We knew it wouldn’t be easy. But worse things have happened to the Cubs than to send Kerry Wood to the mound with a chance to prolong the season, and keep the dream of a pennant alive. Better still is the fact that Mike Hampton will give the Cubs a second chance to slap him around, this time on short rest.
All that rides on tonight’s game is everything.
See you then.
Hello again everybody. Here we are for game five of the National League Division Series. Thanks to a complete lack of killer instinct from last night’s starter, the Cubs hand the ball to Kerry Wood with a chance to, as Carlos Zambrano is fond of saying, "kill the Braves."
When you think about it, perhaps the only Cub in the postseason rotation who wouldn’t relish a chance to win a huge game is the one who started last night. The good news, he’s not pitching tonight.
Of course the main event will focus on whether or not the Cubs will plant a fastball in Bob Fick’s chin if he strolls to the plate. The Braves are starting Julio Franco, and frankly, Julio has no chance to get a hit off of Wood. If Kerry throws anything but heat to that octogenerian with the 74 ounce bat, there should be an investigation.
Tonight’s lineups:
Cubs
cf Lofton
2b Gruddy
rf Sosa
lf Alou
3b E-ramis
1b Karros
ss Gonzalez
c Miller
p Wood
Braves
ss Furcal
2b Giles
rf Sheffield
lf Larry Wayne
c Javy
cf Druw
1b Franco, J.
3b Mullet
p Hampton
So Sheffield returns to the lineup, which is fine by us since he’s killed more rallies than an Alabama policeman with a fire hose.
Bob (expletive) Fick went off on an (expletive) filled rant, (expletive, expletive, expletive) last night after he tried to hold hands with Karros at first base last night. He’s not in the lineup.
If John Smoltz is going to be as effective tonight as he was last night, bring him on.
But Dusty said it today in his pregame press conference. The Cubs are trying to make John Smoltz’s elbow moot, by getting a lead and hanging on to it, so he can sit comfortably in the Braves bullpen.
Karry Ling drove the Desipio Vega down to Atlanta for tonight’s game and he’ll be filing reports.
Let’s see what he’s got for us.
I have a little known fact about the Atlanta Braves and their fans. On a typical summer night they are the only team in baseball who’s stands have more fans in them than teeth.
Ewww.
I’d say the crowd will be about 40 percent Cubs fans tonight.
I’ll also wager it will be about 50 percent drunk off it’s ass by the sixth inning.
Thanks, Karry. Fine apostrophe usage (not) as usual.
tHom said the crowd is full of "raucous sell out"s. Huh?
Tim McCarver? Are you kidding me? He’s got a fresh coat of orange paint on his hair and he is an improvement over Steve Lyons, but then, a case of scabies is an improvement over Steve Lyons.
tHom said The Farns availability is "inning by inning." That makes no sense. What does that mean?
Does that mean anything?
What, are they going to call down to the bullpen every inning and go, "Farns awake yet?"
The answer is usually no, anyway.
tHom keeps talking about how well Hampton pitched in game two. I just remember him pitching with the bases loaded a lot.
Maybe that’s just me.
That’s a nice start. Lofton doubles off the wall, and the crowd is pretty pro-Cub.
Gruddy fails in two bunt attempts and then strikes out.
Woof.
Ball two to Sosa is a passed ball on Javy. Lofton to third. 2-1 count on Sammy.
Sammy walks. First and third one out.
Here’s Moises. He’s only hitting .500 in the series.
Big opportunity here.
Moises singles. Lofton scores.
OK, Kerry. There’s your run.
Go get ’em.
1-0 CUBS!!!
Where is my eternal optimism turning into harsh pessimism? I sound strange to even myself right now…
Aramis hits into a fielder choice, two down. Runners at the corners for last night’s only offensive hero, Eric Karros.
Ramirez grounds to the Mullet, Alou forced at second, but no double play. First and third, two out.
McCarver thinks Sammy should have been on third on Alou’s hit, but Larry Wayne came close to catching that, Sammy did just fine staying at second.
Here’s Karros, who homered twice yesterday.
Even when Hampton’s getting strikes he’s missing his target by a foot.
What if they found a way to put McCarver, Morgan and Lyons in the same booth?
Let me see, fire, floods, locusts, famine – oh here it is – yep that would be the Apocalypse.
Hampton’s 2-2 pitch caused him to walk off the mound thinking it was strike three.
To be fair, I thought it was, too.
