Kaduk: Lilly’s antics rank with futility’s best

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PHOENIX – During their current run of 98 title-free seasons, the Cubs have recorded more than a few lowlights to help illustrate their feckless franchise.  

So what’s one more?

Seriously, any TV network putting together a package on the Cubs’ playoff futility would be well-served to look at Thursday’s Game 2 at Chase Field for a clip that will mesh well with those old standbys of Leon Durham, Steve Bartman and Alex Gonzalez.

Of course, we’re talking about Ted Lilly’s reaction to the home run/cannon shot by Arizona center fielder Chris Young.

As White Sox general manager Ken Williams’ biggest trade mistake and two other runners circled the bases, Lilly immediately wheeled and spiked his glove into the pitcher’s mound like an upset Little Leaguer.

Young’s launch-pad blast only gave the Diamondbacks a one-run lead at the time, but judging from Lilly’s emotional reaction, it mentally set him back about 20.

Still, if there was a better moment to describe the Cubs’ ill-fated trip out west, it certainly didn’t happen for public consumption.

Lilly’s little tantrum was so appropriate because it summed up all the frustration that comes with turning high hopes entering the playoffs into a desperate panic. It made people start thinking that it now will require three consecutive wins – two at Wrigley this weekend and one back at Chase Field on Tuesday – in the next five days to advance to the NL Championship Series.

But let’s be honest: At this rate, the Cubs should be happy in ensuring Carlos Zambrano’s next start won’t come here in Arizona next March.  

Also, these two games are going to be hard to scrub from a mind already filled with the bad memories given by the likes of the Padres, Giants, Braves and Marlins.

Maybe these Cubs thought they were coming out west for some early spring training?

Or worse, the Arizona Fall League?

Whatever the case, it was Lilly who was supposed to answer when the Cubs needed a victory. He was 9-1 after a Cubs’ loss, and when manager Lou Piniella gave away Game 1 with his early pull of Zambrano, everyone assumed the left-hander would be able to suck the venom out of the snakebite.

 “I have no chance of trying to ignore the fact that this is the biggest game of the year,” Lilly said Wednesday. “I’m well aware of that.”

But it became evident early on Thursday that Lilly wasn’t going to personally lead the Cubs back into the series. Instead, he became just another Chicago pitcher tagged and released back into a sad playoff pool full of them. Though he got out of a jam in the first inning, he threw 25 pitches, only 13 of which were strikes. The real trouble came in the second when a single by Chris Snyder and a walk to Justin Upton allowed Young to let Sox fans curse the day the 24-year-old was traded for Javier Vazquez.

(Though knowing some Sox fans who take pleasure in the misfortunes of the Cubs, the trade might now be seen as completely worth it.)

Young completely turned on a 3-2 pitch and put it halfway up the left-field bleachers. Back at the mound, Lilly was doing a football-spike with his glove, well on his way to an outing that didn’t see him get out of the fourth inning while allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks.

It is worth nothing that for the second night in a row, the Cubs didn’t get off to a roaring start on offense. Yes, Geovany Soto reaffirmed Piniella’s faith in him by hitting a home run that gave the Cubs an early 2-0 lead, but beyond that, there was little else.

Alfonso Soriano continued his struggles, striking out in his first three appearances at the plate. Aramis Ramirez had two strikeouts and grounded into a seventh-inning double play as the Cubs tried to mount a comeback.

But as Thursday turned into Friday and the Chicagoland area struggled to stay awake to watch another poor playoff start by a team they thought might be finally headed back to the World Series, a simple truth became clear. Although the D’Backs might not have been celebrated with an approach that emphasizes good pitching, great defense and timely hitting, it is those qualities that dealt the Cubs a swift punch at the opening bell.

And while it’s true that Wrigley Field might give the Cubs a needed boost upon their return Saturday, the only thing keeping Lilly’s glove toss out of the team’s frightening lore is another start like the first two.

– Kevin Kaduk is the Kane County Chronicle’s sports columnist. Write to him at kkaduk@nwnewsgroup.com For more, read his blog, “Duk’s Calls,” at KCChronicle.com/kaduk.