NLDS Game 2: Dodgers (Billingsley) @ Cubs (Z!) TBS, 8:30 CST

[cubsfan26]

I think the winner of this game tonight will win the series. If the Dodgers win they will probably win the series in 3 or 4 games. If the Cubs win tonight, I like their chances of winning 2 of the next 3 games with Harden, Lilly and Dempster going. So IMO the season is on the line tonight, and we need Zambrano to step up big time. Personally I actually have confidence that he will step up and pitch good tonight. I think the rest will do him some good, and he's going to have his good stuff tonight. I'm feeling a 4-1 win, with 7 IP, 1 earned run from Zambrano, and getting 3 runs off Billingsley in 5 IP, and another run off their pen.

[PrimeTime]

So I was watching the game at the bar last night...One of first thoughts was what wss with that crowd last night? It was like a funeral in Wrigley..I can't beleive it was that quiet even when we were winning..Terrible..Im going to guess it was msotly all older people and corporate america in there? Because thats not a normal Wrigley crowd. Oh and the booing was stupid also

[TysonCBulls423]

Like others have said, the telecast didn't do a great job of showing the crowd yesterday. It was more active and louder than any other game I've been to until the 5th inning. After that, there was nothing else to cheer for except Rammy's double and the next 2 balls to Soto.

[erik316wttn]

Biggest game of the year tonight. If the Cubs lose tonight, it's "Wait 'till Next Year" once again on the North Side. If they can go to LA tied, however, I like their chances.

 

Z has GOT to keep a cool head today if he gets squeezed or if someone makes an error behind him. If he does his "stomp around like a bratty child who isn't getting his way" act, it's gonna be the end of the Cubs.

[Fred Hornkohl]

we're F-ed.

 

Stop the cussing, now !!

[TysonCBulls423]

4 hours still? Come on already. I can't study or nap right now. I'm like shaking. This is unhealthy.

[RedFlash]

The league is hitting in certain counts against Billingsley:

 

0-0: .329/.333/.400/.733

1-0 .328/.333/.557/.891

2-0 .381/.381/.571/.952

2-1 .432/.432/.614/1.045

3-1 .357/.791/.500/1.291

 

Billingsley is definately the kind of pitcher that can get Soriano going:

 

0-0 .414/.424/.776/1.200

1-0 .465/.455/.767/1.222

2-0 .500/.500/1.250/1.750

 

I hate to say it, but I want to see Soriano going up there ready to swing the bat.

[Warren Brusstar]

I think the winner of this game tonight will win the series. If the Dodgers win they will probably win the series in 3 or 4 games. If the Cubs win tonight, I like their chances of winning 2 of the next 3 games with Harden, Lilly and Dempster going. So IMO the season is on the line tonight, and we need Zambrano to step up big time. Personally I actually have confidence that he will step up and pitch good tonight. I think the rest will do him some good, and he's going to have his good stuff tonight. I'm feeling a 4-1 win, with 7 IP, 1 earned run from Zambrano, and getting 3 runs off Billingsley in 5 IP, and another run off their pen.

 

If Z pitches a gem tonight, I would not assume that Dempster would pitch a prospective Game 5. Z would be on 4 days rest in Game 5.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Biggest game of the year tonight. If the Cubs lose tonight, it's "I give up, to hell with it time" once and for all on the North Side. If they can go to LA tied, however, I like their chances.

 

Z has GOT to keep a cool head today if he gets squeezed or if someone makes an error behind him. If he does his "stomp around like a bratty child who isn't getting his way" act, it's gonna be the end of the Cubs.

 

fixed

[jersey cubs fan]

I think the winner of this game tonight will win the series. If the Dodgers win they will probably win the series in 3 or 4 games. If the Cubs win tonight, I like their chances of winning 2 of the next 3 games with Harden, Lilly and Dempster going. So IMO the season is on the line tonight, and we need Zambrano to step up big time. Personally I actually have confidence that he will step up and pitch good tonight. I think the rest will do him some good, and he's going to have his good stuff tonight. I'm feeling a 4-1 win, with 7 IP, 1 earned run from Zambrano, and getting 3 runs off Billingsley in 5 IP, and another run off their pen.

 

If Z pitches a gem tonight, I would not assume that Dempster would pitch a prospective Game 5. Z would be on 4 days rest in Game 5.

