Cubby-Blue

Catching Milwaukee

My wife Kim, she often suggests what road we should be taking.
It's usually in the best interest of whatever trip that may be to...follow that suggestion.
This day, we were going to an outlet place to look at a red couch, and I was thinking about the Cubs when she suggested the above route.

The Cubs are only 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee now.
I'm totally going to heed Lou Piniella's suggestion.
The one about not getting giddy over the Cubs in July, that there's still a long season, there's plenty of baseball left, all that.
It just struck me because when a member of the Cubs says anything about "a long season" or "plenty of baseball left", it's usually because the Cubs are oh, say 11 games out and we're talking about digging out of a hole.
When I walk down the hallway at work, I look at other people who, like me, are a little more than your basic "casual" fan, and there's this look we're all giving each other...
Nobody's dancing in the halls or yelling or anything.
But there's a meaning to this simple look that's doing all that.
I'm having so freaking much fun this year.
Anyway, Lou is a god.
So is Aramis.
Cubs beat the Diamondbacks yesterday 6-2.
Young Mike Fontenot was the sparkplug, Marquis pitched well, and even Jones was an important factor.
The Cubs are the hottest team in baseball, and I am not giddy.
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The Boil On Baseball

First off, I didn't paint this to be pretty.
And this isn't only about Barry Bonds...
I just couldn't help thinking about this as he smacked a couple homers against the Cubs yesterday.
There's a boil on baseball, and it's been growing and festering since the first time the "s" word was mentioned in a baseball story.
I try not to think about it, but it is soooo there.
I'm not sure what the end is going to be.
Congressional hearing, players or witnesses being dragged up on the stand...whatever it is, hopefully it's a little truth maybe.
And the day that happens this boil will be lanced.
That's going to be one ugly day.
But then maybe we can all just get back to baseball.
Which I think I'll do right now.
I turned on the radio in my office just as Barry hit his first dinger.
Within a couple minutes, Daryl Ward and Cliff Floyd had hurt themselves.
Then, the other Barry dinger and we're down to a one run lead.
But Bobby Howry, what a stud all over again.
Shutting them down in the 9th.
Cubs take 3 of 4 from the Giants, winning 9-8.
Still three and one half games out of first.
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I feel like I'm in first class

Not first place.
First Class.
I’m looking across the aisle, and there’s Mr. Redsoxfan asking for a fingerbowl.
Mrs. Tigerfan’s got a little caviar on her chin, and Mr. Yankeefan is hanging around, arguing about his seat.
And Mr. Cubfan?
I was just heading to coach when they asked me to take a seat, have some chilled Dom.
I don’t know how long before they call security, but man is it nice in here.
I didn’t even have the game on in my office yesterday.
Lisa Koenig came by and said the Cubs were up 9 zip, and I said well, it’s Carlos vs. the Giants.
Of course we’re up big.
Even though we all thought we had the players, there’s an expectation now that wasn’t here before.
The Cubs are legitimately pretty good.
And Carlos gets his league leading 12th win, Koyie Hill with the 5 RBI’s, and the Brewers lose to the Diamondbacks 5-2.
Wow, look at this legroom!

The Riot is a Gamer

Well, did you see that play Ryan Theriot made at short?
And if he doesn’t get on with two outs in the deciding 8th, Ramirez doesn’t get to knock in the winning run.
This Theriot kid is a gamer.
I like the “The Riot” nickname, too (like he’s never heard it before).

The Cubs win their fourth in a row, beating the Barry Bonds-less Giants 3-2 with young Rich Hill pitching a pretty impressive game.
They also get a new catcher.
Rob Bowen goes to the A’s for Jason Kendall.
Jim Hendry – he comes up with some good ones at the right time, and the time is right for a vet behind the plate.

Okay, so the Cubs are hotter than at any time in recent memory.
Do yourself a favor though: do NOT think too far ahead.
In ’03, I allowed myself to think about the Series in late July.
I became confused and wretched, like Jerry Jone's hair, or maybe Gollum.
But I’m all about reveling in the present, and there hasn’t been a better present than what Lou Piniella’s giving us right now.
Enjoy.

"Mensa-Mensa" play

"The umpire said "mensa-mensa", is how Lou Piniella jokingly described what the ump said after this play. I think that means sort of...half and half, which would make sense (anybody have a different definition please tell me).
It's a sketchy ground rule at Wrigley, but my understanding is that if the ball disappears in the ivy and the outfielder reaches in to try and find it, he's "playing" the ball so the play continues. If instead he makes sure the ball can't be seen, he then waves his hands, play stops, and the ump comes out to confirm the ball can't be found, and then it's ruled a double.
So, that sounds solid, but it always makes for a good argument when it actually happens.
Did Pence reach in there?
Well...sorta, but then he waved his arms.
All good fun, and the Cubs absolutely spank Roy Oswalt and the Astros 9-3.
I'm not a stat guy, but my sense has always been that Aramis hits a bunch of homers, but usually nothing clutch.
He's totally changing that perception this year.
Lastly, this game was on national tv - Fox, I think.
The announcers gave us two really annoying mistakes - they told us the National League won the All-Star game, and later when Soriano hits his homer one guy called him "Adolfo" Soriano.
Adolfo?
Okay, one twenty today I'll be at Wrigley with my Dad, my daughter, and a broom.
Sweep, brother.
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