Luck wasn't Cubs' problem, Dodgers were

While many try to rationalize their feelings on the local baseball clubs' 2008 seasons, the barometer is the perception, which in this case is also the reality.

The White Sox were expected to do little and overachieved in a much tougher league and division, essentially maxing out on their talent, and the Cubs managed only a division title with a team filled with all-stars in a league that was handing them a pennant, a gift they ultimately refused.

The amusing part is how surprised people are that players like Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez performed their usual October disappearing acts, or that Ryan Dempster stuttered during his first time on a big stage, and Carlos Zambrano went to pieces at the first hint of adversity.

Lost in the hysteria is remembering that in a bad league, teams can get healthy and hot at the right time, like the Rockies did last year, the Cardinals the year before, and the Astros the year before that.

The Dodgers, at this moment, are the hot team, and, in turn, were better for a few days than the Cubs.

Not over the course of a season or perhaps even in a seven-game series, but they were better in a short series.

They brought in Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake, and got Rafael Furcal back on the field just in time.

So in a year when there isn't a single great N.L. team, two clubs that have played well the last few weeks - Philly and L.A. - will meet to decide the title.

Is that an excuse for the Cubs losing?

Absolutely not, but it's worth noting that the Dodgers at this moment in time are better than the Diamondbacks of a year ago.

Bad timing for the Cubs, maybe, but not bad luck.

No, the truth is luck and curses and goats and foul balls had nothing to do with this one, and their history of futility matters only to those who can't understand the genuine reasons for a humiliating failure.

We told you all year that they were by far the best team in a wretched division, and the best team in a rotten league.

It was bad timing for the Cubs that L.A. got it together, and the Mets fell just short.

The Cubs could have easily wound up playing the Mets in the first round and Brewers in the second, and won for fun, capitalizing on a weak year.

Unfortunately, the N.L. doesn't figure to be this bad again next year.

Fortunately, the Central should be even worse, and the Cubs should win in a walk again.

That puts them back in the playoffs in 2009, but whether you choose to look at that as a positive is up to you.

They have timed it this way, to do this to you in your lifetime.

And that's just plain bad luck on your part.

Best-of-seven?

Good regular-season teams losing in the first round, like the Cubs and Angels this year, is nothing new.

It's one of the reasons - money being the other - that MLB went to seven-game LCS in 1985. As Cubs fans will remind you, it was the year after they went up 2-0 at home on the Padres, and lost the next three in San Diego, never getting the chance to come home for the final two.

You'll see that in the LDS as soon as baseball can figure out a way to make more money off it, while still completing the World Series before the first blizzard.

It will completely change the psychology of the first series, which as it stands now makes every game feel like an elimination game and puts enormous pressure on talented teams who lack character and fundamentals.

The kinship

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had no problem with the early-series antics of Tampa reliever Grant Balfour, even his screaming after striking out Sox hitters.

"I love that because that's like me,'' Guillen said. "He shows he wants to win and he shows enthusiasm and passion.''

To his credit - and we're told to manager Joe Maddon's credit - after the dust-up with Orlando Cabrera in Game 1, Balfour quieted his act considerably the last few games, and was respectful of Sox hitters.

That's good to see, because Balfour was brilliant against the Sox in 3 appearances, and is certain to be a lightning rod in an emotional series with Boston.

Lost season

Nick Swisher took the ALDS loss as hard as anyone on the Sox, probably because he didn't do much to contribute.

"It was the toughest year of my life,'' said Swisher, who batted .219 after hitting .262 with Oakland in 2007. "This was a completely different experience than anything I've known, but I learned from it and I will be back. Don't doubt that for a second.''

Funniest moment

Orlando Cabrera trying to keep a straight face when asked if he wanted to return to the Sox next year.

Said the free-agent shortstop after a pause, "It's an option.''

Money matters

Tiger Woods earned more in six tournaments this year ($5.77 million) than Jack Nicklaus took home in 594 starts ($5.73 million) on the PGA Tour.

Best headline

"Chinese authorities checking Olympic gymnasts' ages.''

Next best headline

"Fox to guard chicken coop.''

Just asking

Is Ken Griffey Jr. really planning to come out of retirement?

And finally -

The L.A. Times' Jerry Crowe: "Could you imagine the Lakers drenching themselves with champagne for winning a division title or a first-round playoff series the way baseball teams do, an exuberant Kobe Bryant pouring bubbly over the head of Andrew Bynum? Not even the Clippers would do that."

brozner@dailyherald.com