Karros strikes out swinging on ball four on the next pitch.
But, the Cubs score first. Kerry takes the mound with a 1-0 lead.
Jeff Kellogg gives Karros a call on 3-2, and then Eric swings at ball four to end the inning… 1-0 Cubs after the top of the first, but another inning in which they should have had more…
I’m here with Fox baseball analyst Steve Lyons. Hey Steve, when did you know Tim McCarver would be announcing this game?
Steve: "About 20 minutes ago when he showed up, poured my coffee in my lap and told me to get him a fresh cup."
Back to you, Andy.
McCarver said a key to this game would be the Braves taking pitches early and getting Wood’s pitch count up.
Uh…Furcal grounds to second on the first pitch.
One out.
Unintentional comedy on Kerry Wood’s scouting report as Tim McCarver had to say "problemo". Fortunately, this isn’t the worst announcing crew in history on FOX. For that, you’d have to include Joe Buck.
Kerry threw a curve for a strike to Giles and just smiled. He then blew him away with a fastball.
Two out.
Kerry’s got his seriously good shit tonight.
Marcus Giles swinging at something that appeared to be around Macon, Georgia, not Atlanta.
Two down.
McCarver: "That’s just bordering on unfair right there…"
Not getting a strikeout on Sheffield, this could turn unfair.
Sheffield singles to center, but he looked pretty bad on the swing. His ass was in the Cubs dugout when he hit it.
Chipper Jones and Kerry Wood going with very similiar facial hair looks tonight. I don’t know what to say about noticing that…
Kerry’s slider sends Larry Wayne to the outfield without supper.
After one. Cubs 1, Braves 0. Wood’s pitch count–14.
Kerry Wood gets Larry Wayne on a buckling curve and of course Larry Wayne ignored the fact it was right over the plate in his argument with Jeff Kellogg… I like the way the home plate umpiring is going so far.
After one inning:
Cubs: 1
Braves: 0
Bob Fick: Somewhere around -$20,000
I’m across the street here at Turner Field with former Braves mascot Chief Knockahoma. Chief, do big games like this make you a little wistful that the politically correct culture cost you your job.
Chief: "Nah, it just makes me wish Bo Diaz hadn’t been killed by a satellite dish."
Can’t argue with that.
Back to you, Andy
i thought the cub’s were playing tonight and I spent $1000 for roofttop seats and no one is home. Whatt did I do wrong?
A-GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s why you start him Dusty.
About two seconds after I said, "Come on, Alex put a charge into one." he did.
He homers to center and it’s 2-0 Cubs.
i always kneew A-Gon would get another hit before his Cub career was over!
Fox Flashback time: Leon Durham video tape… Leon Durham video tape???
McCarver used the word "Sosian" to describe Alex’s homer.
I have nothing to retort.
My fearless prediction, if the Cubs score a run every inning tonight, they’ll win.
Miller grounds out to Furcal.
tHom is reminding us that the Cubs choked in three games at San Diego in 1984. That’s nice, because I’m sure we’d all forgotten it.
Isn’t "Put a charge into one…" a Chip Caray copyrighted announcing-ism???
Wood fans. Two out.
McCarver still sporting the multi-colored hair rug… Good job there Tim, go do Baseketball II why don’t you?
No, "put a charge into one," is mine. "Rocket shot," is Chip’s.
The Mullet gets Lofton on a close play at first.
The Cubs add another and it’s 2-0.
Two things about Tim McCarver that inning. First, he said that Alex is a "high ball hitter," which is true, and also that I’m a "high ball drinker."
The other, he said that in 1995 when the Braves won the World Series they won it when Dave Justice hit a homer off of Tom Glavine. Fox apparently saves a lot of money on fact checkers.
Back to you, Andy.
An inning and a half and we haven’t heard "dead red". I thought that was a staple of Fox broadcasting.
I think I’ll inform the world of the Billy Goat curse somewhere around the fifth, right after Tim talks about Buckner and hIS ground ball….
Javy grounds weakly to Alex for the first out.
Druw grounds to Alex.
Two out.
I’m a dead Red.
Hey, where the every other pitch shot of me tonight?
Somebody tell Rupert Murdoch that Fox News Channel-type journalism doesn’t work in the sports business…
Wood is keeping his pitch count low right now, in my opinion.
19 more groundballs right at Alex and we’ll be going home to play Florida Tuesday.
i guess this is as good a time for my agent to give Jim a call about a contract extension.
