Props for Kapper

Very enjoyable show tonight by our good friend David Kaplan on the 'GN. Basically he contacted gms and beat reporters of other NL Central and get the low down.

My favorite highlight was Doug Melvin, up north. When asked, what is your biggest strength, Mel's reply was something to the effect of:

We have 9 really good players that can all play 150 games easily.

Umm...just so we're clear - you're the GM of a baseball franchise, and your greatest strength is your ability to field a complete team?

And you guys wonder why you can't win...

Is Rickie Weeks one of those starters?

Anywho, once again props to Kapper for a very enjoyable show tonight.

Team of Destiny

Ok...get the barf bags ready...I'm about the one up Dave Freakin' Kaplan...and if Banks is Mr. Cub - Kapper is Mr Cubs fan...

I think that we could argue that the Cubs have been a "Team of Destiny" as evidenced by their best record in baseball status and their unbeatability at home. Recently well I think you could say they've sucked...actually sucked monkey balls...actually sucked the sweat off of dead monkey balls...here's the thing tho...

The Boo-hoo crew has sucked only just a touch less. During this horrid strech from Philly to Houston to Cincy and now Louie the Cubs have lost EXACTLY one game off of their lead.

A lot of things have to happen during a season to come out on top. One of those things is, your opposition needs to suck at times, and it helps if they suck at the same time as you suck.

If there is ANYTHING positive to take out of these two weeks - holy crap it's been two weeks - that's it.

Maybe later I'll feel up to writing about that train wreck in Louie tonight. For now one minute and one more page off the calendar...

Another page off the calendar...

Ok folks. Step back from the ledge. It's ok. It's going to be ok. It's actually fascinating to listen to post game callers after a win, after a loss. It's like bi-polar city out there. Yeah baby - World series all the way baby. Oh man, are we even gonna make the playoffs? Argh. As Bob Brenly "talks about all the time" at this point - St Louis and Milwaukee both lost. It's another page off the calendar. The Magic Number sinks even further.

I would've liked to see Hoffpauir - who by the way, I'll be referring to as "The Hoff" from now on - come to bat in the ninth pinch for Lee. What pinch-hit for Lee? Yeah. The Hofff has been hitting everything in sight in AAA and he's just young and stupid enough to think he can hit off of Valverde, and that brings A Ram to the plate. Eh well. Still all-in Kapper.


Another minute off the blog, another page off the calendar.

Gotta change my shorts...

So I'm down...Dangit...Hamels is dealin'. We're done tonight. I started organizing books. That's right...ORGANIZING BOOKS with the game on in the background. Fontenot blasts one, so goody we're only down by two. Then A-Ram. Or should I say A-Slam. Man..you wanna talk about DeRosa, Soto, whoever. A-Ram is C-L-U-T-C-H clutch. I mean, I'm happy with a Sac fly. That's probably what he was trying to do. But dang. Dempster didn't have it tonight, but he's off the hook. Woody comes in, and gets a weak popper to A-Ram. Done. Sold. Start Packing. We're outta here.

It's just amazing. The Cubs are NEVER out of the game. Ever. down by 10, up by 1. It's never done.

So Kaplan's on the air saying go all in. Oh I am. All in, including my watch and car title. Have been all season. The cards are on the table and I'm reaching forward for the chips. The first couple games, I'll admit, I was skeptical. But since then, and really every year since 2000, I have been all in. All Cubs, All the time.

Now that's a lot of minutes.

World Series thoughts...Part Chetire

Cubs vs. White Sox and why I like our chances.

The White Sox live and die with the home run. They have the slowest lineup in baseball, which includes amateur and geriatric leagues. And they're to say the least, inconsistent. when I last heard, the Sox are 6-36 in games where they do not hit a home run. Their outfield defense is questionable, while their infield is pretty tight. They're getting bitten by the injury bug left and right, which is probably the result of decaying body parts by some of the mummies they're propping up at home plate. Crede and Konerko are a sneeze and an 0-fer away from being benched the rest of the season.

Their dangerous hitters are Thome, Quentin and Dye. The Cubs dangerous hitters are Soraino, Theriot, Lee, Ramirez, Soto...well, you get the point.

The Cubs pitching staff is composed of strikeout pitchers - you can't hit home runs if you can't hit the ball. Only Lilly and Marquis would be considered "fly ball" pitchers. Plus, in October, the wind blows in. Base hits and doubles will win the game and with the Sox outfield, that's a LOT of doubles. The Cubs in the second half have proven they can hit on the road. If it comes to it, and neither team is a lock by any stretch, I say Cubs in 5.

Sorry David Kaplan - the Sox are hands down the most beatable team of the AL contenders right now, with the Twins being a close second. David disagreed with the caller on that point.

A minute you asked for and a minute you shall have.

And Rickie Weeks still sucks...:D