What the hell?
About the last thing I've been paying attention to is the standings.
I mean... there's so much weirdness going on...
Weren't the Cubs in 4th place about a minute ago?
Isn't everything all Cubby-Occuranced up?
All I've been hearing about is one injury after another for the Cubs, and the tightwad Cardinals went and loaded for bear with some big time trades...
And the Cubs moved into FIRST?
How?
It feels like Lou just won big at bingo.
God.
I bought some milk today.
You know how you check all the cartons out to see which one has the latest "sell by" date, and that "sell by" date is a couple weeks away?
It was "Sell by August 10th".
AUGUST TENTH?
In a couple weeks it's going to be August 10th?
What happened to the freaking Summer?
I haven't been to the beach once!
I haven't snuck out of the office for ANYTHING, let alone a Cub game.
I haven't put on sunblock... I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN UNCOMFORTABLY HOT YET.
Ohh.
This is not good.
Okay, I'm making a promise right now.
I'm gonna slow down.
Introduce myself to my family.
Cub games will happen in the back yard with the radio on.
I will get out my bike, and actually make the pedals go around.
I will go to the park and paint a landscape.
Well, I hate landscapes, but... something tedious where I have to concentrate.
Lucky the Cubs scored those late inning runs, because that ump totally blew it on the Koyie Hill tag, and I'd feel vaguely guilty had the Cubs won by one...
Rich Harden can pitch when the sun is out (retired 16 Reds in a row!).
Alfonso might really be waking up.
Cubs sweep the Reds, winning 5-2 today along with 12 hits!
And they're in first place.
Mother of God, maybe there's a pennant race going on and I just didn't notice.
Go Cubs!
PS: Might be a good day to get in a poker game.
Buy a lotto ticket or something.
Enjoy this while it lasts.
Laughed out loud at this one. I wandered out on the driveway this morning to pick up the Tribune and was greeted with a huge photo on the front page with the headline "Cubs Sweep into 1st Place!" I'm still shaking my head in amazement.
And don't even talk to a teacher about the summer flying by. I started seeing the Back to School ads two weeks ago.
Posted by: Donna | July 27, 2009 at 07:37 AM
BINGO. BWHAHAHAHAHA! "Loaded for bear" BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I'm still in shock. I've been having to fight blurting out inappropriate baseball stuff out loud since yesterday. I am silently screaming in my cube. Speaking of inappropriate, did I mention a bad text I misdirected to my former teaching clinical supervisor (a very prim older lady) when I meant to send it to Hayley? I can't remember which player for us did something good, but it was one of those "A-bleeping!-ramis!" type of texts. And then I was like OMG I SENT THAT TO MS NADEN. That was a couple weeks ago. I sent an apology text. But then I think I'm going to claim Tourret's.
Did you see Rich's post game interview on the Tribune website? Total snark about day/night. LOVE IT. O CANADA.
Ah. Also, photos from yesterday (along with a couple short vids): http://www.flickr.com/photos/17986186@N08/sets/72157621847143336/with/3760138068/
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 07:47 AM
Donna, I tried to do Lou pulling First Place out of a CrackerJacks box, but for some reason it got too complex.
But isn't this what it feels like?
Look what I found!
FIRST PLACE.
I fully expect this position to fluctuate for the rest of the season.
And DB AWESOME PHOTOS!
I love the ones of Pat and Ron - can't believe I haven't said anything about missing Mr. Santo.
I think Keith Moreland was overall pretty awesome, but I missed Ronny a ton.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 10:03 AM
How'd it happen?
It ain't bingo...it's baseball!
And in baseball, shit happens. And if you believe in the old saw "for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction" then it follows that "unshit" happens.
In other words, yesterday shit happened to the Turdinals, the Ass-tros and the Cheeseheads. And unshit happened to the Cubbies.
We suffered through a shit first half.
I'm ready for an unshit second half!
(And oh yeah...I hate the Ass-tros)
Posted by: Bud | July 27, 2009 at 10:34 AM
All is better with Ronnie back in the booth. I totally missed him, too. You know what? I wish for one game they would have all four - Len, Bob, Pat and Ron - be on air together for both radio and tv. Or even swap gigs. I think that would be hysterical.
