Bruiser Chong

And the Sox can't make the comeback, as they leave Johnny Damon on third to end the game. Elsewhere, Dan Kolb gave up his first extra base of the season. Two, in fact; both homeruns, giving Cincy a 9-6 lead in the 9th. Figures, since I just picked up Kolb a couple of weeks ago.

Funny considering that's the replacement they wanted for Carlos Guillen. What a bunch of idiots. And it's official, Beltran will be the replacement for Griffey.

Man, if that one went through, I'd have to send my condolences to Al.

I'm thinking Beltran's the best replacement for him, since he deserves to be in the game and plays Griffey's position, anyway. Figures Griffey would spoil the first time the entire outfield were members of the 500 Club.

You do realize that John Kerry's position on gay marriage is more SIMILAR to that of George W. Bush than it is different, don't you? I think I missed the part where he even mentioned Kerry.

I loved it, too. I told my best friend we ought to go see in this week and he asked if it was funnier than Old School. Without a pause, I told him it definitely was and I loved Old School. There's really not a scene in the movie where I, or the rest of the theater, didn't laugh, unless it was one of the few "serious" scenes. Steve Carrell stole the show, being one of the few characters in recent movie history who got laughs for anything he said or did, for that matter. Not much more I can say than it totally passed my expectations, especially the scene with the Jack Black cameo and the fallout (Ferrell in the phone booth). I almost had to leave the theater because I couldn't stop laughing after that scene was over.

lurn how 2 tipe dummie.

They just covered this as late breaking news on CNN, with the title "War on Homosexuality." Okay, so they didn't but that's the basic state of mind this clown's sending out there. But we all know gays are the cause of the economic downfall in this country. They've got graphs and pie charts to prove it, damn it.

It sucks a lot, alot2. I don't mind most remixes, but all you did was change literally five or six notes. On top of that, the sound was so unrefined that it was clear it was done by someone with nothing more than moderate experience with home music producing programs. Peace out.

Kingpk's right, though. You don't notice the errors because the Sox are scoring almost every inning. I don't think their offense will stay this hot for too much longer, so it's going to be tougher to cover up the defensive shortcomings. Still, it's fun for fans of the team to see them being such offensive forces every night.

I'm so jealous right now. Red Sox have scored more in three innings than the Cubs have in a week and a half.

At least you guys scored three in the first. We can barely scrape together than many runs in nine innings. Or as it were, 18.

I hate to be all AS here, but the Cubs are finished in the NL Central.

Bunting to tie is fine here, but shouldn't the guy be able to, I don't know, bunt? Is there no worth to the man known as Corey Patterson? I mean, a rookie walks in a tough spot in his 10th ML at-bat to lead off the inning and Patterson can't even do his fucking job of moving the guy over. I know making contact with the ball when he isn't popping out is tough for Corey, but c'mon, this is ridiculous.

He doesn't have a lot to work with off the bench right now, so I can't fault him there. If Hollandsworth weren't on the DL, I'm sure we would've seen him. The Grudzielanek thing pisses me off, though. I say take your chances with the lefty vs. lefty match. Walker has at least been hitting, unlike Grudzielanek is basically finished. And I've gotta ask this: what exactly has Baker done to gain the status of being known as a great manager? I hate to bash my own team, but it wasn't like he took a group of losers and made them into winners. On paper it may seem that way, but the fact is, they went out and spent some cash in the winter of 2002 and brought in some guys who were used to winning and could help with just that. Then he's got the starting rotation with Wood, Zambrano, Clement and Prior. Not exactly killer to win regularly with them. Alou bounced back from a horrible 2002. If you'll recall, they were a game under .500 at the end of the first half last season. It was only the acquisition of the Pirates players that really gave them that last boost they needed. I just don't get the love for Baker, since he doesn't seem to have a whole lot to do with the actual success of the Cubs. He doesn't even seem to use his resources to their full potential.

