Archive for September 16th, 2008
September 16th, 2008
For the second time this season, the Cubs’ offense has made the National League’s new “best” pitcher feel like this. And in 14 NL starts this season, it’s probably only the second time CC Sabathia has had to bury his face/empty his stomach in his glove.
You do the math…or just see it for yourself:
Sabathia vs. NL: 9 wins, 0 losses in 12 starts with a 1.42 ERA (15 earned runs in 95 1/3 innings).
Sabathia vs. Cubs: 0 wins, 1 loss in 2 starts with a 4.77 ERA (7 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings).
September 16th, 2008
Some Hall of Famers — and some not-so-Hall-of-Famey — are scattered among Lou Gehrig’s favorite number in Cubs history: Babe Herman (1933-34), Chuck Klein (1935-36), Billy Herman (1937-41), Smoky Burgess (1949), Ralph Kiner (1953-54), Billy Williams (1959), Glenallen Hill (1994), Brian Dorsett (1996), Jeff Blauser (1998-99), Doug Glanville (2003), Jason Dubois (2004-05), Ben Grieve (2005), Freddie Bynum (2006), Rob Bowen (2007), Scott Moore (2007) and Eric Patterson (2008).
It also seemed to be popular with managers Lee Elia (1982-83), Charlie Fox(1983), Don “Popeye” Zimmer (1988-91) and Gene “Stick” Michael (1986-87).
And Mr. Bentley knows what’s magic for the North Siders!
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/7XVvA8_fe9o" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
September 16th, 2008
I’ve heard a few rumblings that perhaps the Cubs should let up on the Brewers to help them win the wild card, in order to match up against the survivor of the weak NL West instead of facing the NL East runner-up, be it the Mets or Phillies.
Let me be succinct: No!
Let me expand on this answer: NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
I’m still haunted by some Cubs fans on a message board in 2003 expressing happiness that the Cubs lost Game 5 in Florida, enabling them to clinch at home in front of the deserving fans.
That plan worked well, eh?
September 16th, 2008
When did sports people become afraid of their own shadow?
ESPN’s John Kruk, a former All-Star, said on Baseball Tonight that the Cubs never should have let Carlos Zambrano finish his no-hitter, the Cubs’ first in almost 40 years. His reasoning: The playoffs are far more important than anything that happens during the regular season, even a no-hitter, and the Cubs need to do everything they can to keep Big Z healthy for the postseason.
That’s ridiculous.
First of all, the Cubs would have ticked off their own player — mightily — but pulling Zambrano. It’s never a good idea to irritate your own players, especially one as temperamental as Zambrano. Also, he only threw 110 pitches. Even if he hadn’t pitched in 11 days because of some arm concerns, that’s not that bad.
Besides, you can’t pass up chances for history. They don’t come along often. And the idea that nothing else counts except the World Series is insane. If that were true, why is Ted Williams one of the biggest legends in baseball history? He never won a World Series, and hit poorly in his only chance.
Recent Super Bowl losers such as the Bears, Seahawks and Panthers will be forgotten in a few years, if they haven’t been already, but people will always remember the 18-0 — oops, 18-1 — Patriots, even though they lost in the final seconds to the Giants.
What makes baseball great is the six-month-long every day journey, not just the finish. Zambrano, and then Ted Lilly, made a magical season that much greater up in Milwaukee. Besides, teams that play scared don’t win. Teams with nerve do — remember, the Giants played all their starters in their regular-season finale against the Patriots last year. The Giants lost the game, and a couple of players to injuries, but wound up shocking everyone to win three playoff games on the road, then the Super Bowl.
September 16th, 2008
Dear Mr. White Sox manager: Focus on your own team, and quit whining about the Cubs. I know fans of the Bridgeport franchise are unable to do this, but try to be a little more grown up about things.
Look at the example of Ned Yost. After Aug. 31, the Brewers were 80-56, 4.5 games behind the Cubs but 5.5 games up on the Phillies in the NL wild card standings. CC Sabathia just threw a dominating 7-0 one-hitter against the Pirates at Pittsburgh. Was Yost excited for his Cleveland import? No. He spent the better part of the next two days whining that Sabathia should have been credited with a no-hitter.
The Brewers went 3-11 since that victory. And now we get to reference Ned Yost as the former Brewers manager.
