Sad. To see the Cubs disintegrate.

One of the worst things to watch is to see baseball players disintegrate. Individually. Or as a team, as in the case of the Chicago Cubs. The players are losing confidence. The Cubs are a good team. Talent-wise. They could be winners. If only they believed in themselves. But they don't. They have a defeatist attitude. Didn't start that way. They were picked by most sportswriters as the overwhelming favorite in the National League's Central Division. Chances are, the Cubs believed it, too. They read the press clippings. And assumed, I'm guessing, that all they had to do is take to the field and go through the motions. Yes, that's what they did. And soon they discovered that wasn't good enough. And so they tried to turn the level of play up a notch. Then two notches. Three notches. And still they lost too many games. Frittered 'em away. And before long, they began to doubt themselves. They questioned whether they had talent and get up and go. But mostly, I think, it's a matter of confidence. The lack of it. No swagger. A bad mental outlook. They lose their tempers. Too easily. They smash water coolers in the dugout. They shout at umpires. Get thrown out of games. All this in lieu of playing hard and smart baseball. In lieu of playing as a functional team. It's sad. Especially for Cubs fans. To see their team disintegrate. --Jim Broede