Cubs Faithful - A Chicago Cubs Fan Site

Introducing Chicago Cubs Online

2005-10-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone that has logged in to read my opinion over the past few months. I am proud to say that I will no longer be posting on this blog.

My new site is up and I have begun to post. I took all of the info from here and linked into my new site.

Click here to go to Chicago Cubs Online.

Keep on singing!

The Countdown Has Begun....

2005-10-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been so quiet. I am very close to having the new site up and that has been taking all of my time.

Everything is looking great and I am hoping to be up by the weekend.

Keep logging in and....Next October The Cubs Faithful will be VERY BUSY.

Dusty's Boys Will Be Back

2005-10-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

The Cubs announced today the entire coaching staff will return for 2006, including pitching coach Larry Rothschild.

Rothschild apparently turned down the opportunity to go to Detroit to be reunited with Manager Jim Leyland. Rothschild says 'he owes Chicago to bring home a winner'. I hope he means that. He will retain most of his starting staff from 2005 (Prior, Zambrano, Maddux and hopefully Kerry Wood). Plus a more experienced bullpen. Let's hope they have more success and better health in 2006.

All of the coaches signed a 1 year deal and 2006 is the last year on the current contract for Dusty Baker. The Cubs coaching staff for 2006: Dusty Baker, Juan Lopez (Bullpen Coach), Dick Pole (Bench Coach), Gary Matthews, Sr. (First Base Coach), Larry Rothschild (Pitching Coach), Gene Clines (Hitting Coach), Chris Spier (Third Base Coach) and Sonny Jackson (Special Assistant).

The launch of my new site is VERY SOON. Keep on reading....Go Titans! Go Predators!...174 Days until Opening Day 2006.

How You Became A Cubs Fan?

2005-10-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

As I work on my new site...I have a question for all of the fans of the Northside. How did you become a Cubs fan? Leave a comment. I will tell my story soon and would like to include yours. Even if you are a 1st time visitor or a regular, I want to hear from you. Send this link to a friend, tell a co-worker...whatever...I wanna know how you became a fan of our beloved Cubs and a member of the Cubs Faithful.

Keep logging in...176 days until Opening Day 2006.

Under Construction

2005-10-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

I have been working on my new site and I am excited about launching it VERY SOON. With the season just ending, I feel this is the right time to be switching over. Keep coming here for updates as they break.

One thing that came out today is Larry Rothschild, the Cubs' pitching coach has been given permission to talk to the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers fired Manager Alan Trammel on Monday and hired former Pirates and Marlins' manager Jim Leyland. Leyland and Rothschild were together in Florida when the Marlins won the World Series in 1997.

I have mixed feelings about this. What has been happening the past 2 seasons on the Northside has not worked and change is necessary. I do not know if Rothschild needs to stay or go. We(the fans) keep hearing how good the Cubs' pitching staff is...and I have not seen it in 2 years. Even in 2003 when they won the division, everytime Dusty had to go to the bullpen...it was hold your breath time and hope no one blows it. Is this coaching or talent?

I look in Atlanta and see great pitching year after year and the only constant is Leo Mazzone. It seems to me pitchers go to Atlanta and become VERY good (Farnsworth, Millwood, Hampton, Wright, etc.) and when they leave Atlanta they become either average or below average (Glavine, Millwood, Merker, Remlinger, Wright, etc). Would a new pitching coach on the Northside help these young pitchers, that we have heard so much about, reach their full potential? Somebody help me with this one.

Also, my wife says I should be happy for the White Sox (and their fans) for winning their 1st post season series since 1917 today.

Keep on keeping on...new site is coming soon...178 days until Opening Day 2006.

The 'B' Word

2005-10-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

(Note: added 10/29/05 for updated Cubs info visit Chicago Cubs Online)

I was listening to the Angels-Yankees game tonight on ESPN radio. And there was a play where a fan almost interfered with a ball near the seats in the left field foul area. Does this sound familiar? The Angels' outfielder made the catch...then Dave Campbell blurts out 'That was almost like Steve Bartman'.

Almost like Steve Bartman??? Will the Cubs Faithful ever get a break from that horrible night? I said it the day after and I will say it 2 years later...Bartman did not cost the Cubs the game...he changed it. I think Alou would have caught the ball..no doubt. But Alex Gonzalez should have turned the double-play. He did not. The Cubs still had game 7. And they lost.

I did not sleep that night. That moment in time kept playing in my head. I remember looking at my wife and saying '5 more outs', then all (blank) broke loose. I still get sick when I think of what could have been. I still root for the team playing the Marlins.

One day all of the curses and goats and Steve Bartman will be erased. The Red Sox got rid of their's last year. Now there is hope for the Cubs Faithful.

It is amazing how the mention of one person's name can bring back such bad memories.

AC026198 & EAMUS CATULI!

2005-10-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

(Note: added 10/29/05 for updated Cubs info visit Chicago Cubs Online)

I was not planning on doing a blog today....I was going to take a day off. I have been getting a lot of searches on 2 signs that are on the rooftops on Sheffield Ave.

These 2 signs are 'AC026198' and 'EAMUS CATULI!'.

I have done research on these 2 signs that have become a fixture of Wrigley Field. Here is what they stand for and a translation.

The 'AC' sign is operated by Lakeview Baseball Club. The 'AC' stands for 'After Championship' the first 2 numbers (02) are the number of years since the Cubs won the division(2003). The second 2 numbers (61) are the number of years since the Cubs were in the World Series or were National League Champions(1945). The third set of numbers (98) are the number of years since the Cubs won the World Series(1908). Let's all hope in next year it reads 'AC000000'.

The 'EAMUS CATULI!' has been translated several different ways. It is Latin and most think it says 'Let's Go Cubs!'. The actual translation(from Latin) is 'Let's Go Young Bears!'.

Keep on reading and there will be a picture and a more in depth explanation on the new site...it's coming soon...are you ready?

That's All Folks

2005-10-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Cubs 4 Astros 6

The last day of the baseball season is usually a very sad day for me...and today is no different. I am a HUGE football fan, but baseball(and the Cubs) are my first love. I get used to watching and listening everyday for 6 months...see how the team did, who's pitching tomorrow, etc. Baseball is unlike every other sport, it takes a commitment to keep up with your team and the teams in their division for 162 games. With football, it is basically 1 day a week. With baseball it is 7 days a week for 6 months, just ask my wife she hears it all (she will also tell you she is the best wife in the world). So I guess the plans I have with this blog and my new site will fill some void until Spring Training in March. Anyway today's game....

