Too early for this, part II

Add comment June 3rd, 2008

If the playoffs started today, the Cubs would host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a rematch of the 2007 first-round NLDS. Philadelphia, representing the NL East, would host the wild-card St. Louis Cardinals.

Periodic updates will continue because I like beating this dead horse.

Not this again

Add comment June 3rd, 2008

 

It’s June 3, 2008. The 37-21 Cubs are on an eight-game winning streak, are three and a half games ahead of second place St. Louis and have the best record in baseball. Yet, what happened on Oct. 14, 2003 is still being discussed as if it has some sort of relevance. Or at least the wrong sort of detail is still the center of attention.

In April, Moises Alou was reported by the Associated Press to have stated:

“Everywhere I play, even now, people still yell, ‘Bartman! Bartman!’ I feel really bad. You know what the funny thing is? I wouldn’t have caught it anyway.”

Now, the statement is being retracted. But, it shouldn’t even matter. The reason the Cubs blew game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, wasn’t because a fan was doing what any other fan would have done; it had everything to do with Alex Gonzalez tricking off the would-be double-play to end the eighth inning with Cubs still winning 3-1.

And it’s not like Gonzalez has ever avoided what happened. He immediately took blame following the loss.

Maybe it’s time for Gonzalez to step forward once again to finally squelch all this nonsense. But even that might not matter when there’s the Chicago Tribune’s Mike Downey playing instigator.

Winning in a walk

Add comment June 3rd, 2008

While some people keep waiting for the sky to fall, recalling the Cubs’ history of losing, this is a new era. Remember how the Red Sox didn’t win for 85 years? Well, they’ve won twice in four years, now, and they are the new Yankees, while the Yankees look like they may be the old Red Sox. The Cubs, too, have changed. Forget, for a moment, Carlos Zambrano, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez. The Cubs have often had a star pitcher and a bunch of home run hitters, but not even Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Ron Santo could get it done in 1969. But these Cubs take the easy route. They walk. The Cubs are second in the Major Leagues with 245 walks. The previous five years they finished 25th, 30th, 28th, 25th and 21st. The top five teams in walks all rank among the top teams in baseball: the Cardinals (.576 winning percentage), Cubs (.638), A’s (.534), Braves (.517) and Diamondbacks (.552). If the Cubs want to join the Red Sox in reversing their tragic past, the way to do it is to walk their way there. Boston has led the Majors in walks three years in a row and finished third in walks in 2004 when it broke its 86-year title-less jinx. As long as the Cubs keep following Kosuke Fukudome’s lead and continue to walk, they will win the NL Central. Period.

Oh ye of little faith

Add comment June 3rd, 2008

Actually, I’m talking about myself.

I hate West Coast games. They start too late for me and I can’t stay up and watch them.

Last night I kind of gave up when it looked like Carlos Zambrano was going to implode. I figured the magic had to end some time and a 7-game winning streak was pretty good no matter who you played.

Well, I was delighted to see the Cubs came back to win while I was in the REM cycle.

It would be nice to see Jason Marquis pitch at least seven innings today and for the Cubs to stretch the win streak to 9. The bullpen could use a break.

Lessons possibly learned from Monday

Add comment June 3rd, 2008

1. Carlos Marmol is not infallible.

2. The Cubs are able to win on the road.

3. Carlos Zambrano will hit for the cycle some day.