UMFan83

Same...but for me this is karma for being so lucky for NLDS

Enjoy the NLCS

This is the first time in 3 years that tickets.com has failed me...ugh

over 200 windows open cant get through...someone tell me if they get in and can get 2 for me to any game.

12x20 now for me. Can't do any more...

I got 120 tabs open....my computer can't handle it at work as well as it can at home

You can't say that we wouldn't have won it either way if we kept Zambrano in. Perhaps if Z throws 2 more shutout innings, our hitters approaches at the plate change. Perhaps different relievers are put in. But overall you are right, the hitting was poor all night (albeit to great pitchers). Nothing to lose sleep over though...we have the upperhand in matchups the next 3 games. Just win today and all the sudden it is a best of 3.

That is because it seemed like Webb would groove strike one over the plate to any bad hitters in our lineup. Guess he didn't read the scouting report on Z that he is very very aggressive.

We are clinching on Sunday at Wrigley. I refuse to look at it any other way until it is impossible to do so.

I agree that their lineup is garbage, but that garbage lineup, in 163 games, has 6 more wins and 22 more HRs than our much better lineup. EDIT - Also, when do we decide it's time to shuffle the rotation? I understand it was a late game and all last night, but still. Their lineup scored 40 less runs than us all year and is missing 2 of its players (Chad Tracy and Orlando Hudson)

Yes, he was on, but not his best. He had bouts of wildness and his sinker was starting to get up around the 5th inning. If we are going to advance, we better learn to hit good pitchers. The numbers from our big 3 were sick last night. I just don't think the Cubs and Webb are a good matchup. His sinker really gives us fits. Not that we hit a ton of good pitchers, but we have hit pitchers like Roy Oswalt much better than Webb.

Nothing to worry about guys. I expected the Cubs to lose this game and win the next 3 and so far my prediction is correct. Keep the faith, their lineup is garbage so as long as we can score runs we will win.

Are you kidding? Webb was on last night. We played right into his game plan. Other then his bouts of wildness, he got ahead of hitters with a sinker that looks hittable. He got ahead of hitters 0-1 and 0-2 so many times, and when you are in that position you are pretty much done for with Webb.

Off to Wrigleyville. Go Cubs! Remember, this is what we shed all those tears for in 2004, 2005 and 2006...to get BACK to the playoffs with a chance to make up for the demons of 2003. Remember all the crap we had to go through between 2003 and 2007. We had to live through the Dusty Baker era, the Neifi Perez era, the Cardinals championship, the White Sox championship. We went through a bunch of crap, and now its time to make up for it. ITS OUR TIME! (says Mark_R)

Or when we are losing 11-0 in the 3rd game after losing the first 2. Imagine how well Bartman would be received in Wrigley.

Oh lord, could you imagine Soto in CF with his speed? I'm pretty sure Floyd would do better. :lol: What are you talking about? Geovany has the speed of a cheetah and is as graceful as a deer. If he played it the OF, the Cubs could have two more infielders, as Soriano and Floyd would just be redundant out there.

I agree. I wonder if he still listens to the Cubs? I hope so. Didn't ESPN do a thing on him a few years ago where one of their reporters was able to talk to him after following him around for a couple of weeks? If I recall coreectly he talked about them beating the Red Sox 2 of 3 in 04 with them. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=bartman

IBL

Exactly

Actually, yes. I was part of ESPN's "Five Reasons You Can't Blame Bartman" special. I hated to see this kid get tarred and feathered. Alex Gonzalez ought to send Bartman Christmas cards every year. The thing I hate about the networks is their fascination with Bartman and the goat. Yep, I guarantee you that the goat and Bartman will be mentioned within the first 2 minutes of the pregame. And every 2 minutes after that. I wouldn't be surprised if TBS had a 2 minute ticker at the bottom of their screen so that when it got to 0 they would be obligated to mention Bartman and the Goat.

Looks like the Rockies are still hot.

It's not worth taking and buying at home, but its worth picking up for El rides as reading material because its free.

Instead of actually working, I decided to spend my day sitting in my cube and thinking nonstop about this game today. One thought kept creeping into my mind. How far have we come from 2006? I am not talking about ONLY in terms of wins and losses, but in overall feeling for the team. For me, the Cubs have had many down seasons in my lifetime, but 2006 was by far the rock bottom point. I was delusional at the time. My mind was programmed to think only about losing and failure. I literally thought that this team was 3-4 years away from even contending for a playoff spot. I was convinced that the Tribune company truly built each years' team to generate a lot of fan excitement but not to win. I assumed that Dusty Baker would re-signed (until September when it was clear it wouldn't happen), I was sure that Lou was another Dusty Baker. I thought that it didn't matter how many Soriano's we signed, we would fail to be an adequate offense. I imagined every Cubs pitcher we signed would go down with an injury. I was in a very pessimistic spiral. And then 2007 happened. I am probably known as extreme example. But I am sure all of you were pretty down in dumps about the state of our franchise. It's not like we blew the world away in 2007 with our 85 wins, but to me the thought of us in the playoffs in 2007 was inconceivable a year ago today. So before we begin our 2007 playoff run, lets appreciate how we got here and how things turned around in just one amazing year. Some 'memories' to ponder from 2006: -Ball bouncing off Ramirez's head for the goahead run -Neifi in general -Neifi bunting with 2 outs in the 9th, down by 2 with a runner on base -Two runs managing to score on one sacrifice fly (Fly ball to right field that Neifi screwed up on the relay) -Two runs managing to score on one wild pitch (thrown by Mark Prior) -All of Dempsters blown saves -AJ Eyechart's 3 run homer to beat the Cubs -The Cardinals winning the World Series -Eckstein winning the WS MVP

Bruce, what do you predict the final score to be with Webb on the mound?

Didn't Z almost throw a no-no in Arizona a few years ago? I seem to remember that. Anyone have his career stats there? I have nothing to back this up other than my sincerest hope, but I think he'll do fine tonight. But we will need 3-4 runs to get it done. Wasn't that in 2003? i know he almost threw a no hitter against colorado in 2004. It was this game...Against Schilling http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI200308220.shtml That was the game that the only hit he gave up in 8.2 innings was really an out, he possibly could have had the no-no he deserved if that call was made. I was at that game. Shea Hillenbrand should have been out and been the last out of the 8th inning. Z then got the last 3 batters out, preserving what should have been a no hitter.