Cubby-Blue

If Lou Put Out An Album...

It would be soul.
Soul Possession of First Place.
After the 4-run first inning last night, you could pretty much relax and just watch it happen.
Alfonso, Cliffy, Ward, and Aramis all with the dingers.
Lou looks brilliant with Trachsel going on three days rest.
Cubs 6 Astros 2.
I have no feelings of dread today.
Carlos Zambrano should be rested and ready to roll tonight at the House of Cards.
Go Cubs.
By the way, what songs would be on such an album?

Rich Hill Plays Stud

He was dealin' last night.
Yeah, the thing you're left with after that game was the freaking emergency room ending, but young Rich was an absolute stud at a time when the Cubs needed him most.
And as always it's such a pleasure to beat the Astros.
Cubs 3 Astros 2, and they're back into the first place tie with the Brewers, who have the blackest hole of a bullpen of all time.
I did a thing I've never done (some of you will go "duh!"), which is follow a game on a blog (A League Of Her Own) while also watching the game.
There's this thing called a "game thread", where everybody comments on the game (or whatever pops in their heads) as it goes along, and when they're all funny (which they are), it adds a unique spin to the game experience so it's almost like watching a game at a loud bar.
Anyway, I didn't actually say anything, but I will some time.
Okay, now for the ending.
Tying run on third, man on first, one out and Dempster (God bless him) is in deep doo doo again.
I had the radio on too, even though I heard Ron and Pat before the play happens on the cable. But I got the double wammy of Ron's raw heart attack and Pat's description (don't think for a moment that he's not contributing emotionally, either), and THEN the play happens visually with Bob and Len.
That double play ending was just amazing, like the Cubs had been holding their breath under water for about a week, and finally broke the surface.
It left me gasping, and hoping maybe it was the beginning of the hot streak Lou's been talking about.

There's A Traitor In Our Midst, Cub Fans

Cubs 4 Astros 5.
I’m a little angry this morning, so I’m gonna take it out on the biscuithead who came up with this “It’s gonna happen” slogan.
I remember the first time I saw it I just thought it was a lame way for some guy to sell t-shirts, flatly stating the Cubs go all the way, right?
Well, the other day I was following the conversation at a cool Cubs blog called A League Of Her Own (LOHO), and somebody there pointed out that in fact this slogan doesn’t necessarily have a positive meaning.
The “It’s” part can mean anything.
Like “Collapse” or “Disaster”.
“1969: It’s Gonna Happen”, how’s that sound?
After last night’s loss, that could be what your sign or t-shirt means.
You know the guy’s (John Murray) just trying to make a buck with this year’s version of “In Dusty We Trusty”.
But if he’d put the words “Cubs” or “World Series” in there to define what he wants his idea to mean, legally he’d probably have to share profits with MLB.
So he went completely generic with it, and now those words are all over the place.
You’ve been duped.
Should the Cubs fail, this slogan could easily be this year’s version of the goat.
So my advice to everyone would be to burn anything with these words on it, and DO NOT buy anything else with “It’s Gonna Happen” printed on it.

Don't call him Lilly-putian

You can’t help but wonder that when Ted Lilly was little, he took some guff because of his name.
“Lilly of the Valley”, “Lilly-Liver”, “Lilly-putian” – stuff like that.
I’d bet that just like Johnny Cash's “A Boy Named Sue”, it worked to help him turn out this way.
He’s a tough guy who once punched out his own manager, he’s got this Clint-like stare on the mound that lets you know he ain’t backin’ down from any damn body, and yesterday he picked a whole Cub team up with both his arm and his bat and just wrecked the Cardinals 12 to 3.
Olson told me to turn on Emily’s stolen radio around 3:30, and I figured it wasn’t working right because I heard a voice saying “Cubs 7, Cardinals 1”.
But it was true.
Went to a meeting and when I got back, it was all done.
I guess the bats really woke up, with Aramis going 4 for 5, and D. Lee and Jones with 3 hits too.
So lets keep it up in Houston, boys.

By the way, when I was little there was a kid in my Boyscout troop with the last name Easter.
His parents named him Happy.
I wonder what ever happened to old Hap?
illustration

Cubby Blue

I don't know what I was saving this for.
This is the painting I did that started this blog.
Where I got the name.
Today was just a rotten day - I pulled the sunflowers from the side of the house (which was depressing), watched Trachsel get whacked by Pittsburgh, and then the Bears with the fumbling in sunny San Diego.

Oh well, so it's now the second place Cubs playing the Cardinals tomorrow in the make-up game from the rainout that stole, I was certain, a victory from Carlos Zambrano who'd thrown 42 pitches through 3 perfect innings and looked brilliant.

The really depressing thing right now is looking at the schedule, there are only 7 home games left for the Cubs.
That's not enough.
I would like my baseball pleasure to last a little longer, please.
Couple games in October at Wrigley?
Hell, why not?
You can tell from this painting that's what I'm thinking.