By Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune –
CHICAGO — There probably are worse things for Cubs fans than enduring a 17-1 loss to the Mets, such as incarceration, being afflicted with gout or attending a business management seminar at the Cubs Convention.
But for the announced crowd of 35,837 Wednesday on a hot afternoon at Wrigley Field, the drubbing at the hands of the hated Mets was about as bad as it gets, especially coming on the heels of Rizzomania a night earlier.
(PHOTO: New York Mets left fielder Scott Hairston (12) hits a grand slam off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Casey Coleman (27) in the sixth inning Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.)
“You look at any league there is, and there are games like that anywhere,” Anthony Rizzo said. “It’s just part of baseball. You’ve just got to take it, swallow it and show up on Friday and be ready to play.”
The Cubs failed to sweep in the series finale as Jeff Samardzija surrendered nine runs on six hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings, watching his earned-run average balloon to 5.05.
“It was a tough day,” catcher Geovany Soto said. “But you have to look at the bright side. We won the series and when the wind blows out here at Wrigley, sometimes those kind of games are going to happen.”
With the wind blowing out for only the seventh time this season, the Mets cranked four home runs, giving opposing teams a 16-6 edge in homers when conditions are perfect for the long ball.
“This was a good day to be a hitter,” Rizzo said. “From what I heard, there haven’t been too many days like this.”
Overall, the Cubs have been outhomered 39-22 at Wrigley. During Sammy Sosa’s 66-homer season in 1998, he hit a team-record 35 at Wrigley in only 310 at-bats, or one every 8.9 at-bats. This season at home, the Cubs are averaging one home run every 53.6 at-bats.
The closest they came Wednesday was Rizzo’s double off the ivy in right-center in the third inning, when it was still a 1-1 game.
The excitement from Rizzo’s debut Tuesday was in stark contrast to the blowout Wednesday, when the ballpark was almost empty by the eighth inning. Rizzo seemed weary afterward, saying he would “finally get to breathe and relax” before Friday’s series opener against the Astros.
His teammates seem bemused by the Rizzo love fest, but most understand why it’s happening.
“You kind of accept it, playing in Chicago,” Jeff Baker said. “You’ve seen it here before with other guys. We’ve had a lot of prospects who got a lot of hype. Obviously with the new regime and him kind of being ‘their guy,’ there’s going to be a lot of media intensity, scrutiny, hype, the whole nine yards.
“We just laugh, because to us, he’s one of us, a player that will hopefully help make us better, and better for a long time going forward. But to be honest, basically we just hope you (media) guys leave him alone and let him play baseball.”
Will that happen?
“Probably not,” Baker said with a grin.
