1989 Cubs Don’t Gloat Over Beating Mets Like 1969 Cubs Did

Many, many years ago, when the manager was an old lion named Leo, the Chicago Cubs were not averse to gloating over victories. Dick Selma, an itinerant pitcher, led the Bleacher Bums in cheers, third baseman Ron Santo clicked his heels and the manager cheerfully poured salt on the wounds of opponents.

Case in point was a series against the New York Mets in July 1969, the first significant series in which the Mets had ever appeared. New York won the first two games, the second with the help of Tom Seaver’s near-perfect performance, then self-destructed in the third game. “Were those the real Cubs?” a journalist asked Manager Leo Durocher after the Chicago triumph. “No,” he replied, “those were the real Mets.”

The Mets would prove otherwise in the last two months of the 1969 season. But that was then, and this is now. New York opened the last critical series of the 1989 season Monday night with a dreadful exhibition. The Mets played shabby defense, ran the bases lackadaisically and blew a 3-0 lead behind one of their aces.

Considering the baseball they have been playing for the last month, it would have been entirely appropriate for someone to pronounce those “the real Mets.” But under the kinder and gentler leadership of the current Chicago manager, Don Zimmer, the Cubs did no such thing. Their comments after an implausible 10-6 victory at Wrigley Field suggested they were playing the world championship Mets of ’86 or, at the very least, the ’88 team that won 100 games.

“If you ask me,” said Cubs first baseman Mark Grace, “the Mets are still the team to beat. They’ve got the best talent, the best pitching. I think they’re the best team in the National League, if you match talent against talent.”

Perhaps the 38,138 fans who filled Wrigley Field with passion believed the same, to judge by their roars. Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez said he couldn’t remember a louder crowd at Wrigley, day or night. The Mets weren’t even in second place when the game began, and the magic number posted on apartment buildings and over neighborhood bars referred to the position of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Yet the response to the Mets has been extreme ever since the 1969 collapse of Leo’s boys. “The ’69 Mets are History,” noted one banner in the stands. “ ’89 Belongs to the Cubs.”

So it would seem, at least as far as the National League East is concerned. Chicago continues to hold a five-game lead over St. Louis, and the Mets now are 6 1/2 back with 13 to play. “That’s a big boost for us, to put them 6 1/2 back,” Grace said after contributing two hits and two runs batted in. “But until they’re eliminated, they’re still in the race.”

While Hernandez was issuing a concession speech in the visiting clubhouse, the Cubs weren’t about to take anything for granted. Maybe they are too young or too inexperienced to understand that pennants aren’t won by reputation. Count out the Mets? “Hell,” Mitch Williams decided, “I ain’t counting Pittsburgh out of it.”

The Cubs won Monday night because Luis Salazar -- a journeyman acquired three weeks ago from the San Diego Padres -- hit his first homer for the club, because Dean Wilkins -- a youngster acquired from the New York Yankees’ organization in the Steve Trout trade -- pitched two strong innings of middle relief in his first major-league decision, and because Williams, the entertaining but erratic bullpen closer, made his first major-league hit a three-run homer.

“This is a team that’s done unbelievable things this year,” Grace said. None has been more unbelievable than Williams’ homer. His last hit, he recalled, was a single achieved in Class-A ball in the first half of this decade. He hasn’t gotten many chances since. His plate appearance in the eighth inning last night was his fifth in the big leagues.

“I’m not what you call a .300 hitter,” Williams said. “I took a good swing. The problem for me is that I’m just swinging. I’m not seeing anything. I was swinging as hard as I could and (Don Aase) just happened to hit my bat.”

That’s the way it’s been for the Cubs in ’89. But those who would call it destiny aren’t taking into consideration that Chicago has a 6-1 record against the three alleged contenders in the last 11 days. “By and large,” Grace said, “we’ve made our breaks.”

The Mets have done nothing of the sort. Presented with a rare 3-0 lead, Viola gave it all back and then some in the fifth inning. The big blow was Salazar’s two-run homer. The veteran had faced Viola in the American League and had the knowledge and the experience to wait on Viola’s changeup. “You got to be patient with him,” Salazar said.

Wilkins entered the game in the top of the fifth with Chicago trailing 3-0 and departed for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth, when the Cubs increased their margin to 6-3. He yielded only one hit and retired the last four batters he faced. Of course, Williams has been in that position more often than most. It’s his job to respond to critical situations. At the time, his homer seemed like nothing more than rich, gooey icing. Then he went to the mound in the ninth and added to its importance by yielding two runs and loading the bases after two were out.

“With two outs, I think I just let up,” he said. “I certainly hoped the homer didn’t mean anything when I hit it. It was kind of a bittersweet performance because I’m not paid to hit. I didn’t do my job out there.”

Well, that’s not entirely accurate. He did strike out Strawberry, who represented the potential tying run, for the final out.

“The thrill,” Williams said, “is in the winning. We’re not thinking about magic numbers of clinching. Win is the only word we’re using.”