Pitching matchup
Cubs: Greg Maddux 14-10, 3.68 ERA
Piss: Nelson Figueroa, 0-2, 4.44 ERA
Lineups
Cubs
Tom Goodwin, cf
Derrek Lee, 1b
E-ramis Ramirez, 3b
Moises Alou, lf
Sammy Sosa, rf
Nomar Garciaparra, ss
Mark Grudzielanek, 2b
Gabor Bako, c
Greg Maddux, p
Pirates
Jason Kendall, c
Jack Wilson, ss
Jason Bay, lf
Daryle Ward, 1b
Ty Wigginton, 3b
Rob Mackowiak, cf
Craig A. Wilson, rf
Abe Nunez, ss
Nelson Figueroa, p
Anybody else think the Cubs sort of have me locked up?
All the Cubs have to do is stay ahead of ONE of the Dodgers and Giants. And they have six games left against each other.
And yeah, the Padres and Astros are technically still in it and blah blah blah, but the Cubs are in pretty good shape, eh?
I have a banner ready to hang up for the last home stand.
Chicago Cubs
2004 NL Wild Card
Champions of Nothing
It’s really just the ’98 one, we stitched over the year.
But yes, I realize the last two champions of nothing became World Champions.
I must have had too much red wine and oxycontin last night. Lee flied to the wall and I hardly even noticed.
Perhaps they’ve finally sedated me?
Pretty unlucky start to this one, but he looks quite hittable.
Thought I had the day off…
Nomar’s playing? I thought he was sitting today…
Honey, I’ll give you another of my groin massages if you need one…
Right now I’ve got my hands full with Ramon Martinez.
I am playing "Bang on the Drum" over the WGN commercials.
How fitting a theme song for this should-be-working crowd.
"…I don’t want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day…"
Does anyone have more movement on their fastball than me? I only hit 89, tops on the radar, but my heater really moves.
I’m talented, not lucky. Honest.
Greg, watch my tape.
I agree, Big Z, you’re a stud. But who gets more with less than I do?
It’s hero time…
It’s BB time.
I’m worried that Chip is dying or hungover. This is the man who gets excited over flyouts, and he hardly mentions an rbi single.
Worried may be too strong a word, actually.
The Cubs just can’t score without the home run…
I am Johnny Bench
I’m a machine. But, uh, does this seem like a Spring Training game to anybody else? The crowd, the announcers, ME getting hits. It’s surreal. Imagine the teams out west watching this farce, knowing it hurts them.
Gabor is Mr. Last Two Weeks of September, isn’t he? Inspirational. He only completely sucks for 50 weeks out of the year.
2-0 Cubs.
Move it to sucks, Dolan.
That still makes him 2 weeks better than Todd Hundley.
Maybe Chip’s imaginary wife left him…
Pittsburgh, YOUVE BEEN BAKOWNED!!!!!!
This isn’t Spring Training?
How come Dusty never uses me, Maddux up2-0 lead, why not?
This isn’t batting practice?
#25, that’s why I’m the manager.
Yahoo tells me that Goodwin grounded into a double play at short, Greg Maddux out at first? What the hell?
I like to get in rundowns and stuff, like a baseball player, and make crazy slides. I’m CRAZY.
CT:
DP scored 3-6-3 I guess.
WGN is playing "Hey, Yeah!" Is Wally Phillips rolling over in his grave with hip hop on his beloved AM station? OK, he’s not dead, but hearing a group of colored fellows on his station would be enough to deliver him a grabber.
It might not be on WGN, as it is playing over the taboo commercials on the internet.
With Maddux on first, Goodwin hit a hard lineout to first, but the first baseman dropped it or something, then tagged Maddux. It was an odd one.
The look I gave Maddux after he struck me out was hilarious.
Remember my last start, when I kept surrending leads by giving up homers with men on? And how I used to give up homers with men on a lot during the early months? Well, it’s happening again.
Aw crap.
This sucks, welcome to April Maddux
I went 2 innings.
Haw Haw!
I’m exhausted. Time for a nap.
Watch me crush this one just over the shortstop’s head. I’m very talented.
2 innings? Wuss.
Just hit it where they ain’t, Jason.
Sammy Sosa, how DARE you trot back to the dugout after catching that flyball! You should be ashamed of yourself for not running all the way back to the dugout.
You’d rather the April Me than the August/September Clement, wouldn’t you? Death is not an option…
Their starter went 2 innings and our starter is suddenly giving up homers by the dozen. Maybe we should, I dunno, score a bunch of runs.
I am thinking the runs will come in bunches now…
Now it’s my time to shine. Watch this AA magic, baby!
Who the hell am I?
You see, I didn’t start the young guy because last time I started a young guy against the Cubs, they crushed him. So I didn’t start Snell. Putting him out there in the third inning, though, against Aramis Ramirez, Moises Alou, and Sammy Sosa, that’s fine. I’m a master tactition.
Giving up homers by the dozen?
We really have no excuse not to crush this kid. So of course he’ll shut us down completely. C’est la vie.
Don’t worry, I will start another rally, buddy.
It means he’s giving up a lot of fucking homers. You want exact numbers, I’ll use those from now on, and this will be a Rob Neyer column.
#51 you’re right. Although we’re ahead 4-2, we might as well concede this game and head to New York.
The Mathlete’s book is god awful. Wait, you can’t see my name on here, can you?
Yeah. How dare we call out a $17 million per year arrogant fuckwad for showboating! It’s our fault that we aren’t salaaming to Sammy! Because of what he did in 1998, he deserves no criticism EVER!
Your sarcasm is broken.
