Sullen resignation has been the prevailing mood inside McNally’s Tavern lately.
The Western Avenue bistro is one of those fiercely tribal South Side spots where loyalty to the White Sox is eclipsed only by animosity toward the Cubs. But the regulars are solid baseball guys, and though it pains them, they might acknowledge — privately, of course — that this Cubs team that rarely loses is really something.
Not that they’re enjoying it.
If I still lived in the old ’hood — and if my liver could take it — I might be occupying a McNally’s bar stool myself these days. It’s a sanctuary, one place you can go and know you’ll be safe from this orgy of Cubs love that’s nearly suffocating — have you seen the celebrity treatment Tom Ricketts gets as he roams the stands at Wrigley Field?
Don’t blame the Cubs. They’re a charismatic, appealing team. What’s not to like?
Bandwagons. Hate ’em.
We residents like to think of Chicago as a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city, with world-class arts, architecture, cuisine and potholes. Also a classic newspaper town, with a storied history of feisty scribes battling for breathless scoops. But all it takes is one successful ballclub to turn us into Hooterville, with the broadcast wing of local media leading the parade.
Radio reporter to manager Joe Maddon after a Wrigley Field victory over the Phillies: “Joe, I know you must be running out of superlatives to describe Ben Zobrist . . .”
Ben Zobrist: good, smart, versatile player. Hero of the sabermetrics revolution. Inspired offseason addition. His white-hot May surely helped the Cubs plant their flag atop the National League Central, where it’s likely to remain.
Zobrist: an 18-homer, 80-RBI guy by the numbers, with a .268 lifetime average, .793 OPS, two All-Star teams and no Gold Gloves over 10 seasons. Baseball Reference.com looks at him and sees Aaron Boone or Bill Mueller, so Cooperstown isn’t holding a spot. But keep the superlatives coming for the runaway leader in NL All-Star voting.
TV reporter, same postgame, barely suppressing the giggles while addressing winning pitcher Kyle Hendricks: “Kyle, did you notice how ecstatic Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta were after you got your hit?”
And David Ross . . . from which Wrigley flagpole will his vaunted No. 3 fly after the folk hero/catcher retires? Ross’ 100th career homer occasioned more celebrating than Ernie Banks’ 500th, but no wonder — five of those 100 have come in a Cubs uniform. Michael Barrett hit 57 of his 98 homers as a Cub; Damon Berryhill 18 of his 47. Anybody remember a curtain call for either, ever?
I know, Ross is a quality guy, a respected veteran whose longevity traces to his high-character clubhouse presence as much as his playing ability. A valued contributor to a very good team. But let’s not turn him into Yogi Berra.
For that matter, is it too much to ask that the Cubs win something before we turn them into the ’76 Reds or (worse) the ’85 Bears? Can’t we keep our wits about us and temper the giddiness until October? You know, act like you’ve been there before, even if you haven’t?
Back at McNally’s, the boys were quietly savoring a 23-10 start that presented the Sox as a gritty alternative to the cuddly Cubs. Being typically suspicious Sox fans, they didn’t trust it, and, sure enough, the next 33 games produced a 10-23 record and high-volume howls for Robin Ventura’s job, as if a managerial change would matter.
Not with this team. As troubling as the losses is a perception of aimlessness: 40 percent of the pitching rotation and the starting shortstop were cut loose with no return before mid-June. Necessary moves, sure. But how does a self-styled contender begin a season with so much uncertainty at such vital spots?
Maybe Tim Anderson’s fresh, speedy legs address the shortstop issue, but James Shields’ first three starts have been brutal and do not suggest an upgrade to the rotation.
The Sox play in a winnable division, and they keep insisting there’s plenty of talent on hand to challenge for it. But they don’t pitch like Cleveland or hit like Detroit, and Kansas City has their number, which explains their 6-17 record against the Indians, Tigers and Royals.
It’s looking like another quiet summer at McNally’s. Maybe the softball teams it sponsors will win big.