Yep, that Dusty Baker is a GENIUS. Pinch-hit for Todd Walker with a guy who pops out to the catcher on the second pitch.

After saying I wouldn't be watching the Cubs for a bit, I've actually watched bits and pieces of the game today. Going back to the first, Martinez was clearly safe and that's looming big right now, since it's just a one-run game. But man, pinch-hitting the ice-cold Grudzielanek in the place of Walker? I won't be negative about it until the resolution of the at-bat, but yeesh. I know there's the whole lefty vs. lefty thing, but I don't really like the move.

I wouldn't mind seeing just about anyone show up to play Centerfield. I think that eventually, Patterson will become a strong player, but they don't have the luxury of time to wait for that to happen right now. Getting a guy in center doesn't mean they have to drop Corey, it just means his playing time right now dwindles heavily. Bottom line is, they need another bat in that lineup and more specifically, they need a true leadoff hitter. It truly does wonders for a lineup to have a guy at the top who's on base two, three or four times a game. Cubs don't really have anyone like that right now and I think if they want to contend anywhere, that's going to have to change.

Good stuff, Zsasz. Since I worked basically all day and night yesterday, I decided to kick back and take it easy today, making a dent in this set. I've watched all of the episodes on Disc 3, except for the pair of Catwoman outings. I haven't watched any of Disc 1, but that's mainly because I had recently seen those thanks to the first two single-disc releases. The episodes featuring Mr. Freeze, Clayface and the Gray Ghost are among my favorites in the set, although I haven't watched any of Disc 4 yet, and haven't seen those episodes since they originally aired. I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt the Joker was part of some bad episodes in the series. He's always been my favorite villain, but I could barely get myself through episodes featuring him, for the most part. The Last Laugh is probably one of the worst episodes featuring a notable villain in the series. IIRC, the writers even admitted that there really wasn't much of a story there, so they just tried to load it up with action sequences to cover it up. Didn't work. So far, I've liked most of the episodes, with a few exceptions. I still cannot stand The Underdwellers and The Forgotten. I don't need someone from the Rogue's Gallery of villains to entertain me, but good god, those were some painfully dull episodes. He's in Christmas With the Joker, which didn't air for quite some time, but was actually one of the first episodes of the series produced.

AL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Bos - I don't follow the AL as much as I do the NL, but it seems that Manny's the only guy who's really lived up to his status among the superstars. A-Rod's been adjusting and while he's picked things up over the past two months, I still don't think he's producing as much as he has in years past. NL MVP: Scott Rolen, Stl - Plain and simple, this is a guy I would kill to have on my team. This season, there simply has not been a better guy in scoring opportunities. It seems like anytime there's a runner at second and Rolen's at the dish, you're just moments away from tacking on another run batted in for the guy. I've watched a lot of Cards games this season and there've been few times where he hasn't come through in run-scoring chances. And believe me, he gets a lot of them. He's also done the impossible and managed to eclipse his teammate, Albert Pujols, the first half. Whether it be at the plate or on the field, Rolen has actually been better than Pujols in most respects. To me, there's no real question about who's the NL MVP so far. It's this guy. AL Cy Young: Curt Schilling, Bos - Seems like most of the aces you hear about are in the NL, so that's my only real reason for giving Curt the nod here. Guys like Zito have fallen back to Earth, while guys like Vazquez show signs of brilliance at times and suck other times. And for once, Pedro's actually looking human. NL Cy Young: Jason Schmidt, SF - I don't know why there's any debate about this one. Jason Schmidt is the Cy Young for the NL. Hands down. It's not Clemens, it's not Johnson. The whole old man does well thing is quite touching, but this guy is coming off of surgery and he hasn't lost anything on his stuff. After a pair of rocky outings his first couple of times out, he's been nothing short of brilliant. The guy has racked up a great amount of strike outs, has magnificent ERA and while Johnson threw a perfect game, Schmidt has thrown how many one-hitters that've gone unnoticed? Were it not for the suckage that is the Giants' pen, Schmidt would be the winningest pitcher in baseball right now. Pretty amazing, considering he missed the first several weeks. If I'm a batter, it's not Clemens, Johnson or Wood I fear. It's Schmidt. AL Manager: Buck Showalter, Tex - So far, he's done the impossible, taking a perennial last place team and kept them at the top of the AL West. Best yet, he's done it the first season without the guy who was originally intended to turn things around. This isn't a fluke, either. These guys can hit, pitch a bit and contend. There's no smoke and mirrors here, a la Tony Pena's Royals last season. NL Manager: Tony LaRussa, Stl - At the outset of the season, all you heard in regards to the NL Central was that it was basically going to be the Cubs and Astros battling for the top spot. Well, we're two days from the All-Star break and neither one of those teams look to even have a shot at the division. No, the team that most people wrote off because they didn't have good enough pitching, has the second best record in baseball going into the break. Credit good management, who saw the team's problems and went out and actually fixed them without sacrificing any key elements. As much as it pains me to say, I think the Cards when completely healthy, are a better team than the Cubs when they're completely healthy. The rest of the credit needs to go to LaRussa, who many people thought was slowly losing it. If he is, managers around the circuit should take note and follow suit, because it's sure working.

