Cubs fans are renowned for being more than just fair-weather fans over the past century.
But it appears this year’s team performs well almost exclusively when the weather heats up.
“I believe in it,” Cubs manager Don Baylor said. “When you’re young you really don’t care [about the weather]. But when you’re a veteran . . . you see it all around the league right now. Guys are hitting home runs. When you look at the Oakland team, they are just knocking homers left and right. The Yankees have done it. Maybe it will be our time to start hitting those. The warm weather really plays a part. The ball carries a little better. Guys believe it carries a little bit better than in the cold. So I believe it.”
Cubs hitters failed to deliver in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Cincinnati. Perhaps the weather was a little too overcast.
If you can’t stand the heat: Of course the Cubs have had a long list of excuses for not winning a World Series since 1908.
Extreme heat in the late summer has been a familiar refrain.
“I looked at our schedule. Until the All-Star break, every city we go to, like [Miami for the Marlins] and Atlanta, it will be 90-plus [degrees],” Baylor said. “Here it is 90-plus. I will alternate some guys, try to give them a little [breather]. It’s needed; it takes its toll. I’m not going to have them take batting practice every single day. You have to back off sometimes.”
Over and out: The Reds placed outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right hamstring. Outfielder Austin Kearns was recalled from Triple-A Louisville.
Griffey left Sunday’s 5-1 loss to Oakland in the fourth inning after his hamstring tightened up as he rounded first base. He pulled the same hamstring June 7. The Reds are 8-13 with him in the starting lineup.
Griffey finished 1-for-2 on Sunday and was hitting .353 (6-for-17) in his last six games.
“They have tried to keep him on the field without DL-ing him,” Baylor said. “But when you have a pulled hamstring during the season, it’s one of the most difficult things. Especially when it is a severe strain.”
Role player: Reserve outfielder Roosevelt Brown, who has delivered pinch-hit doubles each of the last two games, says he is determined to be a starter soon.
“I’m not settling for this role. I want to play,” Brown said. “But right now my role is to pinch-hit. I am a competitor and I want to compete.”
But where can he play?
“I still believe he does have a role,” Baylor said. “Starting in left field is [Moises] Alou. You try to explain to the young players that we all came to the big leagues thinking that you were going to start.
“Sometimes it might be after one year. It might be after two years that you become an everyday player. Today, guys want that right away. They don’t like sitting around and I don’t blame them.”
Foot fault: First baseman Fred McGriff sat out Tuesday’s game with a sore foot he injured Monday night when he fouled a ball off it.
“He had it X-rayed [Tuesday morning]. It was negative, but a little sore to run on,” Baylor said. “I was thinking about giving him a day [off] before the weekend [anyway].”
What if? The Cubs squandered a chance Tuesday to move within eight games of the .500 mark for the first time since May 10, when they were 13-21.
“I told the players that if we can just be within five [games of the division lead] at the All-Star break . . . you know, you get [Tom] Gordon back and some other guys start swinging the bat a little better,” Baylor said.
“We just have to continue to play well. Get a couple of hits and do the things we haven’t done in the past. We have to take advantage of people who make mistakes. We’ve made them and they have taken advantage of some of our mistakes.”
