You have to give the Cubs some credit. When they go down in flames, they do it in unmistakable style. What’s going to be our fond memory of the 2004 season? Will it be Victor Diaz’s homer in New York? How about LaTroy Hawkins throwing four straight fastballs right down the heart of the plate yesterday? D’Angelo Jiminez hit the first one for a triple, and Austin Kearns smacked the last one off the ivy.
I know that the Giants choked to even more epic proportion last night and the Astros are a franchise full of Heimlich memories, but sometimes you just know when it’s over don’t you?
It was like it in the eighth inning of game six last year. Kelly Dwyer posted with indignation that Cubs fans were giving up too early. But you knew it was over. There are certain hardships that you know can be overcome. This isn’t one of them. It’s not slipping away as much as we’re looking down into the water hoping for an air bubble or two.
You can be mad at whoever you want. You can blame LaTroy until his dying day, or Sammy or Corey or Dusty or whoever the next goat will be. Because by law there has to be one more. If the Cubs win their last four games the worst they can do is a playoff. So somebody else has to blow it.
On Tuesday the Cubs divvied up imaginary playoff shares. Today they will meet to draw straws before they hand out the goat horns.
But even now, the Cubs could still surprise us. The four remaining games are all eminently winable. The Braves are not even as good as the team the Cubs beat in the first round last year. Atlanta will certainly be playing with interest because they don’t want to face the Cubs in the playoffs and they would like a crack at home field advantage to avoid St. Louis in the first round.
Because it is true that they’ve gotten some bad breaks in three of the last four losses. Victor Diaz didn’t think he hit the homer, he thought he’d flied out to left to end the game. Moises’ year long piss and moan campaign against the umps caught up to him on a low and inside pitch on a full count with the bases loaded on Sunday. Sean Casey fell into the camera well on a pop up that he never catches–but caught–and Kearns closed his eyes and jumped at Sammy’s flyout with the bases loaded yesterday. So who knows? Maybe it’ll all even out in the next four days?
I’m hoping it’ll happen. I’ll be watching and sweating like Joe Borowski. I’m just not counting on it.
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Other good news. My friends at work told me yesterday that I look just like Chad Hutchinson.
I’m assuming that they don’t mean I make this face all the time. Or, maybe I do. The Cubs will do that to you.
So, instead of signing bogus autographs at the Cubs Convention this year, maybe I’ll use my handsomeness (or something) to hang out on the sidelines at Bears games. You’ll know I successfully impersonated Chad if later in the season he gets put into the game and poops all over the field.
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Wasn’t that a kick in the nuts?
Julian Martinez finally got the axe. We’ll miss him so.
Is the Farns the new closer? Let’s hope we need one.
Matt Clement shaved. Big whup. It’s not like we’ll ever see him again.
Phil blames it all on Regular Joe.
Mike Downey doesn’t get it. Acutally maybe he does, but his headline writer doesn’t.
Jonathan Quinn, superstar.
If Craig Krenzel plays this year, I’m moving to Canada.
What the f@#$ is this?
Mariotti puts down the doughnut for another thoughtful missive.
In the event of a three-way tie for the wild card, the Cubs will host both games (if they win the first, of course). In a two-way tie, the Cubs are on the road in either case.
Phil Garner must have a horseshoe up his ass.
The Expos are off to play at RFK next year. Let’s hope the fans don’t scare them. They’re used to playing in silence.
The Wizard of Roz still thinks the Cubs are going to win it.
Sports Guy seems to think the Sox can actually beat the Yankees when it counts. He’s alone.
Jayson Stark with everything you wanted to know about the Expos move.
An Indians pitcher got shot on the team bus. Maybe the Indians are just practicing for their first road trip to DC?
Spanish-yes.com’s Kelly Dwyer on the Lakers. LA’s other team.
America’s finest news source on why Alvin has to wear that A on his sweater. Why is a chipmunk wearing a sweater in the first place?
"Atlanta will certainly be playing with interest because they don’t want to face the Cubs in the playoffs"
Anyone who thinks that is dead wrong. Teams should realzie that they don’t want to face the Astros.
Do you want to face Zambrano and whomever else decides to throw or Oswalt and Clemens?
Do you want to face Sosa, Alou and Patterson or Beltran, Biggio and Berkman?
The Cards, if they face Houston some time in the playoffs, are gonna get their asses spanked.
Do you want to face Hawkins or Lidge trailing in the 9th?
Remember us in 2003? Good times, we lost Friday and Saturday the last weekend. If the Cub game gets rained out on Friday we will have flashbacks.
United Artists have just announced their new film project "Three Men Out: The Story of the 2004 Blackbirds Scandal".
This film is said to focus on the final weeks of the 2004 baseball season when the St. Louis Cardinals, led by their manager Tony "The Genius" LaRussa (also known as "Gutless Tony" and portayed by Don Johnson of "Miami Vice" fame), were ordered to throw five of the last six regular season games against Houston in order to help the Astros win the Wild Card over their nemesis, the Chicago Cubs.
At issue is the benching of Albie Pujols, (played by Edward James Olmos), Reggie Sanders (played by Chris Rock), and Larry Walker (played by Will Farrell) in the last game of the series in Houston, despite the fact they have a day off the next day, followed by three meaningless games against the Milwaukee Brewers). Commissioner Bud Selig (portrayed by former "Law and Order" star Jerry Orbach) is forced into action and launches an investigation after an angry young man from Iowa threatens a beat-down on the mullet-wearing manager from the Gateway City.
The film is still in its final developmental stages, pending outcome of the regular season.
I will step up and say what needs to be said. Dusty, please make me the closer these next four games. I can do the job if you just give me a chance.
I could play Albie.
The Cubs didn’t need the Cardinals to beat the Astros, the Cubs just needed to beat the Reds.