AL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Bos NL MVP: Scott Rolen, Stl AL Cy Young: Curt Schilling, Bos NL Cy Young: Jason Schmidt, SF AL Rookie of the Year: Bobby Crosby, Oak NL Rookie of the Year: Jason Bay, Pit AL Manager: Buck Showalter, Tex NL Manager: Tony LaRussa, Stl I'll say more about my picks later.

Picked this up on another forum, and despite being a Cubs fan, I thought it was pretty funny: Chicago Cubs to St. Louis Cardinals Conversion Form Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Fan Club. Due to an unprecedented volume of requests, we are currently processing only fan conversion registrations for Chicago Cub fans. Conversion requests from other teams will be accepted once all Cub requests are processed. We expect this to take a number of weeks based on the current backlog of requests. Please take a few moments to fill out the conversion form below to help us get to know you better and prescribe any required counseling to recover from your previous fan experience. Name: ______________________________ Last First MI (Please Print) Address: __________________________________________________ _______ # Street __________________________________________________ ________ City State ZIP 1. Please indicate the last time you watched the Chicago Cubs win the World Series: [ ] 1908 (Please leave this form at the front desk of your nursing home) [ ] Have never witnessed this event 2. Please indicate your favorite moments in Cubs history: (Check all that apply) [ ] Lou Brock traded to the Cardinals for Ernie Broglio in 1964 [ ] The College of Coaches in the early 60's [ ] Lee Smith grooving a fastball to Steve Garvey in game 4 of the 1984 NLCS. [ ] Brant Brown dropping a fly ball in 1998 which forced a 1 game playoff with the Giants. [ ] Grounder goes between Leon Durham's legs during game 5 of 1984 NLCS [ ] Fan interfering with Foul Ball during game 6 of 2003 NLCS. [ ] Leo Durocher's AWOL visit to his sons Military School during 1969 pennant run. [ ] A Black Cat running in front of Ron Santo during critical 1969 series in Shea Stadium. [ ] Future Hall of Famer Greg Maddox not tendered offer and signs with Atlanta Braves. [ ] Atlanta Braves featuring Greg Maddox sweep Cubs out of 1989 playoffs [ ] Don Young dropping the fly ball in 1969 [ ] Mark Grace not tendered offer by Cubs, signs with Diamondback and wins World Series. [ ] Manager Lee Elia's profanity filled tirade at beginning of 1983 season. [ ] Sammy Sosa getting caught using a corked bat during 2003 season. [ ] Cubs blow 8 game late August lead and finish 8 games behind 1969 Mets. [ ] Cubs reliever Dickie Noles drinks full case of beer and attacks Cincinnati police after game. 3. Reasons you believe the Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908: (Check all that apply) [ ] The curse of the goat [ ] Lack of managing [ ] The curse of the goat [ ] Lack of pitching [ ] The curse of the goat [ ] Lack of hitting [ ] The curse of the goat [ ] Lack of Defense [ ] The curse of the goat [ ] Bad Calls by umpires [ ] The curse of the goat 4. Have you experienced any of the following after another inevitable Cubs loss: (Check all that apply) [ ] Headache [ ] Uncontrollable anger [ ] Heartache [ ] Holes punched in doors or walls [ ] Nausea [ ] Smashed TV Screens [ ] Depression [ ] Avoided Cardinals and White Sox Fans for days 5. Is October your least favorite time of year [ ] Yes [ ] No 6. Are You tired of saying Wait til next year? [ ] Yes [ ] No 7. Are you ready to admit that: a. Stan Musial was better than Ernie Banks? [ ] Yes [ ] No b. Bob Gibson was better than Fergie Jenkins? [ ] Yes [ ] No c. Ozzie Smith was better than Ryne Sandberg? [ ] Yes [ ] No d. Mark McGwire was better than Sammy Sosa? [ ] Yes [ ] No e. Jack Buck was better than Harry Caray? [ ] Yes [ ] No f. Tony LaRussa is a managerial genius? [ ] Yes [ ] No g. The next Cub century will be no better than the last? [ ] Yes [ ] No h. The Ivy on the out field walls is ugly and stupid? [ ] Yes [ ] No Once you have completed this form, please forward to Busch Stadium. Then burn all of your remaining Cub clothing, memorabilia, and associated reminders. After reviewing your request, the Cardinals Fan Club will contact you with notification of acceptance or rejection. If accepted, you will receive: A recommended recuperation program which includes a recording of "Meet me in St Louis" over and over again; An opportunity to obtain tickets to the 2004 World Series at Busch Stadium; Posters of Lou Brock and Bruce Sutter in Cardinal uniforms; A Dart board sporting the picture of Sammy Sosa; A copy of our popular handbook, "Harassing Cub fans for fun and profit;" A Coupon for a future poster of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in Cardinals unforms; and A one year subscription to a weekly support group for ex-Cub fans in your area. If rejected, you will receive: Our pity and condolences, plus a 10 second video capturing the past 100 years of Cub highlights in head-to-head competition against the Cardinals narrated by Larry Biitner. I hereby renounce the Chicago Cubs for all eternity on this the ________ day of _____________________, 200____ ___________________________________ (Signed) __________________________________________________ __________ (OfficeUse only) [ ] Approved [ ] Declined ____________________ August A. Busch, IV

Considering the way Maddux has pitched, I'll cry if they trade Clement while they're still in the race, NL Central or Wild Card. MiB had a radical idea about keep Rusch in the rotation considering how well he's pitched, and moving Maddux to the pen. Considering how things have been going, why not give it a shot?

As bad as things are for the Cubs right now, at least I can rest easy knowing they did away with Alfonseca. With that said, five runs in the last five games is unacceptable. Great pitching or not, this offense has been pathetic. Ramirez may be out, but I promise you his absence couldn't have completely eliminated the Cubs' offense. Having Rey Ordonez and an aging Mark Grudzielanek at the top, along with Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou being good for little offensively in the last several weeks, is the reason. And because of an incident that took place in my house tonight as a result of the Cubs game, I think I'm going to take a bit of a break from them for a bit. They aren't worth it right now.

Maddux gives up another two homers. Glad to see all those millions over the next three years will be well spent. And Frigid, I think the tossing the ball from the third out into the crowd is a great idea. Yeah, it costs some money, but you do realize how much an $8 baseball means to most fans? That's a great memory and almost ensures that the person who gets the ball will be up for attending more games in the future.