Sammys Boombox

They even booed Harden when Bruce got the single to drive in the second run. Are you certain they were not shouting "Bruce!"? This sort of confusion pops up at Springsteen shows all the time. And yeah, Glendon Rusch sucked terribly. I don't particularly care that he was "understood" to suck. When you are as awful a pitcher as Rusch is/was, part of your job is absorbing boos. I think most people were booing the guy in the Bartman seat who interfered. This is correct. Almost as stupid, I agree, but in no way were the fans booing Harden for giving up an RBI single. My mistake. I didn't realize that last night. I was halfway paying attention while studying for a test I had today.

I wouldn't mind getting back to the conversation on whether or not the fan base has changed since 2003 and if it is for the better or for the worse. I think it definitely has and there are some pros and cons.

I don't know about Hairston, but Rusch and Marquis both got paid more than "average player" salary. I know Marquis was...and I think Rusch got too much too if I remember right. Anyway, I think the average fan probably doesn't do the expectations vs performance comparison. They just remember key games. And those guys had more spectacular failures than they did successes. The Harden one is unfair, I agree. But he's not lived up to the "star" expectations he came in with so far. I don't see the booing of Rusch, Marquis, Hairston, sorry. Harden's Cubs ERA: 2.20. 12 K/9 innings.

Agreed.

They even booed Harden when Bruce got the single to drive in the second run.

I think you're way off. The fanbase, if anything, has changed for the better. They expect more from the Cubs, and aren't just happy to sit there, and enjoy the beer and sunshine, regardless of the on field income. If someone is booing Latroy Hawkins, that means they paid enough attention over the past few years to actually know that Latroy played for (and sucked) with the Cubs. What you're saying is that you liked the stupid fans that weren't even watching the game. Booing is part of the game. It has been for a long time. Don't suck, and you won't get booed. I said that I can understand the booing of Latroy. I did so in person, TWICE. Aug 4, 2008, and the night Maddux got his 3000 K and Barrett went yard off Latroy. I think there are plusses and minuses to the changes in the fan base. I have no problem with booing players when they are underperforming. All I'm saying is, why are we booing Jerry Hairston, Jason Marquis, Glendon Rusch, etc.? They were average players that were expected to perform at an average level and that's what they did. Also, this idea that all Cubs fans were happy to just sit back and halfway pay attention to a losing Cubs team is not really all that accurate. No, I hated those fans. I like the fans who aren't childish enough to say, "Oh, he used to play on the Cubs (as a bench player, bullpen pitcher, spot starter, whatever) and he wasn't a star. BOOOOOO!"

I didn't see this thread anywhere. If there is already one, sorry. What is up with booing every former Cub who was an average player and played average for the Cubs? (Rusch, Marquis, Hairston) This actually bothers me a lot. I understand booing of Dusty, and maybe even Latroy Hawkins, but why boo somebody just because he used to be on your team and now he isn't. I think the type of fans the Cubs attract has changed drastically since the 2003 run, and for the worse.

eBay is awesome for tickets.

You can try in get the first pitch tickets Saturday morning. They start selling the tickets at 9 AM the day of the game. It costs $11 for a voucher for 2 tickets. You have no idea where your tickets will be until you enter the stadium. You'll probably want to get in line a couple of hours early, and you'll probably end up with SRO. At least you'll be in the stadium though. I'll be at the game Friday for sure, and might stop by Saturday and Sunday after the start of the games and see if I can scalp some cheap tickets. I think I'm going to try the first pitch thing this Saturday. Have you had much success with it?

Haha. While watching the Reds/Astros game on MLB.tv they forgot to go to commercial for a while. The announcer was whistling and talking to somebody although you couldn't hear the other person in the conversation.

Yes.

I got his autograph in Wichita, the second time when he was sent back for his anxiety thing. I asked him for his autograph. He said yeah and signed it. He then told be he took a class on how to sign for people, I was like ok. He then adds that he always likes to sign along the seams because it looks cool and no one else does it. Again I was like ok. I thanked him and he just stared at me blankly. I don't know that he's all there or if it's just an act because he's shy. Either way he's got a ton of talent. This is a story passed onto me from a friend of a friend, so take it for what it's worth. I have no doubt my friend wouldn't pass this along if he didn't think it was genuine. This friend of a friend was at a mall in KC when Greinke walks up and asks the guy for his phone number. He wants to know if he'll be his friend, if he'd like to hangout some time. The guy declined, which I thought was a little dumb considering he's a Royals fan, it seems like an avenue for some good tickets. But the guy apparently said it was like Greinke was trying pickup a friend the way most ballplayers would pickup a girl.

Although it was hilarious, I'm kind of ticked at the guy who pulled this and cost us enjoyment after every Cardinals loss to the Cubs this year, especially yesterday's vid. Does anybody else think he has to quit b/c his young wife threatened to leave him if he continued to embarrass her?

Greinke is quite an odd ball, but I like him. I watched some of the game last night as well. He did an interview the other day for the Royals weekly (?) show where they asked him about how he liked his new contract. He started talking about how even though he makes a lot more money he needs to find an apartment with cheaper rent and then he starts talking about how he pays too much for Internet each month. You should have seen the interviewer's face.

And then HIS younger brother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoLlj86pgos&feature=related What a GODAWFUL uglyass family! No wonder they live in MISSOURAH!!!! There are good-looking people in Missouri, like my wife. Although, I don't think my signature helps my argument on this one. my friend texted me that exact picture from that game. I was sitting with a friend who was sitting with a friend of his that I don't know very well. He's the one who took the picture. He's a Sox fan as is my friend. This is most likely your friend. Small world.

It's more than baseball. The issue is getting that worked up over something that is not really that important in the grand scheme and more importantly, something that you have absolutely no control over. It's hard and sometimes it really ruins my day (or about a month after the 2003 season ended), but I have never in my life approached what this guy does, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't want anyone to see it. That's the thing that really gets me. I acted childish about games when I was a kid, but I never would have put those on the internet. I especially wouldn't do it at the age of 22.

And then HIS younger brother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoLlj86pgos&feature=related What a GODAWFUL uglyass family! No wonder they live in MISSOURAH!!!! There are good-looking people in Missouri, like my wife. Although, I don't think my signature helps my argument on this one.

Hate to say it, but seeing this guy get so ticked makes me think I should subdue myself before I start inching into this guys world. Baseball is a game where if you are statistically successful 60% of the time that's pretty good. I'm not talking about hitting, but just in general each plate appearance whether pitching or hitting. If a team gets 60% of the plate appearances to go there way they will almost always win. But, those other 40% can be very frustrating. What's even more frustrating is the occasional game where your team prevails about 55% and still loses. But that's baseball. It's a frustrating game if you take it too seriously.

It's not like it's the only thing I'm doing right now. I'm hammering out a boring report on some stupid stuff I don't understand in this class called "Materials." But anyway, how pathetic is it that we are waiting for this dudes reaction?

While waiting checkout the influence he has on his younger brother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7tVFXV9w7w&feature=channel_page I pity him.

While waiting checkout the influence he has on his younger brother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7tVFXV9w7w&feature=channel_page I pity him.

That was a happy ending to that AB.

Iowa.

I am going to accept the fact the Cards will score this inning and fatso is going to shut us down.

i believe there were 7 hrs in the 2 exhibition games vs the cubs, as well. If those numbers aren't a fluke and the new stadium really is a launching pad, A-Rod is gonna rake in that ballpark I think it's mostly launching to right, so Tex will especially rake.