Cubby-Blue

Paris setenced to a year of Cubs

Okay, the Paris thing didn't really happen.
What did really happen is I invested hours of my sleep time to watch another one run loss.
To the Pirates.
Had they won, we'd be talking about heroics and amazing plays: Soriano's amazing throw to the plate, Theriot's double play, Kevin Kronin's (REO Speedwagon!) rendition of "Take me out to the ballgame".
Instead, I'm talking to people about Jacque Jones grounding into the double play with D. Lee getting thrown out at home, Jones whiffing on the hit and run, then striking out, and a blown save.
As Paris Hilton might say, "that is so not hot."

The One-Run-Loss Monkey

Actually, maybe that monkey's gone from my back.
Lou's point of view seems to be a one run loss is, given the circumstances, not bad - at least you're in the game.
But Lou wasn't here last year, when the Cubs wallowed in them I think 19 times.
Okay, enough with the negativity.
What an incredible sweep weekend with the winning streak at 5.
Guzman looked pretty good, the hitting off the bench from Murton, Blanco, and Ward, Soriano playing 2nd.
If they keep winning like this, it'll be so much fun to watch.
Or listen, which is what I did.
And when Ward knocked in the winning run, Pat Hughes' "THE CUBS ARE GONNA WIN THE CUBS ARE GONNA WIN!" overlapped with Ron Santo's wild happy-animal noises...that is just something not to be missed.
Made my whole day.

The Cubs are warming up

Sutter emailed me.
"I'm suddenly feeling much better about this team."
Me too.
The semi-solid pitching, the Soriano consecutive game homers, the coming back from 4 runs down in the first inning yesterday, a baby winning streak...
It's not actual hope yet, but everything's pretty much all good right now.
Plus Ron Santo came back yesterday.
I didn't hear it live but I guess he did his regular radio gig, sang during the 7th inning stretch.
As it should be, brother.

I'll be at Wrigley today - it's supposed to rain, solid gray right now.
But I did a temperature check just now.
Snuck out on the front porch in my boxers to grab the paper and it's...warm out.
Just like Mr. Gore says!
So, come ON bats, I like this "all good" thing.
And if you happen to be my neighbor, here's some fair advice:
I'm liable to do that temperature check again this summer so you know, just don't look.

Lou's Zipper is down

So, this is that joke, right?
Where they're not really talking about baseball out there?
I was watching when this happened, but had no idea that this conversation actually happened until I read the Trib this morning.
Lou's zipper was actually, really down.
And the Pirates were bunting fools in this game, trying to manufacture runs before the rain came.
Poor Ted Lilly slipped twice trying to be a bunt-fielder, although he made a fabulous throw to first on the second fall.
Anyway, fabulous things happened in this game besides the zipper thing: Soriano's first homer as a Cub, an amazing throw from Jones in center to nab a Pirate at the plate, and finally a bunch of 2-out hits leading up to the clutch Cliff Floyd homer to take the lead.
And...I just went online to see the Cubs held on to win it finally, 8-6, since the game had to be finished because the Pirates didn't get to bat in the bottom of that last inning.
Hooray for the come from behind victory.

Standings Thru April