Here’s Julio Franco, the only man in the game who was alive the last time the Cubs won the World Series.
McCarver just called Bob Fick, illegitimate. I have no doubt.
Kerry goes 3-0 on the only guy who can’t hit his fastball. Julio.
And he walks him on four. Blecch.
I was a teammate of Julio’s when the Sox last won it all – doesn’t that count for something?
Wood throws a nice curve to the Mullet and Miller goes to talk to him about it.
Kerry is wearing Prior’s glove. What’s Prior going to wear when he pitches the eighth?
Kerry gets the Mullet on a nasty slider.
After two. Cubs 2, Braves 0. Wood’s pitch count — 29.
weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
whhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeere’s
thhhhhhhhhhhheeee
cameraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?
I’m available for an inning today.
So am I.
Wood needs two easy innings (9 or less) to get a complete game in under 125 pitches, in my opinion. Of course, Dusty could take out Dusty and put in Alfonseca in the eighth and just kill us all.
Well, there are some times I wish Dusty could take out Dusty. :-)
Why is Gruddy swinging so hard?
Stop it.
Gruddy takes a little off the swing and dumps a single into left.
One on, nobody out. Here’s Sammy.
Put a charge into one, Sammy.
Let #$@#% karros pitch the $#@@$ eight. I know I can *^$#$@ hit him!
Sammy shatters his bat and gets the toothless wonders in the stands fired up.
Sammy does not care.
Sammy just gets a new war club.
McCarver is laughing a little too hard.
Now tHom is retelling the cork story because he loves to.
Hey, the cork video! How novel.
McCarver says he "does not believe" Sammy’s story. Whatever Tim…
McCarver can’t believe Sammy broke a bat. Sammy does it every night. Get over it.
Sammy strikes out on ball three.
If the Cubs would only swing at Hampton’s strikes they’d pummell him to death.
McCarver’s overused term is "tightly wrapped".
Moises (Postseason) Alou now up after Sammy strikes out.
Tim uses "tightly wrapped" so often it makes me miss Steve Stone’s oft-repeated "middle in".
Mike Hampton absolutely convinced Mark Grudzielanek is going to try to steal a base…
Did anyone else notice how much Robert Fick looks like Scut Farkus?
Hey has yellow eyes. Yellow-eyes!
Alou strikes out.
E-ramis grounds to the Mullet.
Nice job. A leadoff single does nothing.
Still 2-0 Cubs.
Come on Kerry, you REALLY need to get through this inning 1-2-3.
He had green teeth, too Ralphie.
Although I’d rather be up 2-0 than down 2-0, I still have a really bad feeling about this game.
Jimmy Carter is on hand to congratulate the losers after the game. The Braves clubhouse is on the right, Mr. President.
Hampton whiffs on four pitches.
McCarver informs us that when Jimmy Carter comes to games he brings his own nuts. They’re in Rosalyn’s purse, of course.
E-ramis guns down Furcal.
Two out.
Hey guys, I can throw it without clutching. Yes!!!
McCarver: "A really big foot for a really small guy…"
Come on Tim, THERE ARE KIDS WATCHING. No time for that unintentional comedy.
tHom said, "There are guys who go the other way–Giles is one of them." That’s too much info. Save it for Craig Biggio.
Giles tries to hit one off the bill of his helmet. He flies to Moises.
After three. Cubs 2, Braves 0. Wood — 42 pitches.
I’m here with former president Jimmy Carter. Jimmy, did you take up baseball as your hobby instead of fishing because you once got attacked by that killer rabbit on a fishing trip?
Jimmy: " " [Nods dismissively]
OK. Back to you, Andy.
Karros hits one hard but right at the Mullet. One out.
Did someone mention Craig Biggio? That guy can hit and he can run. Sure would look good in my bedroo ahh Cub team.
tHOm: "Hampton was pitching his best baseball in three years the last two months this year."
McCarver then went on a spiel about Daryl Kile.
Daryl hasn’t given up a run since June of 2002.
Why is Karros swinging at the FIRST PITCH?
Alex strikes out. That’s more like what we’re used to.
Here’s Miller to ground out to end the inning.
Alex Gonzalez swings at ball four. That’s a new theory of hitting, isn’t it Alex?
Miller grounds to Hampton.
He gets Karros, Gonzalez and Miller and tHom says hopefully, "HAMPTON’S GETTING STRONGER!!!! HERE COMES THE HEART OF THE BRAVES ORDER!!!!"
