CaliforniaRaisin

No, not really. He's never been a 1-inning guy in the playoffs.

Guzman's a much better prospect than Honel ever was (especially since Honel didn't throw that hard). Guzman has a mid-90s FB, a sinker, a plus change and a plus curve.

Did it do the Marlins any good? If you have a poor fan base, a championship (or even two) does little to change anything, beyond a momentary burp in attendance. The White Sox winning the WS may have an effect, but I sincerely doubt that the Cubs stranglehold on the Chicago market is any real danger. I just can't see too many Cubs fans jumping from one side to the other, especially considering the animosity. I don't think there's a good comparison with Florida. The White Sox have a long history, and have, at times in the past, been more popular than the Cubs. I don't think this WS would completely change everything, but I fully expect a large upswing in attendance and ratings next year for the WS, and after two consecutive disappointments, there will be a decline with the Cubs. Sox fans abandoned that team in the 90's, and have been slow to return. But they're still out there, and they'll be back. I don't think it'll have a negative effect on the Cubs though. The Cubs have a lot more to worry about with their own ineptitude than with any Sox success. I agree.

Very nervous, UCLA doesn't do too well in Stanford. And Stanford is coming off a big upset of Arizona State. This isn't the same Stanford team that lost to UC Davis.

Maybe, but not in spades. Chicago will still be a Cubs town, the media will be talking about the Cubs more than the Sox in a few months, the Cell will return to it's nominal half-full status next season, and the Sox will still be the bastard stepchild of Chicago baseball. Actually, I think your terribly wrong here. I teach 7th graders, and I'm seeing an entire generation fo kids becoming Sox fans. Yes, kids are fickle, but our "loveable" failures, personalities and better ball park all fade when a team 8 miles south is holding up a World Series trophy. Despite the "edge" in popularity and the better environment and history, people are going to flock to the White Sox because they're winners. Heck, the Bulls sold out for 3 years after the last Championship, as bad as they were. I really believe that this is terrible for the Cubs. Unless we start off hot next year, and build up a mojo that we can follow the pair of Soxes that broke their long droughts, I don't see us having any of the attention that the Sox will get. And even if we start off hot, guys like Wood, Baker, and Patterson will buckle under any pressure and destroy the possiblity of anything good happening. This could become a fundamental change in the way Chicagoans view baseball. Hell, the Southside may become even further revived because of interest in the area. It won't be Wrigleyville, but maybe it gets better. I'm not just guessing, but I'm SEEING children fall in love these guys. Hispanic kids, black kids, Asian kids are all talking about the Sox. It's cool to see them all jacked up, but heartbreaking that it can't be our Cubbies. The tide is turning more than you realize. :cry: Funny thing about a bandwagon: people jump off as quickly as they jumped on. Especially with kids. Unless they sustain for a few years, I wouldn't be too concerned. And with that clown Williams making ther personnel decisions, I don't think that's likely. The difference with this bandwagon is that they actually have a championship, which will keep fans in, remembering that. The effect of a Chicago baseball championship is still unknown.

We had that sort of overkill in 2002 in LA. I think that comes with being in the city with the World Series - the amount of press would be the same if the Cubs were there too (if not more). Oh, and that was one hell of an impressive post, Outshined.

Say hello to a sweep.

I just want the Astros to tie this and have this game continue on forever.

Wow, Uribe.

Who would you rather have in a close-and-late situation? Jose Macias or Morgan Ensberg?

Brandon Backe to the pen. :shock: Don't bother running, Brandon...Brad Ausmus isn't going to do anything.

WTG, Orlando.

If they'd ever started to melt down the umps would probably have stepped in anyway. This is sad to watch. Come now, the umps have been bad but the Sox have earned their success thus far - crap balls and strikes calls included..

I would've let him stay considering Wandy Rodriguez is probably the Stros' game 5 starter. Not that this series will make it to 5. It's all about actually getting there, though.

That thing is nasty.

About time Astacio is pulled.

Hahaha, here comes the bases loaded walk. Who's gonna bust out the Dusty Baker quote?

Haha, I was expecting Astacio to get hit a bit harder than he has in the last 2 hits.

Blum. Wow.

Wow, some nice DPs the past few innings by the Astros' D.

Make sure to groove pitches to him for a certain out.

Wow, I really like the sound of Ishii. Sounds like he would look good in a Cubs uni.

He had two pitches to kill in his previous AB. I know. Stupid Ensberg. :(

Luckily for him, Morgan Ensberg is up. I like Palmeiro up here. Agreed, he's the type of hitter who'd have a chance against Jenks FB.

He had two pitches to kill in his previous AB.