And yeah - it's going to be nuts. It's going to be see-sawing back and forth (there's an idea for a drawing, a see-saw, and remember when you were little and you'd jump off really fast and the other person would BAM! go into the ground?). We've got to try to win every series.
Meh. Photos. I would have been happier if I could magic eraser the net out of the way, visually speaking! Kept screwing up my focus!
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Weird.
Cardinal fan Jay sent me this email:
This is a remarkable stat from the Elias Sports Bureau: On Sunday the Cardinals loss to the Phillies dropped them out of first place and pushed the Cubs into the NL Central lead.
Quote from Elias: “It was the first time since August 11, 1936 that the Cubs displaced the Cardinals as the first-place team in their league or division race this late in a season.”
Did a little digging beyond the Elias note, and if you think of the year you’ll quickly think about what else was going on at that time.
For context, that is the day this happened:
On August 11, 1936, in Berlin, U.S. track icon Jesse Owens won the gold medal in the long jump, defeating Germany’s Lutz Long).
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Totally OT: Remember (of course you do!) your little story of dorktasticness re: Morgan Freeman?
I think you can stop feeling like a dork. Look at this: http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Morgan-Freeman.aspx?cp-searchtext=Morgan%20Freeman%20to%20marry%20step-granddaughter
If true: ewwwww.
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Great photos, DB. I especially like the ones of Harden warming up with all the ivy in the background. Beautiful!
I also like your idea of all four announcers doing a game together. I love both Pat and Bob and find myself switching back and forth between radio and TV.
Posted by: Donna | July 27, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Do you know how hysterical it would be to have both Bob and Ron in one booth? Those two would probably have me in permanent stitches. Theyre both the goofballs/loose cannons of their respective pairings!
Man, would I pay good money to have that happen.
Anything with Rich Harden in it automatically equals beautiful. Excuse me, Ill go drool somewhere else now.
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Ew.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 12:43 PM
But you totally feel like less of a dork, am I right? I mean, a guy like that? You should never feel like a dork against that.
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 12:45 PM
In your words, I hate the Astros.
I've got a final tonight during most of the first game of the series. This displeases me, but at least I got to head out to yesterday's game. The thing that I love about Cubs fans is that we generally have a pretty good grasp on the big picture, and everyone in my section was following the Cards, Brewers, and Astros games just as closely as the one in front of us.
Luck? Maybe... but it's really felt like the Cubs have been pulling it together since the All-Star break. With the exception of that one really terrible game against the Phillies (I'm thinking TL was injured even then), it's been some good solid ball playing since the break. Everyone's swings are there. I don't even care that it's the Nats and the Reds we've beat. Even the bullpen is getting it together. It's been a while since Kevin Gregg has blown a save and, dare I say it, I have grown comfortable with seeing him come in.
Anyway, four games against the Astros this week, and they've gotta be demoralized after dropping the series to the Mets. I'm taking an out of town friend to Thursday's game and am kind of excited to see Kevin Hart starting. Did that kid show up to the majors with his game face on or what? Between Randy Wells and Hart, we've called up some really great guys this year.
Posted by: Ryen | July 27, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Ryen, I do this blog every day.
How was I so blindsided by the reality of first place?
Maybe I just didn't believe because it was the Nats and Reds and the Phillies looked like they were from a more advanced league when they played the Cubs.
Anyway, all good points and man, it's good to be feeling good about everything you're saying here.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 04:49 PM
I'm sitting at my table eating a salad. I'm on the fourth floor, so I've got a good view of the clouds rolling in from my window as I eat. Clouds. Rain clouds. Mwhahaha...the Asstrolls are definitely in town and the weather gods have noted their arrival. Tim you need some kind of wrath of the gods gif for the Asstrolls.
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 05:00 PM
Say it ain't so.
I'm about to leave for the park...
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 05:11 PM
Well! Just don't wear a Lance Berkman sized chain around your neck. We know how you love the bling but safety first!