 

good point

[Ski]

The league is hitting in certain counts against Billingsley:

 

0-0: .329/.333/.400/.733

1-0 .328/.333/.557/.891

2-0 .381/.381/.571/.952

2-1 .432/.432/.614/1.045

3-1 .357/.791/.500/1.291

 

Billingsley is definately the kind of pitcher that can get Soriano going:

 

0-0 .414/.424/.776/1.200

1-0 .465/.455/.767/1.222

2-0 .500/.500/1.250/1.750

 

I hate to say it, but I want to see Soriano going up there ready to swing the bat.

Damnit, didn't you know that posting stats that favors the Cubs always jinxes them?

[RedFlash]

Biggest game of the year tonight. If the Cubs lose tonight, it's "Wait 'till Next Year" once again on the North Side. If they can go to LA tied, however, I like their chances.

 

Z has GOT to keep a cool head today if he gets squeezed or if someone makes an error behind him. If he does his "stomp around like a bratty child who isn't getting his way" act, it's gonna be the end of the Cubs.

 

I wonder if Piniella, Rothschild and/or Soto are stressing this fact to Z today............

[erik316wttn]

Biggest game of the year tonight. If the Cubs lose tonight, it's "I give up, to hell with it time" once and for all on the North Side. If they can go to LA tied, however, I like their chances.

 

Z has GOT to keep a cool head today if he gets squeezed or if someone makes an error behind him. If he does his "stomp around like a bratty child who isn't getting his way" act, it's gonna be the end of the Cubs.

 

fixed

 

If the Cubs lose tonight, they will NOT win the series. It won't even get back to Chicago.

 

I'm not saying they will lose tonight, but if they do, they're toast in this series.. Plain and simple.

 

There is a very fine line between optimism and stupidity.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Biggest game of the year tonight. If the Cubs lose tonight, it's "I give up, to hell with it time" once and for all on the North Side. If they can go to LA tied, however, I like their chances.

 

Z has GOT to keep a cool head today if he gets squeezed or if someone makes an error behind him. If he does his "stomp around like a bratty child who isn't getting his way" act, it's gonna be the end of the Cubs.

 

fixed

 

If the Cubs lose tonight, they will NOT win the series. It won't even get back to Chicago.

 

I'm not saying they will lose tonight, but if they do, they're toast in this series.. Plain and simple.

 

There is a very fine line between optimism and stupidity.

 

I never disagreed with that statement. I was basically saying no more wait until next year, time to give up and say to hell with it. Just enjoy a baseball season like a Royals or Pirates fans. Enough with the silly expectations. Like you, I am confident that if we win tonight, we have a good shot. If we dont, thats that.

[B]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/bnance82/24477313662303d075bfqs5.jpg

[imb]

Tonight isn't 100 percent a must-win. i'm going to probably throw up on myself if we lose, but it's not the end of the world.

 

even with a loss, we'll have three pitching matchups in our favor, LA is basically tailor-made for Lilly and you know that Lou will leave Harden out there in game three for as long as he can if he's effective. That sends it back to chicago for a game 5 with either zambrano or dempster on the mound, against Billingsley (? assuming Lowe pitches game 4 on short rest) and as much as I love Billingsley, with the home field advantage that's basically a 50/50.

[haubrich91]

I hope we win, and win huge. Let's bust out runs left and right and send a message to the Dodgers. I'm sick of the media practically advancing the Dodgers already. We need to remember who we are, and what we did on 97 days in this long six month season.

 

We need to get pumped up, and be excited that we're in the playoffs. Don't think, "oh...if we lose tonight". Enjoy these next three and a half hours or so and just relax. Come 8:30, it's go time.

 

GO CUBS!

[RedFlash]

The league is hitting in certain counts against Billingsley:

 

0-0: .329/.333/.400/.733

1-0 .328/.333/.557/.891

2-0 .381/.381/.571/.952

2-1 .432/.432/.614/1.045

3-1 .357/.791/.500/1.291

 

Billingsley is definately the kind of pitcher that can get Soriano going:

 

0-0 .414/.424/.776/1.200

1-0 .465/.455/.767/1.222

2-0 .500/.500/1.250/1.750

 

I hate to say it, but I want to see Soriano going up there ready to swing the bat.

Damnit, didn't you know that posting stats that favors the Cubs always jinxes them?

 

Nothing recent has work with Soriano, so maybe a jinx will........I just hope the real life Pedro Serreno comes to life for the Cubs.

[Guest]

Tonight isn't 100 percent a must-win. i'm going to probably throw up on myself if we lose, but it's not the end of the world.

 

even with a loss, we'll have three pitching matchups in our favor, LA is basically tailor-made for Lilly and you know that Lou will leave Harden out there in game three for as long as he can if he's effective. That sends it back to chicago for a game 5 with either zambrano or dempster on the mound, against Billingsley (? assuming Lowe pitches game 4 on short rest) and as much as I love Billingsley, with the home field advantage that's basically a 50/50.

 

I don't see how the Cubs have three favorable pitching matchups in Games 3-4-5. Game 3, certainly, but that's a no brainer. Game 4 the Cubs would if the Dodgers throw Maddux but Lilly-Lowe isn't in our favor. Same goes for Billingsley-Dempster/Z in Game 5. It could be (we'll see how Billingsley does tonight) but right now it doesn't look like a matchup in the Cubs' favor.

[erik316wttn]

I hope we win, and win huge. Let's bust out runs left and right and send a message to the Dodgers. I'm sick of the media practically advancing the Dodgers already. We need to remember who we are, and what we did on 97 days in this long six month season.

 

We need to get pumped up, and be excited that we're in the playoffs. Don't think, "oh...if we lose tonight". Enjoy these next three and a half hours or so and just relax. Come 8:30, it's go time.

 

GO CUBS!

 

Not to nitpick, but didn't we sweep a doubleheader in there somewhere? So that would make it wins on 96 days. :D

[jersey cubs fan]

I hope we win, and win huge. Let's bust out runs left and right and send a message to the Dodgers. I'm sick of the media practically advancing the Dodgers already. We need to remember who we are, and what we did on 97 days in this long six month season.

 

We need to get pumped up, and be excited that we're in the playoffs. Don't think, "oh...if we lose tonight". Enjoy these next three and a half hours or so and just relax. Come 8:30, it's go time.

 

GO CUBS!

 

Not to nitpick, but didn't we sweep a doubleheader in there somewhere? So that would make it wins on 96 days. :D

 

I think he means the first day we lost, then we won on 96 other days.

[David]

Tonight isn't 100 percent a must-win. i'm going to probably throw up on myself if we lose, but it's not the end of the world.

 

even with a loss, we'll have three pitching matchups in our favor, LA is basically tailor-made for Lilly and you know that Lou will leave Harden out there in game three for as long as he can if he's effective. That sends it back to chicago for a game 5 with either zambrano or dempster on the mound, against Billingsley (? assuming Lowe pitches game 4 on short rest) and as much as I love Billingsley, with the home field advantage that's basically a 50/50.

 

I don't see how the Cubs have three favorable pitching matchups in Games 3-4-5. Game 3, certainly, but that's a no brainer. Game 4 the Cubs would if the Dodgers throw Maddux but Lilly-Lowe isn't in our favor. Same goes for Billingsley-Dempster/Z in Game 5. It could be (we'll see how Billingsley does tonight) but right now it doesn't look like a matchup in the Cubs' favor.

 

The history of starters who aren't CC Sabathia or Randy Johnson on short rest isn't exactly great.

[Burtonbell]

GO COBS!!)!!!1!

[tfarks]

The league is hitting in certain counts against Billingsley:

 

0-0: .329/.333/.400/.733

1-0 .328/.333/.557/.891

2-0 .381/.381/.571/.952

2-1 .432/.432/.614/1.045

3-1 .357/.791/.500/1.291

 

Billingsley is definately the kind of pitcher that can get Soriano going:

 

0-0 .414/.424/.776/1.200

1-0 .465/.455/.767/1.222

2-0 .500/.500/1.250/1.750

 

I hate to say it, but I want to see Soriano going up there ready to swing the bat.

Damnit, didn't you know that posting stats that favors the Cubs always jinxes them?

 

Don't you know that jerkin it to anime is the #1 cause of death for kittens and other small animals?

[erik316wttn]

Go Cobs go,

Go Cobs go,

Hey Chicago whaddya say,

The Cobs better not lose today