Today, I took a break. And wow, did I need it.

In case you’ve slipped into a glazed state of Cubs-related apathy, let’s take a look at what we’re dealing with here. This site has existed since 2007. I’d been writing about the Cubs since 2006, previously over on Bleed Cubbie Blue. This team hasn’t been good since. . .  I dunno, 2009? In the past two and a half seasons, we’ve had to endure Mike Quade’s deer-in-the-headlights gaze, Dale Sveum’s love affair with Carlos Marmol as a closer, and the seemingly never-ending fight to renovate Wrigley. We’ve survived Ian Stewart’s late night Twitter rants, two battery “investigations,” Dave Sappelt’s late night Twitter idiocy, Carlos Zambrano’s implosion, a ton of shitty relievers, and too many hitting slumps to count. And speculation is that we’re looking at 2015 before this team even begins to contend.

Julie after 6 years of blogging about the Cubs.

So when I got to Dale Sveum’s “I don’t care what people think about me” tantrum last night, I needed to step away.

“No, that’s people’s prerogative,” he said. “I don’t really care what people think about me. That’s part of this job. You’re always going to be second-guessed. There’s nothing you can do about that. Players are put into positions to perform, and if they don’t, then obviously the decision-making is going to be second-guessed.

“It doesn’t matter what the situation is. If I would’ve put somebody else in that has never closed a game before and they give it up, you’re in the same boat.”

Sveum has the full support of Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, who said the fan backlash was just “frustration” over the nightmarish ending to Sunday’s game, in which Marmol blew a three-run, ninth-inning lead for a 4-3 loss to the Mets.

Blah blah blah, Dale.

Look, I’m really glad you don’t care what people think about you. That must be a nice feeling. Someday, this team is going to contend for something (right guys? RIGHT?) and I doubt you’ll be here when they do. That’s the luxury of being a Cubs manager. It’s like going to prison: You do your time, it changes you, and eventually, you’re set free. Sure, you’re a shell of what you once were, but you’re OUT.

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Game Thread: Managing the Cubs is Like Going to Prison”