Tone it down, Braves fan boy.
Still 2-0 Cubs.
Cubs: 2
Braves: 0
Kerry Wood’s wife: 0
Come on FOX, go for the ratings!!!
Is it time for my memorial bong hit yet?
Well, you can’t walk off the island.
FOX: How do you say "sucker" in French?
BC: I believe that’s "French" Fox.
Back to Andy and the cast of tens on this discussion…
Well, I never! Daryl always used a one hittter, even if he couldn’t throw one.
Sheffield pops up for the 52nd time in the series. This time it’s to Alex. One out.
Fernando Vina would’ve swung at that 2-2 pitch to Chipper and then let it hit him…
Chipper then strikes out on another wicked breaking pitch.
2 down.
Kerry makes Larry Wayne look silly on a slider.
Did you notice Chipper squinting at Kerry before the pitch? They can’t even see his stuff.
Two out.
tHom loves the word tardy.
Javy cheats on a fastball, gets one and doubles to left. Moises made a nice throw and almost got the chugging Javy.
Two outs, though.
Kerry falls behind Druw 3-1. I’d walk him and get to slow batted Julio.
So I disagree with both Tim and tHom. But that’s a given.
Julio will not get a hit off Kerry tonight.
Kerry pitches around no man.
He strikes out Druw.
After four. Cubs 2, Braves 0.
Wood pitch count: 60.
Thom and Tim right on that one. But we still like you Andy.
Karry Ling here again. I’m here with a psychic and she’s got Daryl Kile on the "line."
Daryl, how’s your arm feel these days?
DK: "I’ve been battling a dead arm thing for more than a year now. But I haven’t given up a hit in that time, either. Jesus Christ is one hell of a pitching coach. Dave Duncan’s a hack, as it turns out."
Uh…thanks.
Back to you, Andy.
Anybody who’d rather pitch to Druw than Julio should send their resume to Kenny Williams.
Kerry continues the Cubs trend of grounding out on the first pitch.
One out. Kenny’s taking his time getting into the box, though.
Great. Kenny swings at the first pitch, too.
Two pitches. Two outs. We need about 14 foul balls here, Grud.
Well, that really made Hampton work, didn’t it?
Gruddy takes a pitch! Hallelujiah!
tHom says there isn’t a manager in baseball who wouldn’t take Rafael Furcal.
Quick, somebody get Buck Showalter, Grady Little and Joe Torre on the phone.
Gruddy hits the third pitch back to Hampton.
Blecch.
A completely wasted inning.
Still 2-0.
yeah, any manager would take furcal over me… if he’s outta his mind!
Julio lines to center. Why Miller wanted one on the outside corner, I don’t know.
Just throw heat inside. It’s just like when Galaragga used to kill us, even though he couldn’t hit a fastball. We’d throw him sliders and he’d hammer them.
One out. The Mullet’s up.
Nice to see the Fox announcers still fawning over Julio Franco. Jim Edmonds just perked up at the mention of "fawning"…
FIRST KERRY WOOD WIFE SIGHTING!
YES!
There’s Sarah Wood!
tHom is obsessed with the fact the Woods got married in Hawai’i. Get over it.
He’s now crediting Sarah for humping the baby fat off of Kerry.
Or something.
The Mullet lines one to left.
McCarver calls him Woods. Great.
Mike Hampton is just another hitter to Wood. That’s a nice strategy.
Wood strikes out Hampton.
After five. Cubs 2, Braves 0. Wood’s pitch count — 71. Only eleven in the fifth. Just what the doctor ordered.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
(Tucks hair behind ears…again.)
I believe I also heard McCarver call him Gary Wood earlier.
At least he didn’t call him Alex Karras…
Sammy will launch the next pitch..
Stop swinging at balls! Geez.
Shit. Sorry.
Some time tonight Sammy will figure out that with two strikes Hampton will throw a slider at his feet. Not this time.
One out.
McCarver can kill the "etecetera" any time.
Hampton lets one bounce over his head and Alou hits a 84 foot single.
I’m going to leave the heavy lifting to mi amigo y compadre, Moises, this series.
Fox flashes ‘hit’ on the screen. Why? Who did we think the error was going to be on? The grass?
E-ramis crushes one to center.
Four zip Cubs.
Phew.
Moises Alou just got an infield hit. No joke.
And then another impossibility…
E-RAMIS HITS A HOMER!!!
