Cubs ebb below level, 65-96
Rockies survive, 76-85
box
POTG: 2B Ryan Theriot (2 H, 3 RBI, 2B, R, BB, SB)
Runners up: CF Juan Pierre (2 H, 2 R, RBI, SB), Jacque Jones (2 H, 2 RBI), C-1B Henry Blanco (2 H, 2 R), SS Ronny Cedeno (3 H, R), PH Freddie Bynum (2 RBI, 3B), LF Matt Murton (3 BB, H, R), RP Angel Guzman (2 IP, 0 R, 3 K), David Aardsma (2 IP, 0 R, 4 K)
Santo: “Is it over? I was waiting for another inning.”
Actual Phone Conversation, while watching the 2 inning.
them: [explaining fantasy football wide reciver problem]
me: [groans – after watching Jacque Jones slip and fall down to turn a double into a triple – no error on the play!]
them: Huh? Oh, I must be a few seconds behind you. [goes back to explaining problem.] So, who do you think I should play?
me: [reacting to a bullpen shot] Les Walrond, oh no. Wait, no, I don’t mean to play Les Walrond
them: Les Walrond is black?!?!
Highlight of my week.
This had a feeling similar to the 18th Inning game (which is the best think I’m taking out of 2006, I think), except instead of Rich Hill looming in the bullpen, it was Jae Ryu, and we all knew how that was going down. It was a magic act for him to make it thru one, and it wasn’t surprising to see him give it up after two.
To be honest, and likely completely unfair, I wouldn’t have felt the same about Derek Lee if he opted not to step the batters box in this game. I know he’s been thru a horrible family situation for the last couple of weeks and baseball hasn’t been on his mind at all, and this is a game that matters so little – but all was being asked was one time at bat (and not even a good time at bat), to help out a game everyone else had fought hard for a chance to win. When Scott Moore pinch hit in the 10th, the last non-Lee guy capable of going in the game (Iztirus is listed on the roster but apparently would be DLed if it mattered), I was a little – and again, probably unfairly – disappointed that the default leader of the team was invisible when they needed him. Maybe Dusty just didn’t think to ask him after Lee requested not to be in the lineup, and Lee would’ve gone in then – I’m just glad the Cubs got around to the 12th to give Lee another chance to bat.
And I was really enjoying it getting to the 14th so Z could try one more time for 7th. I’d be shocked if he didn’t get one more try on Sunday for #7.
10 pitchers (none more than 2 innings) – good way to put that pitching change record out of reach. Mateo’s got to be projected to head right back to not-West Tennessee (THAT is going to take some getting used to) if 2007 was today, because he’s looks worse than the guys who’ve looked bad. Which seems impossible, actually. At least Guzman had two good innings.
How do you score ‘only’ 9 runs on 15 H and 5 BB? Only 2 XBH.
Being at 58, Pierre’s stealing second any chance he gets tomorrow. And third. And possibly home. And first if they’ll let him.
WGN Radio was initially reporting Dusty and Hendry would meet Sunday morning to talk about Dusty’s job – and since Dusty’s been semi-whining to known in advance (so he can pack), this seemed to make sense – but I guess it’s going to happen on Monday. I figured this out a couple months ago, everyone realized it by the end of August, and there’s no doubt tomorrow will be Dusty Baker’s last game with the Chicago Cubs.
I don’t feel like guessing who’s going to be sitting where when the game of musical chairs is over (at least right now), but since everyone knows this chair’s going to be empty after the game, it’ll be interesting how everyone reacts tomorrow. If they made announcement, I’d figure tomorrow would be quite The Last Day Of School, And They’re Firing The Principal feel, and so I’m kinda disappointed for them to wait to get it buried underneath the Bears/Seahawks reactions.
Did I mention that I’m going to tomorrow’s game? I was talking to someone, and we both decided we had an urge to see One More Game – especially when tickets to said game are free. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow, but it occurred to me that this meant today’s game would be the last time I hear the radio and TV guys. It was a great day for such activities, because an 8-0 scores makes announcers lose their minds usually, but a 8-0 score turning into a 5:30 game (with rain delay) between two teams going nowhere late in the season with dinner plans being ruined is an epic experience in themselves. (Come to think of it, they kinda screwed with my dinner plans. You never know with this team.)
Anyway, I’m going to miss Pat and Ron, to the point where I might actually listen to tomorrow’s game via archive on Monday (like I don’t have enough to listen to.) I think Len and Brenly have gotten quite better as individuals and a team than they were two years ago. I still wouldn’t hire Brenely to manage my baseball team, but I don’t mind listening to him all that much (it was really his taste in the Rock And Roll which won me over.) I don’t know what’s going to happen with him over the post season, but if he’s gone, it was a better era than the Otto/Carter one.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not exactly rooting for Steve Stone to return – I liked him when he did games before, but he’s turned in into an insufferable pontificator on his Score appearances, buoyed by things going wrong as he thought they would, and I can’t imagine that’d be better if he was given ultimate victory and brought back to the booth. Sports Radio doesn’t exactly lend one to humility, but good god, he’s Hawk-level full of himself of late.
Now that I’m completely off topic, I probably should wrap it up. Comebacks from 8-0 are great, Theriot is great, losing is not so great. THE END (plus one.)