Monday, March 31, 2008

3/31/08 vs. Milwaukee; L 3-4; (0-1)

Are you kidding me? What an opening day! Other than the loss, this was a tremendous game. We had a pitcher's duel between Big Z and Ben Sheets. Can you believe they both came back after the rain delay? Neither one yielded a run all day. From a Cub perspective, good to see that kind of performance on day one from Zambrano.

Other than Kosuke, our offense was pathetic. Maybe we give credit where credit is due with Sheets' performance. Once we got to the bullpen, the general thought in our crew was we had the upper hand.

To start with, that sure seemed true. Carlos Marmol was dominant. Kerry Wood was not. The closer decision may not be over, but let's save that discussion for after we have seen more than one game.

So we go to the bottom of the ninth and the general feeling at Ale Emporium is...we won't get three runs. Then Fukudome happens! We were at the right spot in the lineup and Gagne had nothing. The place absolutely erupted when Kosuke hit the first Cub home run of the year. This man will make a lot of friends with the right field bleacher crew this year.

Side note on Gagne: One inning pitched, three hits, a walk, and three earned runs. Not a great pitching line. But oh yeah, he gets the win.

So we go extra innings. Why not? Rain delayed the start for 40 minutes. We had another stoppage in the third inning. May as well play extra innings. Unfortunately for Cub fans, the tenth inning wasn't a good one.

So what do Cub fans take out of this opening day? Some good; Zambrano's outing, Fukudome's debut, Marmol's performance. Some bad; Zambrano's injury?, Offense..or lack of, Kerry Wood.

So Opening Day is in the books. We weren't going 162-0 anyway.

Fukudome


First hit of the season.....double to center.

Three finger Brown

With his second K of the season Z passes Three Finger Brown on the all time strikeout list. Yes the ver pitcher that led the 1908 team.

First pitch

Well here we are on opening day and waiting for the weather. I have gathered with fellow Cub fans at Ale Emporium to watch the beginning of our historic season.

We have honored Ernie Banks be honored, the anthem has been sung, let's play ball!

Only 40 minutes late the Cubs have taken the field. A nice welcome from the right field bleachers for Fukudome a we sre ready. Big Z with the first pitch...and it's a strike.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

MLB Opening Day

In my lifetime, for that matter in the last sixty three years, the Cubs have won a grand total of 9 playoff games. Most of those came during the thrilling 2003 postseason. I still remember getting up to order World Series tickets only moments before Bernie Mac proclaimed us the champs in his rendition of the seventh inning stretch. I still believe that he or I in fact caused the misfortune that we now know as Bartman.



In order to win the World Series they will have to win 11 postseason games. Two more than they have managed in the last 63 years. But maybe I am getting the cart before the horse. We have a regular season to play.



Opening day starter Carlos Zambrano goes for his first opening day win. In 1908 it was Orval Overall was making his second consecutive opening day start. They won that game against the Reds. That was the beginning of the last world championship season for the Cubs.

Here's to tomorrow's opener against Milwaukee being a win and the beginning of the latest world championship season for the Cubs.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Welcome

Wait until next century! I don't think so. The Chicago Cubs were world champions merely 100 years ago. Just the like the 100 year floods and many other once in a lifetime events, this is our year.

My intent here is to document the day by day journey culminating in the World Series trophy being brought back to Chicago. Yes I know the trophy was on the south side a few years ago, but no self respecting Cubs fan would recognize that event as a triumph for the city of Chicago. I am talking about returning glory to the North Side!

In my lifetime, I have seen the Cubs some close. So many times I thought we would at least be back in the series...but alas...it was not to be. Maybe it was fate. Maybe we weren't ready. Maybe the baseball gods deemed the loyal Cub fans worthy of the honor of waiting 100 years exactly.

Whatever this season holds, I hope to document here. Wins, losses, rainouts. Most of these will be recaps from what I catch in the media reports. I will be present at Wrigley at least four times this year, and hope to distinguish those reports from the others.

So, with opening day only three days away, lets get ready for the season of a lifetime. Let's go Cubbies...

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