Bruiser Chong

Possible Trade Cubs Get: Jack McKeon & Large Pepsi Marlins Get: Dusty Baker & Jose Macias

From a general baseball perspective, the 2003 postseason was a thing of absolute beauty until the Series. We had... - The Sox coming back from 2-0 in the ALDS to win in an exciting Game 5. - The Cubs winning their first postseason series in decades in Atlanta. - The Marlins winning the NLDS with a play at the plate. - Two seven-game Championship Series, both of which featured the two most legendary hard-luck teams coming within five outs of going to the Series. The Series had its moments, but it was an anti-climatic finish to two great weeks of October ball.

I didn't buy into it back then, but you were right. I don't buy into it now, though, and I don't think lightning will strike twice. Looking at the thread's a blast, though, now knowing what happened. Tim wins for best posts in retrospect. I'm convinced he and Al are to blame for everything that proceeded to happen. By the way, Mota blew the lead and the Cubs proceeded to break out the lumber in the ninth that saw Adam Greenberg get hit in the head by the first pitch he saw as a major leaguer. They've still done terribly in July, but I'm impressed by a lot of the patience and quality at-bats they had tonight.

Clement probably deserved to go last season. But since so much stock goes into W-L, he didn't have a chance.

And Jason Dubois, too. I'm torn. Patterson wasn't getting things together, but I don't think they should just get rid of him. I heard the guy they're bringing up has about the same OBP as Patterson. Not good.

No, but Dusty Baker better get his head examined for putting Jose Macias in the two slot against John Smoltz, having Neifi Perez lead off, and Corey Patterson (0-4 in his career with four K's against Smoltz) in the lineup. Idiot.

Mik's point is that because of injuries, he won't ever be able to get it together. He's gone through a lot of injuries at an age where pitchers are usually their healthiest. He's reminding me a lot of Kerry Wood at this juncture.

I'm not. I was simply saying Phillips wasn't taking shots at them. God forbid he not be won over by two great offensive days. Maybe he's looking at the bigger picture and knows the Yanks still have a ton of issues to work out before they can think about October. I don't harp on them. It's just these threads have degenerated over time into talking about nothing but Yankees baseball. If that's the case, then me responding to anything in the thread is probably going to be Yankees-related. And on that note, Derrek Lee left the game tonight with a shoulder injury. There, we talked about something other than the Yankees.

Oh, dude. Did you come up with that? Something that witty and original should be trademarked as soon as possible.

Can I buy drugs from you? Because you must've been on something good if you took his remarks as shots. So you disagree that the Yankees problems aren't behind after this two-game set? Their starting rotation isn't still a mess? The bullpen isn't in shambles? The defense isn't still embarrassing? What? You know what else bothers me about these two games? Stations like ESPN acting as if we're being saved because the Yankees have won these two games. Jason Giambi hit three homers in two days! Call off the mass suicide!

Holy god the Cubs suck. I knew Brenly blowing off the Atl. starters for tonight and tomorrow by calling them "who and who?" would blow up in our face. Looks like it's back under .500 since we can't score a run off this Braves pitching.

It's in the thread for last week since it happened yesterday. Re: the Cubs. Their whole thing is they don't draw walks or really get guys on base. Homers aren't a bad thing, but they do little damage when their mostly solo homers. When there is a baserunner or two, those things show up more. Putting Hairston and Walker in the one-two slots is a start. They're going to get on base more and give D-Lee more RBI situations. In the way of trades, since Adam Dunn's supposedly on the market because of his contract, I say they go after him. He's going to provide power, hits, and OBP. Forget the strikeouts. People dog him because of that, but fail to see we've held on to guys like Sosa in the past and Patterson now. Strikesout aren't as bad if the guy's getting on base the rest of the time. Dunn would create more run-scoring possibilities and waken up leftfield. Of course, there's a rumor going around that a deal to send Dunn to Houston is a strong possibility, so this could wind up like last year where the Astros land a guy that would've definitely helped the Cubs.

Yankees had a 6-0 lead early in today's game, but haven't scored since and now trail 8-6. Maybe they'll have Kotsay pitch.

My heart and sanity is thankful I had to leave after the eighth inning of the Cubs game today. Neither would've been safe had I sat through those last three innings. God damn Cubs.

Seven earned for the Big Unit in five tonight. I smell that World Series, all right.

Wow, that sounds like it may be worth a look.

The schedules are set up long before the pitching matchups are ever announced. It was only announced a few days ago that Wood would be going today.

You've got a Glendon Rusch thing going on.

Actually, Burny scored from second on a basehit from Holly.

Nice guy, but he was a one-season-wonder for the Cubs. Not worthy of being kept on the roster. In other Cubs related news, Wood struck out nine in six innings of work, giving up only a solo homerun to Bill Hall (who seems to always kill the Cubs).

Speaking of sucks, Foulke couldn't seal the deal for the save, and instead gives up five runs, which kills my ERA for the week.

Why Cubs fans? Even if that was a pretty funny play.

I remember how mad I was they dealt Choi. Christ, I was so stupid back then.

Yes it was.

Anyone else think it's pathetic that a team with a $200 million payroll is still going to have to be the most active buyer in the next month?