The Cubs got to watch their 2nd celebration of the year today. The Cardinals celebrated the Division Championship at Wrigley and the Astros celebrated the Wild Card today. Maybe this will leave an impression over the long winter that will make whoever is left more hungry. I am not going to recap the game...they lost and the season is over. Next year starts tomorrow. I did want to list the opening day lineup and today's lineup...pay attention to the changes.

Today's Lineup:
Patterson
Macias
Lee
Nomar(3B)
Burnitz
Barrett
Murton
Perez
Maddux
(off the bench or bullpen)
Grieve
Walker
Theriot
Wuertz
Ohman
Van Buren
Hill

Opening Day:
Patterson
Walker
Nomar(SS)
Ramirez
Burnitz
Lee
Hollandsworth
Barrett
Zambrano
(off the bench or bullpen)
Hariston
Perez
Macias
Dubois
Bartosh
Wellenmeyer
Rusch

A LOT OF THINGS CHANGED in 6 months.

Derrek Lee did win the 2005 National League Batting Championship. Lee is the first Cub to win since Bill Buckner in 1980. Lee finished with a Major League best .335 average. Lee had a great year and I will talk about him in the Year in Review.

Keep reading the Cubs Faithful. Watch for changes and a new address coming soon. I have some cool stuff planned for the offseason.

Until then....Opening Day 2006....April 3rd in Cincinnati!!!

A Rocket for the Ages

2005-10-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

Cubs 1 Astros 3

The extra outs killed the Cubs today. In the 6th and 7th innings, Williams got the ground ball he needed to get out of the inning and the infield could not turn the double play. Both of those plays cost the Cubs 2 runs and the game. Clemens did not have a good game. He threw a lot of pitches(101) in 7 innings. But the Rocket on a bad day is better than 90% of the league on a good day. For the 6th start in a row, Williams received little run support while throwing a very good game. Williams will be back next year and he could compete for a 4th spot in the rotation.

Milo Hamilton and Alan Ashby are just horrible. At one point today, they both said how bad of a pitcher Jerome Williams is and they did not understand why the Astros were having such a hard time with him. Did they not do their show prep? There have been many occasions this year when Pat Hughes and Ron Santo could have said the same...and they did not...to much class!! Hamilton may be a Hall of Fame Broadcaster, but he needs to retire...he is so hard to follow and Alan Ashby is worse. Jerome Williams has had a up and down season, but has been very good of late. I hope Williams beats the Astros everytime he faces them next year...you better believe when he does, I will bring this up again.

The offense was just sad today. They did not do the little things that you need against Clemens. Thankfully with 1 game left, I should not have to hear 'Neifi pops up to (insert position here)' or 'Neifi out at 1st...double play'. He has been a good player this year, but he is not an everyday shortstop anymore and if you play him...do not hit him in the 2 hole. Neifi grounded into 2 dp's today. Lee went 0 for 2 with 2 walks. He should win the batting title(Derrek Lee .337, Albert Pujols .330)...I just hope he can get 1 more hit and please make it a double. He is a hit and and extra base hit away from history(will explain tomorrow, if he gets it).

With today's loss, the Cubs are now 3 games under .500 and the best they can finish is 80-82. Another losing season on the Northside...but next year will be different. Today they made a step in the right direction by signing Ryan Dempster to a 3 year contract extension.

Ryan Dempster signed a 3 year, $15.5 million contract extension. He is locked up through 2008.
According to cubs.com Dempster, who began the year in the Cubs' rotation and made six starts, leads the National League in save percentage at .943 and has been successful in 33 of 35 opportunities.

The Last Game of 2005

Sunday - Greg Maddux(13-14/4.18) vs. Roy Oswalt(19-12/2.86)

Maddux is going for pride tomorrow and the Astros are playing for a playoff spot. Oswalt has been tough on the Cubs for years...and expect more of the same tomorrow. Like today, Sunday's game will be a tough one to win. Runs will come at a premium against Oswalt and the Cubs will have to play a near perfect game in order to win. I do not know which would be better...a win to finish the season or a loss. With a win, the team could go into the offseason feeling good about themselves. With a loss, they could be very hungry during the offseason to correct what went wrong. Who knows? I just hope this is the last below .500 season for a LONG LONG TIME.

Be patient, no extra outs, DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO CELEBRATE!!!...keep horrible Milo and Alan quiet and beat the (blankin') Astros!!!

Comeback In Houston

2005-09-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

Cubs 4 Astros 3

How many times have we heard this...the bullpen could not hold the lead...Cubs lose. BUT NOT TONIGHT. Tonight it was the Astros' pen that blew the ballgame. The Cubs came back in the 9th to win the game.

Roberto Novoa has had a good year, but not tonight. After Zambrano had left the game in the 8th, the Cubs were ahead 2-1. Novoa gave up a 2 run blast, opposite field to Lance Berkman and Big Z did not get his 15th win. Zambrano had a good outing. He threw a lot of pitches 115. Zambrano's pitch count really concerns me for the future. Carlos has been the best pitcher on the Cubs' staff the past 2 years and I would hate to see him go the way of Prior and Wood. Z finished the night giving up 1 run on 4 hits and throwing 9 strike outs. Zambrano has had a GREAT YEAR...hopefully he can continue in 2006.

But back to the ballgame...in the 9th the Cubs were down 3-2 and Murton led off the 9th with a single. (MATT MURTON HAS TO MAKE THIS TEAM NEXT YEAR) Burnie singled, Murton to 3rd. Barrett doubled to tie the game. Patterson got a fielder's choice and Todd Walker came off the bench to drive in the winning run. UNBELIEVABLE!!! This was a great comeback. I thought it was over when Lidge came in...but boy was I wrong. Novoa gets the win and Dempster gets number 33. The Cubs are now 9-5 on the year against the Astros. The Cubs won the season series against the Astros and the Cardinals...can anyone out there explain that to me?

Derrek Lee got 1 hit closer to 200, he is in the top 10 in 16 offensive categories in the National League. AMAZING!! Any other year or maybe if the Cubs had a winning record...he would be the MVP. Theriot got his 1st career double, Barrett had a good night...I am SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. The Phillies won, so the Astros are only up by 1. The Cubs are within 2 games of .500 and ANDY PETTITTE HAS NEVER BEATEN THE CHICAGO CUBS in 6 career starts. Gotta Love It!!! No Champagne For You!!

Saturday - Jerome Williams(6-9/4.28) vs. Roger Clemens(12-8/1.89)

O.K. my excitement might be short lived. The Rocket will go tomorrow for the Astros. Williams will have to pitch his best game of the year to beat Clemens. Williams is 2-2 with a 2.10 ERA in five starts in September and he will have to be better than that tomorrow. Clemens has had a tremendous year and is VERY tough to beat. This will be Clemens' 1st start since September 19th. The Cubs must not give the Astros any extra outs and play a near perfect game. Small ball is the key tomorrow. Sac bunts, sac flys...whatever it takes. Lee is only 1 away from 200 and wouldn't that be nice against Clemens.

Play smart, play small, keep Hamilton and Ashby quiet...and beat the (blankin') Astros!!!

Out At Home

2005-09-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Astros 2

The roof was off at the Juice Box tonight, but the Cubs pitching staff was not. Glendon Rusch had another quality start. Rusch went 7 strong innings, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits. He actually beat Rodriguez for the 3rd time this year(3-1). Micheal Wuertz came in and pitched another fine 8th inning and Dempster picked up his 32nd save.

DLee and Matt Murton supplied the pop for the Cubs offense. Lee went deep for number 46 and Murton had a solo shot as well. Nomar added 3 hits and there are rumors he wants to stay in Chicago and the words 'play in the outfield' have been mentioned(will talk about this soon). The offense did not light up the sky, but with the pitching and defense the team played tonight, 3 runs was enough.

The excitement came in the 9th. Dempster had 2 outs and a runner on 1st. Charles Gipson was the pinch runner and he tried to score on a hit by Luke Scott. Corey Patterson made one of the best plays he has had in a long time. He fired the ball in to Jose Macias and Macias relayed a perfect throw to catcher Henry Blanco...Gipson out...Cubs win and the Astros' magic number is still 2. No champagne for you!!

I am trying not to sound to excited, it is only 1 win....but it is a win. The Cubs are now 3 games under .500 with 3 games left. Wouldn't a sweep be nice?

Friday - Carlos Zambrano(14-6/3.33) vs. Andy Pettitte(17-9/2.42)

Big Z had a bad game last week against the Astros and it would be nice to see him bounce back and finish the season on a winning note. Pettitte has never beaten the Cubs and hopefully that will not happen tomorrow. The Astros need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Maybe that in itself will fire up Zambrano. Lee is 2 hits short of 200 and it would be great to get that over with on Friday. The Astros will be eager to get the win tomorrow with the Phillies only 2 games back. Play to that, the Cubs need to make the Astros beat them...play smart and hard.

Have I mentioned how bad Milo Hamilton and Alan Ashby are? Just checking....

Be patient, keep Hamilton and Ashby quiet...and beat the (blankin') Astros!!!

Wake Me When It's Over

2005-09-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

Cubs 2 Pirates 3

The Cubs were at Wrigley today, to bad they forgot to play a game. The Cubs were swept in a 2 game series by the Pirates. For the second straight day, the Cubs offense made another Pirate Rookie look like a Seasoned Vet. The Cubs had plenty of chances today.

In the 5th, the Cubs had first and third with one out and failed to score. And in the bottom of the 9th, the bases were loaded with no outs and the Cubs failed to score...again. The past 2 seasons of lack of 'small ball' is DRIVING ME CRAZY. The one positive that came out of the 5th inning mess, was that Matt Murton (a rookie), hit a ground ball to score a run. Murton...did I mention he is a rookie...gave himself up for the good of the team...not himself. Until the Cubs find more players like Murton and Derrek Lee, we will continue to watch(or listen) to them lose. Today was just awful. Santo sounded like I felt. Santo is not going with the Cubs to Houston to finish the season, so he gets to remember this horrible effort for the next 4 1/2 months.

To add insult to injury, Ryan Theriot was supposed to start the game and was pulled due to illness. Is Dusty going to have enough guys to finish the season? Where is Hawkeye Pierce when you need him?

The Cubbies fly to Houston tonight to finish the season with the Astros. Time for the Juice Box and the horrible Astros announcers.

Thursday - Glendon Rusch(8-8/4.62) vs. Wandy Rodriguez(10-9/5.62)

This is a rematch of the September 23rd game that Glendon Rusch won. It would be great if the Cubs could sweep the Astros this weekend, finish .500 and end the Astros season(I guess I am sleeping). I just hope the guys make a good showing in Houston. It is going to be hard enough to hear them celebrate their playoff birth....I just hope the games are close and the Cubbies make them earn it. The Cubs have been a better road team this year...so who knows.

Keep Hamilton and Ashby quiet, be patient...and beat the (blankin') Astros!!!!

Maddux's Streak Is Over

2005-09-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Pirates 5

Tonight was an end to an era in Chicago. Greg Maddux's pursuit of 18 consecutive seasons with at least 15 wins ended tonight. For the second time this season Maddux threw a complete game and lost. Maddux pitched a fine game and deserved to win, he made one bad pitch to Jason Bay in the 5th inning, a 3 run homer, and it cost him a chance at history.

Greg Maddux has had a remarkable career, we will not go into that. I hope he returns for 2006. I am not a sentimental person. It was time for Sosa to go...but I do not think it is time for Maddux. I would like to see Maddux be on the winning end of a season in Chicago. He has been a great Cub and I hope he goes into the Hall with a 'C' on his hat, not the 'A' he wore for to many years. Greg Maddux is an Everyday Joe. He does not look like an athlete, but he is one of the best of all time. The Cubs let him go once...I hope they do not make that mistake again.

Nomar tried to give him the win. Nomar went deep for a 2 run homer in the 3rd. DLee got another hit and is still 10 points ahead of Pujols. So there is still hope for that one. Ryan Theriot did score a run tonight, but ended up 0-4. The ad in the Trib should read, 'Wanted A Leadoff Hitter...Apply Within'. The Cubs have to fix this in the offseason.

The Cubs announced today that Aramis Ramirez, Jerry Hariston Jr. and Todd Walker will likely miss the rest of the season. I think with only 5 games left...likely is more like...definite.

With tonight's loss, the Cubs drop to 3 games under .500. I have been hoping for a better end to the season....but I guess this year will end like so many of the others. How many days until Spring Training?

Wednesday - Mark Prior(11-6/3.73) vs. Paul Maholm(2-1/2.08)

Mark Prior will make his last start of the season tomorrow. He needs to finish the season with a win. Prior has had a lot of success against the Pirates and should continue that success tomorrow. Mahlom is a rookie and patience at the plate could result in a win. The Cubs are 12-4 this year against the Bucs and number 13 would look very good. Wednesday is the last home game of the season and the Cubs announcers will call the game from the bleachers, weather permitting....ala Harry Caray....please do not let them sing too.

Be patient, have fun....and beat the Bucs!!!

Transactions, Thoughts and Useless Information?

2005-09-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

While the Cubs take their last day off of the season....

Ryan Dempster has had a great year out of the bullpen for the Cubs. He has converted 31 out of 33 save opportunities this year, a .939 success rate, which is the 14th best since 1969 for pitchers with at least 30 saves. The highest is Eric Gagne's perfect 55 for 55 season in 2003 with the Dodgers. Dempster joined an elite list of Cubs relievers to have saved 30 games in a single season. According to cubs.com, the other Cubs pitchers who have totaled at least 30 saves in one season include: Ted Abernathy (1965), Rod Beck (1998), Joe Borowski (2003), Randy Myers (1993, '95), Lee Smith (1984-87), Bruce Sutter (1977, '79), and Mitch Williams (1989). Dempster is riding a streak of 17 straight save conversions. He's the sixth Cub with 16 or more consecutive saves in one season. The others are Rod Beck in 1998, Tom Gordon in 2001, Randy Myers in 1993, Lee Smith in 1982, and Bruce Sutter in 1979. Also, Dempster is one of only three pitchers to have registered at least 30 saves and started a game in the same season since the save became an official stat in 1969. The other two are Danny Graves, who started four games for Cincinnati in 2002, then moved to the bullpen; and Mike Marshall, who started one game for the Minnesota Twins in 1979. Dempster is 4-0 with 31 saves and a 1.92 ERA (12 earned runs in 56 1/3 innings) as a closer.

A couple of things to watch for over the last week of the season:

Derrek Lee is the first Cub to have 100 runs, 100 RBIs, over 40 home runs, and over 40 doubles in a single season. DLee now leads the National League with a .340 average over Albert Pujols of the Cardinals (.333). He could be the first Cub to win the batting crown since Bill Buckner in 1980.

Greg Maddux will start Tuesday, seeking his 14th win of the season. Maddux is trying to extend his streak of consecutive seasons of at least 15 wins to 18. Maddux will also start the last game of the season in Houston on October 2nd. Let's hope the Cubs can get those 2 wins for him.
According to cubs.com, the pitcher with the most consecutive seasons with 13 or more wins is Cy Young, who did so 19 straight years. Maddux is second, having done so 18 consecutive seasons. Warren Spahn is third at 17 years. Spahn and Maddux are tied for most consecutive seasons with at least 14 wins at 17 years each. Cy Young won at least 15 games 18 times, but did so 15 years in a row....second to Maddux.

Wednesday's final home game against the Pirates will be the last time we see Wrigley Field in its current state. The bleacher expansion project will begin soon and the Cubs are saying the renovations will be complete by Opening Day 2006. Hopefully the change of Wrigley will bring about a change in Wrigley.

Hopefully the Cubs can put together a successful last week of the season. What I am looking for is .500 and a third place finish. Can they do that? I hope so...

Just because the season is almost over does not mean I will stop talking about the Cubbies. I have A LOT PLANNED in the offseason, including an entirely different web address, look and name. I will be reviewing the 2005 team, who I think will stay and go, potential free agents, breaking news, rumors and EVERYTHING NORTHSIDE BLUE for the CUBS FAITHFUL. Next year starts in a week and the pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training before you know it. Don't be left out in the cold....2006 is the Year the Cubs get their Series Fix!!!

A Delayed Win

2005-09-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Astros 2

For the second straight day there was rain in Chicago. Unlike Saturday, the Cubs came away with the win. Jerome Williams had another qualtity start and put his team in a position to win the ballgame.

Derrek Lee hit his 45th home run to give the Cubs the lead in the 1st inning and it was 1-0 with the rain came in the 3rd inning. After a 58 minute rain delay both starting pitchers came back and pitched into the 7th inning. When Pettitte left the game the Astros were ahead 2-1 and the bullpen for the Astros could not hold the lead. Derrek Lee led off the 7th with a single and after 2 fielder's choices...Jeromy Burnitz stepped up to the plate. Burnitz hit a 2 run homer off of Mike Gallo to give the Cubs the lead at 3-2. Andy Pettitte has NEVER BEATEN THE CUBS. Gotta love it!!

Michael Wuertz came in to pitch the 8th and did another fine job. Wuertz is one of the bright spots this year for the Cubs. Wuertz is in his 2nd season with the Cubs and is 6-2 with a 3.96 ERA in 71 games (72 2/3 innings pitched). He looks like he is getting more comfortable in his role out of the pen with every appearance he makes. With all of the changes I see coming, all of the experience the young guys have gotten this year in the bullpen will pay off in 2006. I think we will see Wuertz, Ohman and Novoa back in the pen next year, along with Ryan Dempster.

Dempster came in today and picked up his 31st save. I thought when the club came out of Spring Training that Dempster should be the closer and it turns out I was right. Dempster is 'just wacky' enough to make an excellent closer. Dempster has blown only 2 saves all year and the Cubs won those games anyway. Just think of the 15 that were blown and lost before Dempster got the job...if they could have won 1/2 of those games...the Cubbies would be at least 6 games above .500.....what could have been? Woody has said he wants to be a starter again next year, if that is the case the Cubs must sign Dempster for 2006.

With today's win the Cubs are back to within 2 games of .500 with 6 games left. With the Pirates coming in for 2 games on Tuesday, the Cubs must sweep the Bucs before finishing the season in Houston to have a chance at .500.

Monday - The Last Day of Rest before the Bucs come to town.

Tuesday - Greg Maddux(13-13/4.14) vs. Zach Duke(6-2/1.94)

The Pirates come into Chicago on Tuesday for the last 2 games of the year at Wrigley. The Cubs will face Zach Duke, the rookie left-hander, who has pitched very well for the Pirates in the 2nd half of the season. Duke went 8 innings against the Cubs in July and shutout the Cubs on 6 hits. Maddux will have his hands full with the young Pirates. Runs will come at a premium against Duke and the Cubs must play smart. I still think Dusty should change the lineup on Tuesday. Macias is 0 for 8 the last 2 days. Play the kids....

Be smart, play smart, be patient...and win one for Maddog!!!

Z Is Not Perfect After All

2005-09-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Astros 8

Although the post season hopes for the Cubs ended weeks ago, the Astros officially eliminated the Cubs from the playoffs today. Zambrano could not hold down the Astros' offense and gave up 6 runs on 9 hits in 6 1/3 innings before the rain came.

Before the 1 hour 28 minute rain delay, the Cubs could not get the offense started. Dusty not only played Macias, but hit him in the lead off spot. Macias went 0-4. I bet you Ryan Theriot could have done that. One of the many differences between the 2 teams today, were the Astros' top 2 hitters. Taveras and Biggio went a combined 4 for 7 with 3 runs scored, 2 RBI's and a walk. Needless to say Morgan Ensberg (#3 hitter) had a big day as well. On the other hand, Macias and Perez went a combined 1 for 8 with 1 run scored. One of the major changes that must take place in the offseason is for the Cubs to find a leadoff hitter. The Cubs were held to only 4 hits today. Nomar had a nice 2 run home run, but that was really it.

With today's loss the Cubs fall to 3 games under .500 with 7 left to play. I cannot believe the season is almost over...feels like I was just at Spring Training.

Sunday - Jerome Williams(5-9/4.39) vs. Andy Pettitte(17-9/2.45)

Andy Pettitte has never beaten the Cubs and I hope that streak continues. Dusty has to mix up the line up tomorrow in order to win. Pettitte is a great veteran pitcher, but maybe the kids do not know that yet...and....well maybe the Cubs could use that to their advantage. While I was listening to the rain delay, one of he ESPN guys mentioned that Chipper Jones of the Braves is showing up to the park in a better mood than he ever has with the Braves. When asked, Jones replied it is because the team is playing well and all the young players are great to be around. Young players are great to be around? Does anyone have Dusty's email address? The kids are the Cubs only shot at having a winning season....

Play young, play smart, be patient...and beat the (blankin') Astros!!!

Congratulations...I'm Sorry!!

2005-09-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

Cubs 5 Astros 4

It was a good win...and a bad loss today at Wrigley. Glendon Rusch had a good start. He went 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 9 hits. I did not think the Cubs could beat the Astros if Rusch had a short outing and I was wrong. Wuertz came in for the 6th and 7th and had 2 good innings. He held the Astros at bay and did not give up a hit and stuck out 4. Williamson started the 8th and gave up a lead off double. Before Williamson was done, he loaded the bases with only one out. Dusty brought in Novoa, and I just held my breath. Santo was yelling at Williamson, it was great. Novoa got Jose Vizcaino to pop out to DLee and struck out Willy Taveras to end the inning. I thought Santo was going to have a heart attack. Novoa was AWESOME. Ryan Dempster pitched the 9th to record his 30th save. He is now only the 8th Cub pitcher in history to have 30 saves in a season. The pitching staff did their job and according to Glendon Rusch, the bullpen deserved the 'W' today.

The Cubs got on the board in the 1st inning. After a Todd Walker single, Derrek Lee doubled and Walker left the game. Walker was on his way to 3rd base and came up with a leg injury. He hit the bag and went down on all 4's. According to cubs.com, Walker collapsed at the bag in obvious pain. Walker was able to walk off the field, although he needed help. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for an MRI exam. "He does not have any significant ligament damage," Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal said after seeing the MRI results on Friday. "There's no ligament damage in his knee, there's no meniscal damage in his knee.

I wonder if today was Todd Walker's last day in a Cubs' uniform. With only 8 games left, I really do not see him playing again this season. Walker joins Hariston and Ramirez on the 'walking wounded list'. It is a shame Walker had to go out this way. He gave the Cubs a chance to get back to .500 and with him gone, the chances of that happening are very slim. Dusty will continue to play Jose Macias and I do not agree. Macias is a GOOD BENCH PLAYER and that is all. Try Ryan Theriot. He is trying to make an impression and will play hard. This is what the Cubs need for the next week. Maybe his hustle and enthusiasm would spill over to the rest of the team. This would also be a good time to put Nomar at 2nd and have Scott McClain play 3rd. Anything different at this point would be good...just do not stick in Macias.

With today's win the Cubs are back to within 2 games of .500. Anything less than 6-2 will not get them back to .500.

Saturday - Carlos Zambrano(14-5/3.17) vs. Ezequiel Astacio(2-6/5.76)

The Cubbies get a break on Saturday. Roger Clemens will miss his scheduled start and Ezequiel Astacio will go in his place. Like today, the Cubs need to get up early and not let off. The Astros are a dangerous team. For a team that has been shutout 16 times this year to be leading the Wild Card race...be careful. Zambrano will get the ball and hopefully he can keep pitching the way he has. Carlos is 8-1 with a 2.36 ERA since the All Star break and has become the ace of this staff. Hopefully Carlos will keep the Astros offense in check and let Nomar, Burnitz and Lee do their job. Play Theriot or McClain!!!

Be patient, get up early...and get #7!!!

Put Away The Broom

2005-09-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Brewers 0

First I was right about Scott McClain and yesterday I was right about Maddux...Dusty whenever you want to add me to the payroll, leave a comment and I will get back with you A.S.A.P.

Greg Maddux pitched a GREAT game. He went 8 innings, giving up only 4 hits and NO RUNS. NO RUNS... and he threw only 78 pitches. I really hope Prior was watching today and took very good notes. Maddux gave the Cubs everything they needed and Dempster finished them off to get his 29th save. The game only lasted 2 hours and 19 AWESOME minutes. Win today's win Maddux is now only 2 away from 15.

The offense did fine and with the way Maddux was throwing today, 3 runs was more than enough. Neifi had a good day. He went 3 for 4 with and RBI and a run scored. Neifi was also involved in a bizarre play.

In the 5th inning, Barrett was on 3rd and Neifi was on first after a single. Helling kept throwing over to 1st to keep Neifi close. He kept throwing and throwing. Several times both Neifi and Gary Mathews asked the 1st base umpire if Helling was committing a balk. Finally, Helling threw one wide of 1st, Neifi went all the way to 3rd and Barrett scored easily. I do not remember how many times Helling threw over, but even the Brewers' fans were starting to 'boo'. I have never heard a play like this...

Today's win helped the Cubs get back to 3 games under and prevented the 2nd sweep in Brewtown this year. Time to go back down I-94....

The Houston Astros

Friday - Glendon Rusch(7-8/4.59) vs. Wandy Rodrigues(10-8/5.43)

Friday starts the last homestand of the season. The Astros are in for the weekend and then the Pirates. The Astros are leading the Wild Card race and wouldn't it be nice for the Cubs to spoil the October plans of the (blankin') Astros. Rusch will get the ball in the opener and I hope the Glendon Rusch of the last month shows up. Rusch is 2-0 in September with a 3.20 ERA. He has been pitching better and needs to keep it up to give the Cubs a chance to win. A short game for Rusch will result in a loss. They must keep the ball out of the hands of the long relievers. Wandy Rodriquez has had a up and down season, but he beat the Cubs in August. Rodriquez is a fine young pitcher, just not consistant. The Cubs are 5-4 against the Astros this year, win number 6 would be real nice. At least I do not have to listen to Milo Hamilton and Alan Ashby tomorrow.

Be patient, score first...and get number 6!!!

Nine Times

2005-09-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

Cubs 6 Brewers 7

ROONEY "If the Cubs think they'll coast through these last 10 games, they're sorely mistaken."
JOYCE: "This is all news to me."
ROONEY: "So far this year alone, they've lost against the Brewers nine times, including today."
JOYCE: "Nine times?"

Yes, nine times. With today's loss the Cubs have lost the season series to the Brewers for the 1st time since 2002 and the all time series is now even at 61 and 61. I would like to know who's bright idea it was to move the Brewers from the American League to the National League. Just another reason to dislike Bud Selig.

Mark Prior did everything he could to give the Cubs a win tonight. Prior went 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 6 hits and struck out 10. He left for a pinch hitter in the 7th and the Cubs were in line to get the victory. Prior even drove in the first 2 runs the Cubs scored tonight. The offense was not the problem.

Everytime the offense fought back to tie or take the lead, the (blankin') bullpen would give up he lead in the next half inning. Burnie, DLee and Nomar all had a good game...Patterson even had 2 hits, yes 2 HITS, but he was picked off 1st after one hit and thrown out at 2nd on the second. The Cubs kept fighting tonight but they could not get past the Brewers offense.

Like I said yesterday, the losing season to the Brewers...blows my mind. I really do not understand how they can beat the best team in the National League and lose to the team up I-94. When Baker and Hendry sit down to review what needs improvement for next year, they must point to the Brewers (and the other sub-par teams) a championship caliber team should beat. From where I am sitting, the 2005 Cubs play to the level of their competition. Until that philosophy is changed the Cubbies will continue to be a sub .500 team themselves.

With tonight's loss the Cubs drop to 4 games under .500 with only 10 games left. The dream of reaching .500 again this season...is that just a dream.

Dusty needs to play all the kids. Try Murton in the lead off spot. He has a very high OBP and who knows how he will react. I know Murton is not very fast, but who cares. The objective of a lead off hitter is to get on base so the RBI guys can knock them in. I can only imagine how many RBI's Derrek Lee would have if Patterson had not been hitting lead off for half of the season. Try Ryan Theriot. The Cubs brought him up, see what he has got. Like Murton he seems very patient at the plate. Give McClain more at bats. What about Nomar at 2nd base? Mix it up!!! This year's team is broken...try to fix it for 2006!!!

Thursday - Greg Maddux(12-13/4.31) vs. Rick Helling(2-0/2.19)

Maddux is 11-3 with a 2.29 ERA in his career vs. the Brewers and tomorrow he needs number 12 to have a shot a 15. Maddux must go 7-8 innings for the Cubs to have a shot at the win. The bullpen is young and after 151 games very overworked. DLee and company must bring the lumber and get on these guys early. In the first 2 games of this series, the Brewers have scored first.

Mix it up...and win one for Maddog!!!

Hasenfeffer Incorporated

2005-09-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

Cubs 3 Brewers 5

After tonight's game, I could use a beer....Why can the Cubs beat the Cardinals and not the Brewers? I do not understand it. After tonight's loss the Cubs have 6 wins in 14 games against the Brewers. And have dropped 3 games under .500 and 1/2 game behind the Brewers for 3rd place in the Central. Tonight did not even seem like the same team that took the field on Sunday. Remember this...the Brewers will be a lot better next year and this is just the beginning of the Cubs troubles with the Brewers. The Brewers have a very strong farm system. Do not be surprised if the Brewers make the playoffs or even win the Central Division next year. (I will talk about this after the season is over).

Jerome Williams had a rough start, settled down and ended up giving up 4 runs on 9 hits in 6 innings. Carlos Lee continued giving Cubs' pitchers nightmares, he had 2 big RBI's that proved to be the winning run. I really do not care for Carlos Lee and I hope he does not end up with the Cubs next season. Lee's name has been mentioned in the rumor mill for next year. He is a good hitter, but I do not like his attitude or playing style. The Cubs are almost finished paying for one headache, I hope they do not add another.

The Cubs biggest problem again tonight was fundamentals. For example they loaded the bases in the 7th inning with no outs and failed to score. They miss the cut off man, get caught stealing 3rd, miss sacrifice bunts and cannot catch the ball at home plate to tag a runner out. Spring Training should be very interesting for the guys that are still on the team next year. Nomar had a 2 run homer and Murton had a solo shot and went 2 for 4. Tonight was Murton's 40th game at the big league level and he is hitting .340 with 5 home runs and 10 RBI's. He has an OBP(on base percentage) of .402 and a SLG(slugging percentage) of .545. The lack of clutch hitting has been the downfall of the 2005 Cubs and it continued tonight. As much as I do not want to admit it, the Brewers played the game tonight to win and the Cubs just showed up again. I will talk about the overhaul I think this team needs after 11 more games.

Wednesday - Mark Prior(11-6/3.70) vs. Tomo Ohka(11-8/3.97)

Tomorrow's game is the 15 of the season between the Cubs and the Brewers and believe it or not, Mark Prior will make his 1st start of the season against the Brewers. I think this is another good example of what went wrong for the Cubs this season. Like Nomar hitting his 1st home run in August, Prior making his 1st start against the Brewers in September is a good recipe for a losing season. Tomo Ohka lost his only start against the Cubs this year giving up 5 runs on 9 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Ohka has had a good season, but if the Cubs bring their bats, he can be beat. The Cubs need these next 2 games to have a shot at .500 and 3rd place, plus a split of the season series vs. the Brewers.

Be patient, hit the ball...and just beat the (blankin') Brewers!!!

Transactions, Thoughts and Useless Information?

2005-09-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

While the Cubs rest, thought I would pass on some information. And away we go...

-Sunday's win gave the Cubs their first 10+ win season against the Cardinals since they went 11-7 in 1992.

-Sunday's win was the first time since 1995 the Cubs won the home and road series against the Cardinals in the same season.

-The Cubs are now 74-76 for the 2005 season. At Wrigley they are 36-40 and on the road they are 38-36. Maybe Dusty should find a hotel in Wrigleyville.

-Greg Maddux has a record streak of 17 years with at least 15 wins. The closest active streak is 5, held by Mark Mulder. With Maddux's loss on Saturday, it looked like the streak would not get to 18 years. The Cubs announced on Sunday, Maddux will get 3 more starts this year. Larry Rothchild and Dusty Baker shuffled the rotation and Glendon Rusch will skip a start in order to give Maddux a chance at getting to 15 wins. According to cubs.com, Maddux did not ask for the extra start and Rothchild and Baker are doing this out of respect for him. Usually I do not agree with trying to 'get or hold onto' a record. I do agree with Rothchild and Baker. I think that if the bullpen would have done their job for Maddux, he should have gotten at least 3-4 more wins with 2 starts left. His record is 12-13 . Maddux will pitch Thursday against the Brewers, on September 27th vs. the Pirates and on October 2nd vs. Houston, the last game of the season.

-With all of the bullpen talk I am doing, I thought I would do research on the origin of the term 'bullpen'. To my surprise it was in Monday's Cubs' Mailbag. According to cubs.com and The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, the term bullpen arose when fans were allowed into games for 10 cents if they arrived after the first inning. Latecomers were penned in like bulls behind ropes in foul territory beyond first and third base. Relief pitchers warmed up along the sidelines near those areas. The term was not used until around 1915, but the first formal bullpen area was in the Polo Grounds (The New York Giants) in 1905.

-It has been 40 years since the last time a pitcher threw a no-hitter against the Cubs. Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers threw a perfect game against the Cubs on September 9, 1965.

-Only 2 pitchers in Major League History have 3000 strikeouts and under 1000 walks. Both are Cubs. Ferguson Jenkins and Greg Maddux. Jenkins was with the Cubs from 1966-1973 and 1982-1983. Maddux was with the Cubs from 1986-1992 before he resigned at the beginning of the 2004 season. Did you know they both wore (and still wearing) #31?

That is all I have, for now. Keep reading and watching to C the changes coming to my site. Time to beat the Brewers.

Until Tuesday.....

A BEAUTIFUL Day

2005-09-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Cubs 7 Cardinals 4

The Cubs did not win the division or make the playoffs...but they did BEAT THE CARDINALS. The Cubs finished their season series today with the Cardinals. The Cubs won 10 of 16 games this year and the Cubbies are the only team in the Central Division to have a winning record against the Cardinals. Hopefully next year they will figure out how to beat the Reds, Astros and Brewers. I cannot believe how good the team played today. I am still in shock.

When the pitching matchups were announced on Thursday, I figured the Sunday game would be the tough one. Chris Carpenter. The Cubs lit up Carpenter for 4 runs on 4 hits in 4 innings. The guy that should win the Cy Young this year looked like the 5th starter in the rotation. He and Dusty even exchanged words. These 2 teams do not like each other. And then there is Zambrano...

Carlos Zambrano pitched his 2nd complete game of the season and kept his head on straight. Zambrano did not have his best stuff today and still won the ballgame. Zambrano is now 8-1 since the All Star break and picked up his 14 win. Big Z also went 2 for 4 and his average is up to .303. UNBELIEVABLE!!

Patterson had a good day going 2 for 3 with a run scored and a RBI. Patterson has the ability to be an excellent major league ball player, it is a shame he has not realized it yet. DLee went 1 for 2 with 2 walks, LaRussa will not pitch to him. And Todd Walker had a homerun in the 7th to give the Cubs some insurance.

Matt Murton hit the go ahead home run in the bottom of the 5th, after the Cardinals had just tied the game. Murton is really making an arguement for the Cubs' brass for the starting left field spot next year. I will stay off of the soap box...

With today's win the Cubs are back to within 2 games of .500 and are now in 3rd place in the Central, 1/2 game in front of the Brewers and the Cardinals are ALL DONE!!

On a personal note, this was one of the best sports days in my life. Not only am I a life long Cubs fan, I am a diehard Tennessee Titans fan and season ticket holder. The Titans shocked the Ravens today 25-10 and it was AWESOME. Then the CUBS BEAT THE CARDINALS. Both of my teams beat their arch rival today and this is the 1st time the Cubs and Titans have won on the same day (that I can remember). Outside of a World Series or Super Bowl, to beat the Ravens and the Cardinals on the same day....MY SPORTS LIFE DOES NOT GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS.

Monday - A Day of Rest and off to Milwaukee

Tuesday - The Milwaukee Brewers

Jerome Williams(5-8/4.30) vs. Doug Davis(10-10/3.95)

The Cubs will battle for 3rd place this week with a 3 game series vs. The Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers have always given the Cubs more than they can handle and this week should not be any different. Jerome Williams is 1-1 in his last 3 games with a .084 ERA. Williams needs to stay hot against the Brewers offense. The Brewers have gotten better this year and will continue to do so over the next few years. The Nashville Sounds just won the PCL Championship and they are the Brewers' AAA affliate. The Cubs have a winning record(38-36) on the road this year and they need these 3 games. A sweep of the Brewers would put the Cubs a game above .500 and will go a long way towards a 3rd place finish. The Cubs will need to score early and often to keep the pressure on the young Brewers.

Be patient, no extra outs, smart base running, timely hitting...and beat the Brew-crew!!

Another One Bites The Dust

2005-09-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

Cubs 1 Cardinals 5

When I heard the lineup today...I was in shock! I kept asking myself...why is Jose Macias hitting in the leadoff spot? Why is he playing 2nd base? Where is Todd Walker? Where is Jerry Hariston, Jr? What the (blank) is going on? Does Dusty not want to win? And all of this against the Cardinals with Greg Maddux trying to get to 15. I almost threw my XM out the window. I immediately got online...and what did I find? ANOTHER INJURY!

Jerry Hariston, Jr. arrived to the ballpark on Saturday on crutches. He hit a ball off of his knee on Friday and was unable to walk on it on Saturday. According to cubs.com Hariston was wearing a brace on his left leg because of a severe bone contusion suffered when he took a foul tip off his left knee in Friday's game. Hairston will be sidelined to let the swelling subside and wait for the pain to go away, Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal said on Saturday. Hairston apparently has "jumper's knee," which is an injury to the patellar tendon and usually happens to high school or junior high athletes. "There is a real minor crack of the calcification [on his knee]," O'Neal said. Great just when the Cubs were getting production out of the leadoff spot...this happens. The Cubs have not said how long he will be out, but with only 13 games left, could we have all seen the last game of Jerry Hariston in a Cubs' uniform?

With the injury to Hariston, a couple of questions come to mind. Dusty does not trust Patterson in the leadoff spot...that point was proven today. If Dusty trusted Patterson, he would have hit CPat in the leadoff spot instead of removing Walker from the lineup and putting Macias in the leadoff spot. I know some of you will argue that Mulder is left handed and so is Walker and Walker would sit anyway. Wrong...Walker is hitting .337 vs. left handers and .293 vs. right handers. Does Dusty's actions today mean the end of Patterson in a Cubs' uniform? Second question. The West Tenn Diamond Jaxx season was ended today. They lost the Southern League Championship 3-1 to Jacksonville. Will the Cubs recall Adam Greenberg to try in the leadoff spot?

