The Cubs Chronicle

The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan writes in Thursday’s paper on the “six things the Cubs need to vault over St. Louis and into the [World] Series” (“North Siders need Sosa of old,” 7/15/2004). Six things, and not one about acquiring a new shortstop. Not even one about staying healthy (other than Todd Hollandsworth specifically getting healthy). But among the six things is “more clubhouse chatter” and “less griping” (at umps especially). I’m all for more gripeless chatter, but I would like it to be done by a healthy team with a productive shortstop.

It’s worth looking at the “more clubhouse chatter” suggestion in greater depth. Here’s what Sullivan writes:

Remember the days when players sat by their lockers and talked to each other and to reporters before games? That was before clubhouses were turned into home-entertainment centers. The Cubs 2004 motto: “More sound. Less talk.” On one occasion in June, the clubhouse stereo was playing AC-DC while Sosa’s boombox was playing salsa, creating the mutually assured destruction of everyone’s eardrums with a cacophonous sound no one possibly could enjoy.

The great musical debate would be solved easily if the Cubs resorted to the “headphones-only” rule of Atlanta manager Bobby Cox. Being an old clubhouse disc jockey himself, Baker is unlikely to step in and make a change.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this particular suggestion has a little bit more to do with Mr. Sullivan’s desired working environment than with improving the Cubs. I could be wrong.

I can’t really blame him, though. Trying to work while competing with AC/DC and salsa music has to be a chore.

Wait a second. Scratch that. Mr. Sullivan is the Cubs beat reporter for the Chicago Tribune. That’s not a bad gig.