4-0 CUBS!
E-ramis cuh-rushed that thing. Wow.
He then ran with his bat like Pedro Cerrano for a while.
Nice touch.
Karros grounds to the Mullet.
The crowd just did a nice, and pretty loud, "Lets go Cubs!"
Mark Guthrie and Dave Veres are warming up in the Cubs bullpen.
Just kidding.
Jo Bu no help hit curve ball, then f–k you Jo Bu. I do it myself.
Gonzalez flies to Larry Wayne.
But the Cubs get two big ones.
After five and a half, it’s Cubs 4, Braves 0.
Are you trying to say that Jesus Christ can’t hit a curve ball?
Well, I know I couldn’t Eddie.
Anyone know where the nearest Hooters is so I can drown my sorrows with another Hooters waitress?
Kerry walks Furcal on five pitches. Not an ideal start.
Oh goodie. Wood walks Furcal to lead off the inning.
Way to kill momentum there.
Kerry goes 2-0 on Giles.
Larry Rotschild to the mound.
Larry to Miller: Why don’t you call a slider here, moron?
Miller: Huh?
Giles singles to left.
tHom is getting excited.
And the walls are starting to weaken in the castle.
Somehow the Cubs are going to get screwed here.
Sheffield singles to center. They forced Giles at second. Furcal scores.
Now Dusty is insisting Sheffield passed Giles.
The replay shows that it should have been a double play with nobody scoring because Lofton caught the ball.
Gee, I’m glad we have five umps so they can all miss it.
Lofton caught the ball!!! What are these umps looking at?
Hey guys, just checking in. Sorry I can’t be with you.
Looking tense. Keep the faith.
The umps blew this call twice.
First Lofton caught it.
Second, if you rule he didn’t, which he didn’t, Sheffield passed Giles and both of them should be out.
Nice.
It’s 4-1 Braves. One out. Larry Wayne’s up. Sheffield’s at first.
The Cubs end up with a double play.
So, the Cubs get out of it with no help from the men in blue.
After six. It’s Cubs 4, Braves 1. Wood’s pitch count is at 89.
I have no idea what the Braves are complaining about as they take the field.
OK, my last post was a little unclear.
Larry Wayne grounds into a 643 double play to end the sixth.
All in all, disaster was certainly averted.
But…Kenny caught that ball.
Oh, well. Let’s get the run back.
Bobby’s bullpen happy again.
I bet Cox gets thrown out during the middle of the inning.
…they’re complaining because they got all the calls and still are in the hole.
Keep them down guys. Hang tough, and it’s all yours…
In my normal pessimism, that run is probably going to come back and bite us in the rear end…
Every Cub is now swinging at the first pitch.
Miller grounds to third. Hampton is still in the game.
Here’s the flaw in McCarver’s explanation that if Sheffield passed Giles before the force at second that Sheff is out and then Giles, too.
If Sheffield passes Giles, Sheff’s out. Giles could then safely return to first. The force would be off.
Once the ump blew the call on Lofton’s catch, the most the Cubs could get was one out.
Wood fouls a few off then grounds to third. Two out.
Lofton singles to right.
Now tHom does the "network" thing and fellates the umpiring throughout the postseason.
Ask the A’s how great it’s been.
What postseason has Thom and Tim been watching? The umpiring has been horrible…
Bobby Cox comes to get Hampton and I believe it’s Kevin Grybowski who’s coming in.
Good. We’ve been just short of lighting this hack up all week.
Did anybody see me go off on the umpires last night after the A’s-Red Sox game. I was incensed and mad and all kinds of things.
Nice to see Tim explain the difference between a base "runner" and a base "stealer".
Who is this guy and what has he done with Mark Grudzielanek.
Stop trying to pull everything!
The Braves pitch out as the Cubs inexplicably try and run on an 0-2 count and Lofton is out easily.
After six and a half it’s Cubs 4, Braves 1.
*hands in air* i AM the king.
I’m here to name all of the "good base runners" the Cubs have.
There’s uh…
um…..
well, of course….
and…
Uh…back to you, Andy.
Cubs have the tru calling.
Javy grounds to E-ramis who has plenty of time for his patented double clutch.
One out.
Come on Gonzalez don’t make like Ramirez now.
Druw grounds to Alex who bobbles it and makes a bad throw to Karros. Karros does not panic and holds the bag.
Two outs.
Had ’em all the way.
