OPINION

By Jim Litke

updated 11:41 p.m. ET Oct. 1, 2008

Jim Litke

CHICAGO - If it’s any consolation, at least there were no “Cubbie occurrences,” manager Lou Piniella’s catchall phrase for the historic hiccups that accompanied Chicago’s departures from postseasons past.

No cursed goats, black cats or fans interfering with foul balls. Nothing more mysterious to blame Wednesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on than sloppy pitching and a lack of timely hitting.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Wrigley Field wasn’t subject to the usual playoff weirdness.

Just ahead of last season’s playoff exit at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks, some crazed Cubs fan hung what appeared to be a dead, skinned goat on the Harry Caray statue outside Wrigley Field, as though a ritual offering might somehow change the civic destiny. No such luck.

This time around, a Greek restaurateur from northwest Indiana showed up before the game with a goat and an extra ticket, claiming he could lift the curse that one of his predecessors, Sam Sianis, placed on the ballclub after he and his goat were unceremoniously ushered out of the park midway through the 1945 World Series; coincidentally, the last time the Cubs got that far.

Jimmy Gerodemos said a security guard spotted him stepping out of the limo and told him “no way” the goat would be allowed in. Asked what he planned to do with the animal, Gerodemos smiled and said something about one of his restaurants being nearby and left it at that.

At least Father James Greaneus got into the ballpark and was allowed to complete his mission. The Catholic priest and longtime Cubs fan drove several hours so he could pour holy water atop the low wall on the front of the Chicago dugout an hour or so before the game. He didn’t stick around and the ballclub was vague on details, not wanting to seem too officially involved in the brief blessing.

Special feature The ones to watch NBCSports.com looks at the players who will make or break their team's 2008 World Series hopes. NBCSports.com

Piniella, meanwhile, happened to be sitting in an interview room beneath the stands at aging Wrigley Field around the same time and explaining that warding off evil spirits was pretty much the last thing on his mind. He said at the start of spring training the worst thing his club could do is get caught up trying to correct the Cubs’ sins of the past 100 years.

“I kid around about that from time to time ... but I don’t really believe it,” he chuckled.

Yet, when asked about problems he could anticipate, Piniella didn’t hesitate.

“You’re going to have to stay away from walks. They can hurt you in this type of environment,” he said, “a heck of a lot.”

Los Angeles first baseman James Loney deposited Exhibit “A” in the seats in center field for a grand slam in the top of the fifth inning. It came after Cubs starter Ryan Dempster walked the bases full — his fifth, sixth and seventh free passes of the game.

“He was having control problems,” Loney said afterward, in the understatement of the night. “Guys were getting on base. Fortunately, I came through.

“It was real quiet when I was going around the bases,” he added a moment later. “But I think our fans were cheering back home.”

Maybe so, but Wrigley was ominously quiet for the rest of the night. Fans broke their self-imposed silence just long enough to boo occasionally, such as when Alfonso Soriano struck out leading off the bottom of the fifth.

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

Home Game: Cards’ Pujols leads All-Star voting Opinion: Surprising Rangers receive All-Star snub All-Star starters, pitchers, reserves Dodgers win in 13th as Ramirez rests legs Red Sox avoid sweep against Mariners Jeter, Matsui power Yankees over Jays   Blanton outpitches Santana, Phils beat Mets Padres send Hairston to A's for minor leaguers Rumors: Strasburg heading to Japan to pitch? Live odds Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: