Oh, Lou. You didn’t think it would be this bad, did you? The Cubs are only 19 games into the season and already you decide to skip a post-game press conference. You managed the Yankees for crying out loud. Dealing with the Chicago media should be a breeze compared to the Big Apple. Oh yeah, not to mention you were part of the media last year as a color commentator for Fox.

Your team now has a 3-8 record at home, playing in front of the most loyal fans in baseball.

Instead of you and hitting coach Gerald Perry arguing with the home plate umpire after Mark DeRosa was called out on strikes to end the game, you should think about decisions you made during the game.

For the second time in a week, you sent a runner to steal third with one of your best hitters up to bat. In Monday night’s game, you sent Derrek Lee to third with arguably your hottest hitter, Aramis Ramirez, up to bat with only one out in the bottom of the third. And guess what happens? Lee gets thrown out, then Ramirez jacks what would have been a two-run homer. You lost 5-4 in extra innings. That extra run would have been huge. Good call Lou. Your team is now 0-8 in games decided by one or two runs. So much for the early season “Cubs swagger” you wanted to establish.

I hate to bring it up because Dusty Baker was horrible, but he never skipped a post-game press conference after one of the many embarrassing losses that year. So, instead of leaving the many Cubs beat writers without your side of the story, sit there and answer questions from the media no matter how dumb you think the questions may be.

I know it’s only April, but it’s only been April the past 98 years. You can still turn this thing around, Lou. But after the next “shoulda, coulda, woulda” loss, remember, you make more than $3 million a year and owe it to the fans to sit on the podium and answer the questions; not sit and hide in the clubhouse.

– Brandon Mangia, sports reporter