Yikes.
tHom is going on and on and on and on about Julio. Stop it.
Franco doubles over Lofton’s head and makes tHom look like a genius.
Good teams make lucky breaks – that was lucky as hell.
Tim says Kerry’s operation was performed in his elbow.
I thought it was performed in a hospital.
Gonzalez dives for a soft liner by the Mullet, he boots it right to Gruddy who throws the Mullet out by about 30 feet.
Had ’em all the way. Again.
After seven. Cubs 4, Braves 1.
I have Wood at 103 pitches, Fox has him at 107. I like mine better.
So, it’s 103.
I’m sorry, but it looks like Woody may be running out of gas. Maybe if he can get through the eighth we can give it to Joe in the ninth.
The reason old Cubs teams don’t make that Gonzalez boot to Gruddy play?
On old Cubs teams the second baseman would be yelling, "God! You suck!" at the shortstop instead of running over to get the ball.
And Ron Santo would have been running over to the shortstop to try and heel click him to death.
Back to you, Andy.
Is it just me, or is Fox’s "Skin" just a 21st-Century "Romeo and Juliet"???
I mean come on, be original.
Always erratic Jaret Wright in to pitch.
Ump supervisor Jim McKean is trying to explain the Lofton catch-no catch play.
He says what I said in my last explanation. But still, Lofton caught it.
Gruddy flies to right.
That was the worst explanation of a call I have EVER heard. Of course Thommy had to say it was a great explanation.
BC, are you calling the Capulets pornographers?
Sammy grounds to Furcal.
Two out.
Wright is throwing absolute salad, why can’t we hit it?
Moises swings at a pitch in his eyes. The Cubs don’t seem to want a fifth run.
After seven and a half, Cubs 4, Braves 1.
Could be Bob Fick to lead off the eighth. Interesting.
No, it’s just the exact same story only with porn and politics involved… Think about it, you’ll know I’m right. :-)
six more outs! believe it.
Bring (expletive) Wood on! I’ll jack one! (Expletives!)
Five outs to go.
DeRosa hitting instead. Sure a righty against Wood. I’m sure this has nothing to do with Bob Fick’s wild ride at first base last night.
Gruddy non-chalants an over the shoulder catch. One down.
The Farns is warming up, because The Farns is too dumb to be hurt.
Furcal gets on with a perfect bunt…
that furcal is pesky
Furcal with a nice bunt. He reaches easily. Time for a 643 from Giles.
Four outs to go.
Giles flies to Lofton and given that Kenny has no arm, Furcal should have tagged up.
Rally-killing champion!!!
weeeeeeeeee!
Sheff smokes one to short. Easy play for Gonzalez he forces Furcal at second.
A run here would be nice, please.
After eight. Cubs 4, Braves 1. Wood’s Desipio pitch count 114.
Three outs to go. Can Kerry get through the ninth inning?
Tim McCarver’s not sure if the fans were chanting Ga-ry, for Sheffield or Ker-ry, for Wood.
Given that McCarver has called Wood both first names tonight, probably both.
And no, I don’t think the Cubs should let Gary Woods pitch the ninth.
Back to you, Andy.
uh-oh, the cubbies are gonna win. off to chicago we go. We are such dead fish. *gulp*
Yay! It’s Will Cunnane!
McCarver says Cunnane pitched a scoreless inning yesterday. I think Karros’ homer says otherwise.
E-ramis pops to first on THE FIRST pitch.
Oh, just stop it.
Here’s Karros.
Matt Clement just hugged Kerry. I think he’s done. Or Clement’s just really, really happy.
Karros beats out an infield hit. No, really. Franco should have dug it out, but still.
i’m gonna give the cubs a couple hits here.
The most amazing thing about the Gonzalez to Gruddy to Karros ground out a couple innings back was that Gruddy was even over there to field it.
ABH
Always be hustling.
The mean official scorer gives Castilla an error on Karros’ ball one hitter ago.
McCarver thinks Gonzalez is a "contact hitter." Yikes.
This has strike ’em out, throw ’em out, written all over it.
Instead, Gonzalez singles. Karros to third.
Randall Simon should be hitting for Miller right here. Or at least Goodwin.
Goodwin is on deck. BUT, O’Leary was on deck in the eighth on Friday night and Prior still pitched the ninth.
Damian Miller is a good bunter?
i can’t control my monobrow, it wants to give the cubs a few more hits.
What was he doing????????????????????????????????????