Sent from my iPod
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 05:42 PM
Ok, so I totally don't get the squeeze when all we need is a fly ball and Lil Babe ends up doing exactly that. Then Fonzie not only goes for a lil dumper, he hits a BOMB....Eat me Houston...You had your chances. So how much do I trust Lou now? Why why why the squeeze? Ok, let it go...But f#@k, it makes me wonder. Oswalt tomorrow, Hey Demps, how bout six innings? My Schild Brau Amber from Millstream in Amana, IA says what up LaTroy was that gay or what? The ump took a shot from Hill then off his mask then he tosses Hawkins, jeez. Oh well, we're in first, go figure...Beers all around...Think October...
Posted by: Cire Ddot Nekliw | July 27, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Ooh, I forgot, Stevens was HUGE!!!
Posted by: Cire Ddot Nekliw | July 27, 2009 at 11:11 PM
In frakkin sane! I was about ready to choke Soriano. Did you stay for the whole game?
And the NATS beat the Brewers 14-6! That's gotta blow. Hard.
Posted by: DB | July 27, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I'm such an idiot.
I left after the 12th.
Wearing a huge chain around my neck.
Luckily there was no lightning, except from Soriano's bat after I left.
No post tomorrow.
I have an all day thing starting way too early.
Eric, seriously.
Why the squeeze?
I'm afraid Fontenot will be banned forever because he didn't deliver on a dumb call.
On the radio, Lou said, "Well, you gotta at least foul that one off."
And he's right.
Unless you just let him swing away.
Oh well.
A W.
Cubs still in first!
Crazy season...
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 27, 2009 at 11:59 PM
All Nightmare Long, by Metallica....Sums it up, that's all I have for now, don't be afraid....Hunt you down without mercy.....We're still in first, Think October...
Posted by: Cire Ddot Nekliw | July 28, 2009 at 01:02 AM
Dateline Wrigley: I hate, you hate, we ALL hate the Ass-tros!
Geez...I feel like I just walked into a Ginsberg/Kerouac baseball afficianados convention!
Poetic Cubby-delerium?
Anyhow...let's talk squeeze plays and drama, shall we?
The thing about squeeze plays is that the fans (and the second-guessing writers) either love them or hate them (always after the fact). The manager who calls the play is either a flaming idiot (squeeze failed) or he's a genius (squeeze worked).
Fontent gets the bat on the ball - HERO! (Well, maybe tomorrow)
Soriano strikes out - IDIOT! (Well, maybe tomorrow)
Why? I think it's because baseball-fan(atic) zeitgeist celebrates DRAMA. We see it in every play, every decision, every game.
Then we come back to earth with a dose of "what you see is what you get" folksy realism from Lou Pinella:
"I tell ya...our young pitching really did a nice job for us today"
"Fontenot just needs to get the bat on the ball"
"Zambrano pitched a good game"
But when those of us who are more poetic weigh in, sometimes the post-mortems and the post-resurrections start to sound the same.
"Can you believe what happened? _______ insert team and result here (zeitgeist encouraged)".
I like Lou's view. It's just baseball. Be a professional. Play hard. Execute. Win more than you lose. Simple.
Go Cubs...beat the Ass-tros!
Simple.
Posted by: Bud | July 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Well, the Cubs have technically been ahead of the Cards for awhile. They have less losses. But, either way, now the Standings show that too! YES! Sweeping the Reds is great! They have what, a 6 game winning streak now? Alfonso sucked last night but in the 13th he hit a Walk-off grand slam!? AMAZING! The Cardinals did win last night, I was a little disapointed considering it was against the dodgers. Oh well, although I hate the Dodgers they need to win tonight and the Cubs will easily win tonight. Sorry I just rambled a little bit, but oh well.
PS: it kinda sucks living in St. Louis for 2 reasons: 1, we get smart-asses that give you trouble about the Cubs, and 2: Cub games are on maybe twice a week.
Posted by: Aaron | July 28, 2009 at 11:08 AM
PPS: Dempster better find the plate tonight
Posted by: Aaron | July 28, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Oh, we'll be watching for that, Aaron.
Posted by: Tim@Cubby Blue | July 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM