The title of this new book, published in 2009, is: “Sweet Lou and the Cubs – A Year Inside the Dugout”. It is written by local writer and media guy George Castle. Technically, it recaps the 2008 Cubs season. However, it also contains a lot of pertinent information of recent historical vintage, and portends what, sadly, was to come in 2009. In that sense, it is almost nauseatingly accurate.

There are numerous chapters focusing on Lou Piniella, per se, but also chapters about Alfonso Soriano, Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, Carlos Zambrano, Reed Johnson, Ryan Dempster, and Kerry Wood.

There is an entire chapter devoted to the late July, 2008, Brewers series in Milwaukee, which is where I rejoined the Chicago Cubs sleigh ride after a thirty nine year absence.

Former Yankees coach Bobby Meacham describes Lou Piniella thusly:
- “One thing that it was clear, he wants to win,” Meacham said. “I really don’t think players care whether their manager yells at them or puts his arms around them. I don’t think they care if he yells at an umpire. They just want a guy who wants to win. That’s why players want to play for Lou. A team sees how bad Lou wants to win, and that team exudes the same attitude.”

Lou described the preferred style for all his teams:
- “I like certain types of teams to manage,” he said. “I’m basically a guy who doesn’t like to sit and wait for a three-run homer. I like to be able to force the issue a little bit, I like to be able to hit and run a little bit, I like to be able to steal a little bit. That does a lot of different things for a baseball team.”

After winning a world championship with Cincinnati, Piniella’s ultimate boss, Marge Schott,
- “would not discuss a contract extension during the season. So immediately afterward, Piniella quit – and set the pattern for the remainder of his managerial career. Unless the situation suited him to a T, he would not linger or let aggravations fester. He’d just walk away.”

Ken Griffey Jr. said of Lou:
- “He didn’t like losing, from Day One. He didn’t accept losing. He felt if you don’t play hard for me, I’ll sit you. Give me 100 percent, I’ll back you. If you don’t, I won’t back you.”

Piniella insisted:
- “I really hurt for a player who’s not playing much. Like I tell the players, stay ready because if you go out there and you help us win a baseball game, you’re going to get a chance to play. The players found few shades of gray with Piniella. They knew if they produced, he’d find a spot for them. If not…”

Cubs president Andy MacPhail’s motto for improving the Cubs back in 1994 (and still in 2004) was:
- “Slow, steady, and unspectacular”. MacPhail’s office was described as a place “where new ideas go to die.”

The author describes the Cubs as of 2005:
- The Cubs were way behind other teams in most facets of baseball operations. How could they compete with teams who benefited from spacious, modern ballparks and an adherence to modern sabermetrics analysis that enlightened franchises like the Red Sox had long embraced?

Andy MacPhail resigned in September 2006, shortly after stating:
- “You can make the case that the best thing (for baseball) is for the Cubs to win three championships in a row.” But in the 12 years leading up to that statement, MacPhail had never mentioned publicly the Fall Classic as the Cubs’ ultimate destination, preferring to carefully refer to being “competitive” and playing meaningful games in September.

There are fifteen pages of professional grade color photographs included in this book.

Cardinals pitcher (and ex-Cub) Todd Wellemeyer describes the managerial/coaching tandem of Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan as causing the Cardinals to:
- “be a Cubs competitor to be reckoned with no matter their level of talent”.

Wellemeyer describes Cardinal’s pitching coach Dave Duncan as:
- “a wizard with the Wellemeyers of the world, who either have not gotten a chance in several organizations or have underperformed.”
- “It’s not one specific thing I can come up with,” Wellemeyer said…. “He’s not one of the guys who sits there and does the rinky-dink (mechanical) stuff. He’s not so much into that. It’s more the intangible stuff (mental approach).”
- “He’s seen me pitch before. He knew what I had. Same thing with these other guys. That’s why it’s so hard to explain – I can’t give a direct answer. It’s him and Tony, absolutely.”

Finally, Ryan Dempster is quoted with the following words to live by for Cubs fans:
- “Laughter is the best medicine. If you’re laughing, life is better.”

I’m reminded of the climactic scene in the movie “A Few Good Men”. A junior Navy JAG officer (Tom Cruise) badgers the witness: “I want the truth!”. The Marine Corps Colonel in the hot seat (Jack Nicholson) responds: “You can’t handle the truth!!” Remember that scene?

Well, the same situation presents itself here. You want the truth? Think you can handle the truth? It’s all here.

The book is titled “Sweet Lou and the Cubs – A Year Inside the Dugout” by George Castle. I recommend it very highly. If you can handle it.