Thinking about how the Cubs became a playoff team, overcoming a 22-31start and eventually, almost inevitably, overtaking the Milwaukee Brewers, the first memory that comes to mind is from the clubhouse, not the field.
It was late April, the Cubs were losing and Lou Piniella had just undone his off-season and spring-training commitment to Alfonso Soriano as his center fielder. The most notable offshoot was there no longer seemed to be a place for Cliff Floyd to play.
Floyd, 34, had rarely played right field in the last decade. But instead of whining and worrying about himself, he greeted Soriano’s position change with announced plans to begin working hard to become competent in right field. That would be a scary switch for any veteran, but Floyd didn’t flinch.
He was asked if he was worried about his playing time. “What worries me is hitting and winning,” he answered. “If we win, you’ll see a happy me. Whatever situation I’m put in, I have to do my job. The bottom line is I have to hit.”
Despite dealing with the slow death of his father, Floyd has hit, both against right-handers and left-handers. He has also been adequate in right field, keeping the outfield defense from being the problem it had appeared to be in spring training.
Here’s the thing about the 2007 Cubs: They have veteran players who can take a beat-down without becoming beaten down, a must for the modern age of Chicago baseball.
Oh, there are times when players get testy. But a lot of guys have been in the cross hairs of the media and fans for a long time — guys like Jacque Jones, Ryan Dempster, Scott Eyre and Jason Kendall — and there has been minimal pouting and an acceptable level of complaining.
It’s a marked difference from the dark days of 2004 and a sign of the franchise’s improved stability.