The game was...another disappointment. Maddux lost and now his streak of 17 years(working on 18) with at least 15 wins, is over. With today's loss, his record drops to 12-13 and with only 2 starts left the best he can do is 14. Maddux has done a good job for the Cubs this year. If the bullpen and not blown at least 4 of his games, he would have reached 15. Maddux should be back with the Cubs next year. His option has kicked in, so if he does not return that would be his decision. Hopefully the Cubs will have a better bullpen next year and Maddux can reach 15 again.

Sunday - Carlos Zambrano(13-5/3.22) vs. Chris Carpenter(21-4/2.31)

The last time Zambrano and Carpenter faced one another was a pitching clinic. Both Big Z and Carpenter went 9 innings in St. Louis and neither one got the decision. The Cardinals won that game in extra innings on a squeeze bunt by David Eckstein. That game in July was the best pitching dual I have seen in years. Tomorrow should be more of the same. Carpenter should win this year's Cy Young in the National League and Zambrano is 7-1 with a 2.40 ERA since the All Star break. Runs should come at a premium. The Cubs will have to play a near perfect game in order to beat Carpenter.

No extra outs, smart base running, timely hitting...and BEAT THOSE BIRDS!!

Gotta Love It!!

2005-09-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Cubs 5 Cardinals 3

Yes, this has been a disappointing year (one I kinda expected, will discuss in 2 weeks). But anytime the Cubs beat the Cardinals is a GREAT DAY. The walls could be coming down around me and it would not matter because the CUBS BEAT THE CARDINALS. With today's win, the Cubs have WON THE SEASON SERIES against the CARDINALS. Can you tell I am very happy? There are still 2 games left against the Redbirds, so I will hold back.

Glendon Rusch pitched very good today. He got the Cubs into the 7th inning with the lead and earned the win. Rusch went 6 2/3 innings and gave up 3 runs on 7 hits. A quality start. Wuertz and Novoa held the Cards in check and Dempster picked up his 28th save. The pitching staff as a whole did their job for the offense.

Burnie is the one that stepped up today. Jeromy Burnitz went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI's and a run scored. His 2 run single gave the Cubs the lead. DLee hit his 44th homer in the 1st inning and Walker, Nomar and Murton came through as well. Murton came in after Hariston was ejected for arguing balls and strikes and scored on the Burnitz single. CPat even had a hit today. The Cubs beat Matt Morris for the 4th time in a row. The offense was hot on a cool day in Chicago.

While I was listening to the game, I further realized how much I enjoy Pat Hughes and Ron Santo. Hughes delivers a solid play-by-play and Santo...well...is just being a Cubs fan. It is great to hear him yell at the team when they make a bonehead play. Santo is not the greatest of announcers, like Harry Caray, but he is so enjoyable to listen to. If Santo was not announcing the games, he would still be yelling at the radio or tv. Santo would be trying to tell the guys what to do or not to do. How many of you have done that? I have. And that is what makes Ron Santo priceless.

Just when I thought the Cubbies were going through the motions, they play like this...who knows what will happen tomorrow?

Saturday - Greg Maddux(12-12/4.22) vs. Mark Mulder(15-7/3.51)

Maddux has beaten Mulder in their last 2 matchups. Can Maddux do it again? To have a shot at 15, he must. Maddux has been pitching like the old 'Maddog' in his last few starts, so if the offense can do their job, he has a shot. Lee got help today and will need it tomorrow. Who will it be? Murton? Burnie? Nomar? Could McClain get a start? Maybe Blanco? A win tomorrow would put the Cubs to within a game of .500. LaRussa said today, even though the Cards clinched the division last night, he will not allow the team to celebrate until they win. From this Cubs fan...please do not allow them to celebrate at Wrigley.

Be patient, bring the bats, have fun...and just beat those Birds!!!

A Rainy Night in Chicago

2005-09-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

Cubs 1 Cardinals 6

It was a rainy, gloomy night in Chicago and the Cubs started the series against the Cardinals with a loss. Mark Prior started the game tonight and had another bad inning. He did not have a bad start, just one inning. Prior allowed 3 runs in the first inning and threw almost 40 pitches again. Prior has had at least one bad inning in every start this year. After that he settled down and held the Cardinals scoreless. Prior left after 5 innings, throwing 93 pitches. This is the 1st time the Cardinals have beaten Prior this year. Prior has had a good year, especially after missing the month with his elbow injury. I was glad to see Dusty pulling him out in the 5th. Prior has been throwing a lot of pitches lately and with the way Jeff Suppan pitched tonight...it was a good call.

Jeff Suppan shut the Cubs down, except for DLee. As usual this year, Derrek Lee was the only bright spot. Lee went 2 for 4 and hit his 43rd home run. The rest of the Cubs only managed 4 hits against Suppan. I do not think the guys did a bad job tonight, Suppan just had their number.

The Cubs fought back in the 9th, but with the bases loaded and 2 outs, the rain came back to stay. The game was delayed for 51 minutes and then called. It was a strange end to a strange night.

With tonight's win, the St. Louis Cardinals are the 2005 Central Division Champions.

The Cubs have played the Cardinals better than any other team in the Central this year. If the Cubs can win 1 game of the series, they will actually win the season series against the Cardinals for the first time since 2001. The age of the Cardinals' players are starting to show will all of the injuries they have had this year. I hope this is the beginning of the Cubs beating the Cardinals on a regular basis...and who knows...maybe the 2 teams could switch place in the standings next year. Wouldn't that be nice?

As one would expect, the Cubs look like they are going through the motions. It has been a very long season, there is only 15 games left. With tonight's loss the Cubs dropped to 3 games under .500.

Friday - Glendon Rusch(6-8/4.62) vs. Matt Morris(14-8/4.04)

Matt Morris will go for the Redbirds on Friday and that could benefit the Cubbies. Morris has lost his last 3 starts against the Cubs. Morris started the season very strong and has cooled down lately. Glendon Rusch has pitched better in his last 2 starts and even had a perfect game into the 7th inning his last start against the Cardinals. The bullpen has been used to much in the last 3 games and Rusch will need to pitch into the 7th or the 8th for the Cubs to win. DLee could use help, who will step up? Nomar? Murton? Burnie? Walker? Hopefully a day game will wake up the offense and the Cubs can get back in the win column.

Be patient, bring the bats...and just beat those birds!!