Q. As a lifelong White Sox fan, I seem to recall similar unbridled optimism from giddy Cubs fans following their near-World Series run in 1984. After hearing about Mark Prior’s nagging Achilles’ tendon, don’t you wonder if this season could turn out like 1985 for the Cubs?
A. White Sox fans seem to have a knack for keeping Cubs fans humble. And perhaps vice versa. The division champion 1984 Cubs won 96 games during the regular season and were at “match point” of dispatching the San Diego Padres three times after leading the best-of-five NLCS two games to none.
Yes, there was similar off-season optimism for the ’85 season as there is for the 2004 Cubs. But ace pitcher Rick Sutcliffe, 16-1 the year before, would spend three tours on the disabled list with a nagging hamstring injury and finish 8-8. Today’s Cubs are hoping Prior’s Achilles’ will not be a recurring problem during the season.
Many people forget that the ’85 Cubs actually began that season 15 games above .500 at 34-19, and were in first place during the first week of June. But center fielder Bobby Dernier could not overcome a foot injury that landed him on the DL for a month beginning June 15. This year’s Cubs are banking on a complete recovery from center fielder Corey Patterson, who missed the second half of last season with a torn ACL.
In addition to Sutcliffe, the rest of the starting rotation of Scott Sanderson, Dick Ruthven, Steve Trout and Dennis Eckersley missed time with major injuries.
The Cubs lost 242 games from position players because of injuries in 1985. After coming so tantalizingly close to advancing to the World Series in 1984, the Cubs finished 23 1/2 games out of first place in ’85 with a 77-84 record.
Q. Are there tickets available for the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis?
A. Tickets remain for all sessions of the tournament that runs March 11-14. Tickets are priced at $45 for Sessions 1, 2 and 3, $60 for Session 4 and $75 for Session 5. Tickets may be purchased at the Conseco Fieldhouse box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge-by-phone and www.ticketmaster.com.
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