Who is playing me in this movie?
Shocking. This really has morphed from the Daily Dose to the DAily Dose of Reality.
A welcome change.
I am batting seventh today.
Patterson
Garciaparra
Rameriz
Alou
Sosa
Walker
Lee
Bako
Prior
I will play you Matty
Hey, I told Tony about a 1991 game at Rich Stadium against the Detroit Lions. I had the AFC East title all sewn up and the Bears and Lions were tied going into the week. I sat EVERYONE: Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly, et al. and Barry Sanders ran up 180 yards against the 3rd string defensive unit as Detroit won in Buffalo. (No one won in Buffalo except for the Bills)
And the next night, the Bears were smoked at the ‘Stick by the 49ers, as Detroit won the division.
For what it’s worth, while Olmos is wrinkly enough to play Pooholes, he’s not old enough. I’d choose Cesear Romero.
Yes, I know he’s dead.
Do I get to star in the movie? Who plays opposite me as my leading man, Jim?
You said:
"Do you want to face Sosa, Alou and Patterson or Beltran, Biggio and Berkman?"
That’s a terrible argument. Why not ask if they’d rather face Bako, DeFelice and Rusch or Beltran, Biggio and Berkman?
You have to ask about the three best, and I’d rather face the B’s from Houston than Aramis, Alou and Nomar.
Hey, we have someone in here who wants a part in this flick real bad.
I think we can probably fit him in.
One of the Morans wants a part? Is it Erin Moran? Hmm, if that’s the case, maybe I can play Matt Morris or Steve Kline.
Who left me these Greyhound tickets for Kansas City?
Grab some of me and blow hard…
This crybaby attitude about the Cardinals intentionally tanking is just so much whining as to sound like a pussy.
Stop being so alarmist and conspiratorial and, above all, take your medicine like men.
This has nothing to do with the Cardinals; it has everything to do with the Cubs. And the majority of this board thinks the Cards are obsessed with the Cubs?
Get some of me with lotion next time…
No one realizes any more than I do that the Cubs could’ve taken care of this in their own. But like Austin Kearns said, "we owe it to the other teams in the (playoff race) to play these games hard". The Genius and the Blackbirds didn’t, and I’ll believe that till the end.
Hey Kleenex, that’s real sanctimonious and honorable of you to take the high road. You’re probably some jerk-off Cardinal or White Sox fan who has to come here and get your jollies. This is a pro-Cubs site and we’ll bitch about the Cardinals and make fun of ’em when we want. So go take some of your lotioned-up tissue and visit DK’s burial site.
Hey, is it our fault as well that you choked and lost four of five to the METS AND REDS?
We don’t owe you anything. But yeah, it makes a lot of sense to wear out Pujols, Walker and Edmonds just so we can help you all out down the stretch.
Lose 4 of 5 to the worst teams in baseball. Lose 4 of 6 early in the season to Arizona.
But, it’s Tony LaRoosa’s fault.
Who the hell is writing this? George Offman?
This team is overrated. Has been all year. Deal with it and stop sounding like Matt Morris.
Babies.
This is a no-brainer by LaRussa. Tanking the game or not is never going to be proved, however his logic is pretty sound: If you have a chance to rest your beat up elderly players for two full days this late in the season, just before the playoffs (which you are assured a spot in), you have to take advantage of that. Don’t carp on the Genius–it’s a smart move and the team has a better record than the Cubs and are afforded that luxury. Whining is only making you seem like a Moran.
Good to see you taking me as well, Dave.
Yeah, this board is really honorable. I know because I have been coming here as a Cubs fan for the last year and a half.
The "high road" is exactly where you find yourself as you whine and blubber about the Cardinals. Gimme a break. Seems you need a new map.
I actually see it as two different issues. The Giants could just as easily take exception for it as well. It’s a time honored tradition to play your best players in games that could affect a pennant race. Sitting those three guys is pretty significant. The Cardinals also have a day off today and three meaningless games this weekend, and LaRussa didn’t rest his guys after he clinched as much as he did in one game last night. Sure, a day off for a guy here and there, but not three of your top five in one night.
Some of it is sour grapes, but the majority of people think he’s a turd.
Uhmmm… Dave B…. we don’t have today off.
And did you ever think that maybe our crappy pitching has finally caught up with us? You know, it is the thing that everyone has predicted all season long.
LaRussa’s been resting players for weeks now, on a regular basis, because he can. Another time honored tradition is: as soon as the team that coasted through the regular season is eliminated from the playoffs, the knuckleheads hit the airwaves and scream about how the manager cost his team the World Series by wearing them out in September chasing useless wins.
LaRussa is a lot more concerned about this backlash than anything related to the Cubs, as shocking as that may be.
My fault on thinking the Cardinals have a day off. I guess The Genius would rather have his guys tune up to a pitcher of Doug Davis’ caliber today than a washed-up Roger Clemens last night.
Yeah, I’m no good. It’s not like I held my own against FatRoger last week…
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=240924108
Sincerely,
Doug Davis
I’m also not really washed up, considering that I have a sub3 ERA.
I think Dave was being sarcastic in throwing you down to the donut line, Rog. Still, the point about Davis is well made-he’s pretty good, actually.
"Intrepid reader# 9: Chuck
Shocking. This really has morphed from the Daily Dose to the DAily Dose of Reality.
A welcome change. "
Thanks for the affirmation. I’ll stick in my big pile of kudos from people I could give a rat’s ass about right after the one from the guy who told me my car was ‘shiny.’"
Which one is Hutchinson?
At least the "Prior is a Headcase" people can go F themselves.
It’s a plus, really. :)
To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them: but they fear it as if they know quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know? by propecia
Man is the measure of all things: of those which are, that they are; of those which are not, that they are not. by casino