcliffe (shoulder, hamstring, groin), Dennis Eckersley (shoulder), Steve Trout (elbow) and Dick Ruthven (toe) on the disabled list. As Sanderson hobbled off the field, pitching coach Billy Connors had a thought. "This is like Custer's Last Stand," Connors said to himself. "And they just got the last soldier."
In the off-season Chicago spent a total of $18 million to keep Sutcliffe, Trout and Eckersley from flying the coop. Last year this trio was 39--16. This year it's 24-16. In the cases of Sutcliffe and Eckersley, they tried to come back too soon. "It shows courage on the players' part," says general manager Dallas Green, "but not good common sense." Says Eckersley, "A lot of guys feel obligated, responsible, and it's not too smart to do that."
And so the Cub pitching is in shambles. "I don't even know the first names of our new pitchers," says reliever George Frazier.
"I had very high expectations for this club," says Frey. "But then we lost Sutcliffe and [Gary] Matthews and then we lost Trout and then we lost [Ryne] Sandberg for seven or eight days and then we lost Sanderson with a bad back for a couple of weeks and then we lost [Bob] Dernier and [Jody] Davis and then we got some pitchers back but they weren't fit and each succeeding start for them they got worse, when we thought with each succeeding start they'd get better."
Frey has held meetings almost every week. Last Wednesday Green came in and exhorted the club not to give up, upon which the Cubs went out, committed an error and a balk in the first inning and lost 8--7 to the Expos. When they called up Shawon Dunston and put Larry Bowa on waivers last week, Chicago pretty much acknowledged the reason was over. Last year it ended on October 7. This year it ended on August 12.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The plot for the Cubs' riches-to-rags story sickened with each injury. Last week they lost their fifth starting pitcher. Scott Sanderson tore a ligament in this right knee Tuesday when his spikes caught in the dirt on the mound. He joined Rick Sutcliffe (shoulder, hamstring, groin), Dennis Eckersley (shoulder), Steve Trout (elbow) and Dick Ruthven (toe) on the disabled list. As Sanderson hobbled off the field, pitching coach Billy Connors had a thought. "This is like Custer's Last Stand," Connors said to himself. "And they just got the last soldier."
In the off-season Chicago spent a total of $18 million to keep Sutcliffe, Trout and Eckersley from flying the coop. Last year this trio was 39--16. This year it's 24-16. In the cases of Sutcliffe and Eckersley, they tried to come back too soon. "It shows courage on the players' part," says general manager Dallas Green, "but not good common sense." Says Eckersley, "A lot of guys feel obligated, responsible, and it's not too smart to do that."
And so the Cub pitching is in shambles. "I don't even know the first names of our new pitchers," says reliever George Frazier.
"I had very high expectations for this club," says Frey. "But then we lost Sutcliffe and [Gary] Matthews and then we lost Trout and then we lost [Ryne] Sandberg for seven or eight days and then we lost Sanderson with a bad back for a couple of weeks and then we lost [Bob] Dernier and [Jody] Davis and then we got some pitchers back but they weren't fit and each succeeding start for them they got worse, when we thought with each succeeding start they'd get better."
Frey has held meetings almost every week. Last Wednesday Green came in and exhorted the club not to give up, upon which the Cubs went out, committed an error and a balk in the first inning and lost 8--7 to the Expos. When they called up Shawon Dunston and put Larry Bowa on waivers last week, Chicago pretty much acknowledged the reason was over. Last year it ended on October 7. This year it ended on August 12.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
One dick can poke an eye out. A hundred dicks can move mountains.
--Veryzer
--Veryzer