How do you like these tense pennant races, Cubs fans? Remember in 1998 when from August 15 to the last day of the season the NL Wild Card leader never had more than a one game lead? This one hasn’t been that close every day, but the Cubs have 11 games to go and not only are the Astros within striking distance…suddenly the wild card seems possible, too.

A good rule of thumb when you’re in a race with more than one team in front of you is to add a game for every team between you and the leader.

For example, the Cubs are 1.5 games behind the Astros, so they’re 1.5 games out since there are no teams between them and the Astros.

The Cubs are 2.5 games behind the Marlins in the wild card race, but have the Phillies and Dodgers between them, so it’s like 4.5 games.

The Cardinals are five games behind the Astros with the Cubs between them so it’s like they’re 47 games behind.

Or something.

This whole wild card thing kind of snuck up on us, but with the Phillies and Marlins having to deal with each other and the Braves down the stretch—with the Braves chugging hard for home field advantage—and the Dodgers finishing up with the Giants (doing the same as the Braves) and the Astros, it’s likely that the Cubs and Astros could both cruise on past those three teams and have both the NL Central winner and the runner up end up in the playoffs.

Basically, my original theory holds true. If the Cubs go 10-3 in their last 13 games (they’re already 2-0) there will be playoff baseball in Wrigley Field. I’m giddy just thinking about it.

Last night two interesting things happened. First, WGN got off their lazy hindquarters and moved a game from the rancid WCIU to their air. So the final Cubs game of the year not available on DirecTV was on DirecTV after all. Kudos. (And other candy bars.)

Then, Mark Prior came out and had “bad stuff” according to Chip. Whatever. What did he give up? A lucky close-your-eyes-and-pray-you-hit-it homer to Roger Cedeno and two flyballs that were butchered by Moises Alou and Kenny Lofton. He struck out THIRTEEN! At one point he struck out seven of eight hitters. Once the Cubs took the 3-1 lead, I crawled up on the roof of the Desipio Tower and changed the huge magic number billboard we have erected. (At least Karry said something about erecting…or something.)

It was over. I finding these last few weeks to be a new experience for me as a Cubs fan. I was my normal fretting, sweating, screaming self during the Cardinals’ series, but when they went to Milwaukee and swept the Brewers, a strange calm came over me. I’ve started watching these games to see how they’ll win them, not lose them.

Granted, I like the trend of them scoring early and giving the pitchers a little support. I do not like the trend of them scoring early and then not scoring again unless the other team catches up.

Call me crazy (I’ve been called worse), but I’m actually enjoying this. In 1998 I watched the games and just wanted them to be over so I could start breathing again. But I think a lot of this has to do with starting guys like Wood, Zambrano and Prior instead of Mark Clark, Don Wengert and a 77 year old Mike Morgan. Actually, that is the reason.

Meanwhile, the White Sox were in Minneapolis doing what they always do in the Metrodome. Losing.

This has to be a killer time for Sox fans. They can now clearly see that the likelihood of them making the playoffs is shrinking every day. Basically, all they can hope for is strong play from Houston and one of the other wild card teams to keep the Cubs out of the playoffs. Ahh, envy. It’s such an attractive feature.

I don’t think Jerry Manuel is a good manager. But I don’t blame him for running Stevie Loiaza out there last night. Loiaza had the flu. So what? This is a pennant race. Unless you have a limb removed, you get your ass out there. You’re an American League pitcher. You basically work for 15 minutes then sit for 15 minutes and repeat. Sox fans want to string Manuel up for not skipping him, but can you imagine how upset they’d be had he skipped Loiaza and Jon Garland got lit up, like he eventually did anyway.

Besides, the Sox only gave up five runs last night. Garland will give that many up tonight. So it comes down to the offense needing to step it up, anyway.

Loiaza didn’t do Manuel any favors when he sat in the clubhouse with his feet in a pail of bubbling water, with some Vicks Vaporub on his neck and under his nose, a towel wrapped around his head and a rectal thermometer in his…mouth saying, “I’m sick.”

Remember in the mid 80s how Scott Sanderson would give up a few hits and then start to limp? One glorious night in Los Angeles, on national TV no less, he pretended to hyperventilate and had to come out of the game. That was Stevie last night. What a putz.

Besides, all you need to know about the Sox happened with one out in the ninth. Jurassic Carl Everett had hit a homer to make it 5-2 and after a 14 pitch at bat, Paul Konerko hit a grounder to Minnesota shortstop Christian Guzman. Guzman bobbled it, dropped it, picked it up and threw Konerko out…by three steps. Ouch.

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I’m sending yesterday’s letter to WGN TV, Fox Sports Net and both John MacDonough and the evil Sharon Pannozzo, but I regret forgetting this gem.

Chip Caray says the word “pounded” a lot. He’s also obsessed with the word “magic”. Like “late inning magic” or “magic off the bench.” Steve seems preoccupied with “thunder off the bench”, too, but that’s another thing for another time.

But Chip really likes pounded. My favorite. The night he said the Astros were “pounding” the Dodgers 4-1. Yeah, three runs. That’s a “pounding” all right. It just sounds to me like another example of Chip’s sexual frustration. He’d like to be pounded. Perhaps that’s why Craig Biggio’s name came up again last night for no good reason.

Guh.

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The Cubs beat the Mets 3-2, but Paul Sullivan doesn’t think it was easy.

Kerry Wood needs 32 strikeouts to tie Fergie Jenkins’ Cubs record for K’s in a season. Thirty-two K’s? He might get that today against the Mets. Especially with Josh Paul catching. “And another strikeout passed ball. Oops.”

“Don’t be surprised if I throw up on the mound.” Who said that?
a) Sox starter Stevie Loiaza
b) William Ligue plotting his next stunt
c) Karen Carpenter before throwing out a first pitch at Dodger Stadium in 1974
d) All of the above

It’s d!

Rick Morrissey doesn’t like the Sox chances.

Phil Rogers takes a nice story and just hacks it to bits.

Marty Booker just figured out that Kordell is no damn good.

The good news for the Irish. It can’t get much worse. Maybe.

The Bruce Weber recruiting era has begun. Sandwiches for everybody!

The Chicago Fire are trying to figure out where they should build their new soccer stadium. How about Guatemala?

Mariotti puts down the doughnut to spit up on Stevie Loiaza.

Hey, this Charles Tillman is pretty good. OK. Maybe that’s too much too soon. How about, “Hey, this Charles Tillman guy doesn’t suck that bad!”?

We tried to warn Cardinals fans a few weeks ago. The Cubs are going to better than you for about a decade or so. Get used to it. Muahahahahahahahahahaha!

The Wizard of Roz thinks the Sox hit the “snooze” button last night.

Tom Verducci discusses the fall of the Cardinals. This is fun reading. I think I might have to print it out and save it.

Stewey answers his mail.

Eight Simple Rules for Banging My Teenage Daughter will go on without John Ritter. I hate to break it to the cast, but even with Ritter (who was always funny in anything) the show was bad.

Kamato Hongo is 116 years old. But she doesn’t look a day over 97.

General Wesley Clark is running for president. If only he’ll pick Admiral James “Who am I? Why am I here?” Stockdale to be his running mate.

Xtina is bad because her daddy was mean. I don’t care. She’s just hot.

Madeline Albright’s husband left her for somebody younger and (gasp!) more attractive. I’ve seen catcher’s mitts more attractive than Madeline Albright.

America’s finest news source says that the history of Rock and Roll is written by the losers.