Goodwin batting for Wood…
Why Dusty WHY!?!?!?!?
Miller watched three fastballs and struck out. What a buffoon.
Goodwin is going to bat. Then, why did Miller hit at all? Why not use Simon?
DUSTY!!!!!
Regular Joe will be in to try and close it.
I’m so sad. I like it when kerry finishes.
Goodwin doubles!
(He could have done that batting for Miller, but still.)
Karros scores. 5-1 Cubs. Keep ’em coming.
HELP! my monobrow is outta control!
Farnsy or Borowski in the ninth?
Hey, Sarah. I love you, but I don’t really care if you finish.
Where is Kerry Ling with her interview with Wood’s wife?
Regular Joe is the call in the ninth.
If you start with Farns and he gets in trouble then Joe has to clean it up with pop ups and at’em balls. If Joe struggles, you hope Farns can come and get a strikeout or two.
But personally, I’d go with Dave Veres.
DK 57!
You all suck!
How about Remlinger to turn Chipper around?
I’m here with Sarah Wood. Sarah, are you surprised Kerry wasn’t around to finish what he started?
Sarah: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Uh…back to you, Andy.
Knock that dirt chute down with a fsatball to the head!
A single here by Lofton would be huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge.
King’s pitch went through Javy’s legs and took a great bounce straight back to Javy.
Regular Joe will have three runs to play with in the ninth. Let’s hope he doesn’t use any of them.
After eight and a half. Cubs 5, Braves 1.
Hold onto your butts.
Fasten those seat belts!
Cunnane’s monobrow tried to jump onto my face, but i managed to dodge it.
Bob Fick would have scored on that wild pitch. Or died trying.
Gonzo’s such a wuss.
Or something.
At the end of this inning I will either really love these guys or really hate these guys.
Have no fear. I didn’t spend 12 years riding buses to screw this up.
My kingdom for a 1-2-3 inning.
Regular Joe will face Chipper, Javy and Druw.
I have been mentioned more than Kerry Wood’s tightly wrapped breaking ball tonight…
I just saved your bus-riding butt Joe Borowski!!!
SAMMY!
Chipper jacked one to right. Sammy lept at the wall and hauled it in.
One out.
Yikes.
Two outs left…
Gruddy has bird poop on his hat.
Joe strikes out Javy.
ONE TO GO!!!!!!
One out left…
Down to the final strike…
CUBS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring on the Fish!
How cold is Cheecago right now?
I should have got Karry a press pass. I think you just saw the Braves security team tackle him behind second base. Oh, well.
Druw struck out.
The Cubs are going to the NLCS.
The Anti-Cubs are one step closer.
congratulations Cubs.
congratulations Cub-fans.
faith…
Dusty Baker with the guts move of the season…
If taking out Wood hadn’t worked, oh man, I don’t even want to think about it.
I’m here with Officer Morales and Officer Hudson of the Atlanta police department. What was that you were just telling me?
Officer Morales: "You have the right to remain silent?"
Ah, screw that! Cubs win!
See you Tuesday night from Chicago. The World Series goes through Wrigley Field.
Back to you, Andy.
Thank you Karry, and don’t put your bail on your expense report.
We’ll be back tomorrow with a full Daily Dose. Thanks to all of you who followed along all week, to those of you who added your comments and those of you who read them later.
We’ll have our first ever NLCS GameCast Tuesday night.
It’s a great day to be a Cub.
Four more and we can hang that pennant.
Final from Atlanta. Cubs 5, Braves 1.
Cubs win the NL Division Series three games to two.
I’m ready to see Eeyore’s hot bat tear it up against his former team in Chi-Town! May the pitching keep the fish at bay! GO CUBS!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Modern science disclaims any intention of understanding the hidden nature of things; its philosophy condemns any such endeavour as vague, misleading and altogether unscientific….But I refuse to heed this warning. I agree that the process of understanding leads beyond – indeed far beyond – what a strict empiricism regards as the domain of legitimate knowledge; but I reject such an empiricism. If consistently applied, it would discredit any knowledge whatever and it can be upheld only by allowing it to remain inconsistent. It is permitted this inconsistency because its ruthless mutilation of human experience lends it such a high reputation for scientific severity, that its prestige overrides the defensiveness of its own foundations. Our acknowledgement of understanding as a valid form of knowing will go a long way towards liberating our minds from this violent and inefficient despotism. by texas holdem