Friday Afternoon Meanderings

I haven't been able to watch the games this week. Today, though, I'm taking a break to watch the game and let my mind wander through everything Cubs. Here, then, is a collection of mid-April meanderings jotted as I watch.

Editor's Note: If you watch the games on DVR or something, and you subscribe to Agony & Ivy's RSS or Atom feed, don't read any more until later! There's spoilers.

On the offensive t-shirts
So, has everyone heard about the t-shirts being sold outside Wrigley Field by now? (continue...)

An Unprecedented New Yorker Cover

My jaw literally dropped when I picked up my weekend mail this evening, and saw the cover of the latest issue of the New Yorker. The title is "Lost and Found" by Mark Ulriksen. Here's the image (with its source pulling the image directly from the "About Us" page of the New Yorker website for this issue):
(continue...)

Already Familiar

We're four games in, and this season already feels familiar because the Cubs are suffering from the same problems they've been fighting for the last several years. Too many at-bats have featured batters not working counts--let alone taking walks-- and guys are swinging on pitcher's pitches. As for the pitchers and defense, the Cubs have made some crucial errors, and have given up some crucial walks and hit batsmen. Toss in a few questionable managerial decisions and what we've got are a couple of games in which the Cubs were not only outplayed, but did not do the little things well enough to give themselves the best chance to win.

As a result, the Cubs have lost two winnable games, and have now taken the first lead in the race to the bottom at 1-3 instead of 3-1, or 2-2.

Too early to get concerned? Yes and no. Yes, in the sense that there are 158 more games and the Cubs best players have not yet come close to hitting their stride. But no, in the sense that these are the things they should have been working on all spring because they've plagued the Cubs for seasons now. (continue...)

The View From Wrigleyville


The Eye Of The Beerholder


Westside Wavelength