I’m what you’d have to be to defend the lengths Mike and Mike in the Morning went to bash Sammy Sosa today, all the while ignoring his much more relevant play from the night before in which he won the game.
No, rob, but we found you.
There, you guys happy now?
Actually, Mike & Mike were ripping Sosa not so much for his hop, but for the statement he made later defending what he did by saying "who cares? we won the game". And he should be ripped for that.
What’s your problem, CT? Do you have 3 copies of your 21st chromosome? We love Sammy! Everyone loves Sammy. We love the hop! We don’t care if he’s a lazy ass because all cubs fans LOVE HIM!!!
Call me Lloyd….
We’ve seen your weblog on this. Now calm down and eat your pudding.
Danny Graves is gone for the year? Even more good news for the Cubs.
Actually, I’m heading for a Ceasar Salad. But TY on the desert advice….
Jack McKeon once again thinks it’s 1961.
Four-man rotation???
Way to waste the one time I get on base per month by not running me Dusty.
Why should I be ripped for that? We DID win the game. Then the next night, I made a great play, and because of that play, we won THAT game, too.
You all are just looking to pick on a guy who is having a down year. How quickly we turn on people in Chicago, huh?
You know what matters, this time of year? Wins. LaTroy blew a save the other night. It doesn’t matter, because we won. Corey sucks all of a sudden and misplayed a ball into a triple. Doesn’t matter, we won.
Cub fans can’t abide success.
I have been getting tutoring for my English, buddy.
Isn’t this about the time Mad Dog fell apart last Saturday? Although this Pirates offense isn’t as potent as the Reds, this inning worries me. I think Ice Man should be up in the pen.
Shut up, Dave.
Oh my!!
Looks like Grieve pinch-hitting for Maddux and The Farns for the lower third of the Pirates order in the seventh.
My mistake. Otto misled me. It was Macias.
Man, this offense is approaching Snell like it’s getaway day in Montreal in early May.
I better have a very short leash…
#68, if those things you listed keep happening, the Cubs won’t sustain that success.
You guys ready for another heart stopping 9th?
You guys ready for another heart stopping 9th?
We’re much more ready for no more multiple posts…
Yeah, baby! I won the Cub Foods attendance game by saying Dave Otto would guess the attendance at Forbes Field correctly!
Isn’t this a lame game? I mean, I’m grateful the Cubs are up and all, and it looks like Maddux pitched a good, typical game. Still, it’s kinda boring and lethargic. I’ll take hum-drum wins, but I hope this team isn’t getting road weary.
The eighth is the key, imo
The leash didn’t have to be THAT short…
What did I win for guessing Otto would throw a hanger to me during the 1994 Crosstown Classic?
Do I make you horny? This ‘stache is shagadelic, no?
I also live in Portage, Ind., by the way.
Ryan, a little advice, you don’t want to bring Mackowiak to bat as the go ahead run.
I hope my head doesn’t explode today.
I just called the Pirates the Burgers.
I just now noticed "Pissburgh" at the top of the page. Man, I’m sharp. This pennant race is gonna kill me.
C’mon, Merck.
When will I get credit for not sucking?
Pat Hughes’ hesitation beofre saying "he’s got it" scared the crap out of me.
Hey dudes, I forgot to announce the double switch with C-Pat. Hope that works with y’all.
Dave, not sure how to tell you this, but the gamecast says Pissburgh for every Cubs/Pirates game.
I would think that an 11:30 start after two tight one run games might cause for a little lethargy. That and there being 47 fans in the stands.
Still, a win’s a win.
Oh, and it’s going to be at least a two run save for LaTroy so he can actually get this one.
Hey, Neifi’s pinch running for Nomar again, I wonder if he’ll get to hug Jack at second?
I don’t know, Kent. I don’t understand this website at all. BC told me that it was supposed to be a respite from a harsh world.
4 ab’s 5 pitches today!
That describes the Desipio game cast as well
Yeah but I got two hits on four pitches.
They gave Wiggy an error? Tough crowd.
Can we take Brian Meadows to New York with us? He’s our most consistent form of offense.
"4 ab’s 5 pitches today!"
What do you expect from a jumpy, twitchy bastard such as myself?
We win more games before 3 p.m. than the Dodgers win all week.
You can tell that we’re just a couple of hours away from experiencing that New York nightlife by the fact that I actually shaved today.
I think I’ll manage this like it’s the 7th game of the World Series.
It’s as close as I’ll ever get to one.
Does seeing pitches matter that much in this case? The starter was knocked out in the 2nd inning. It’s not like you’re dying to get the Pirates relievers out of the game. If you can hit the pitch, hit it.
Mia loves it when I jump and twitch.
5 straight!
Come on, Corey striking out for the fifth straight time?
I think Chuck’s at lunch…
A day without Chuck clubbing Corey over the head with a 2×4 is like a day without sunshine.
I look like the "before" guy from Clearisil ads.
Grand slam, bee-ahhch.
Nah, I don’t feel like all that running. Let’s just get the game over with.
Like I said, CT, I’m not real sharp during this maddening race.
The Cubs will be New York before the Mets even play tonight. Taking 2 of 3 against Benson, G. Heilman, and Leiter should be acceptable.
Three-run lead in the ninth? This one’s got "Hawk" written all over it, baby!
…and a day without sunshine is, well, night.
I was still mayor the last time Greg Maddux did NOT win 15 games in a baseball season.
Don’t you love that I can come in with 3 outs to get, a 3 run lead, and nobody on base, against the bottom of the order of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and still leave everybody watching convinced that I’m on thin ice and will be lucky to get the job done? Blowing a lot of saves will do that, I guess.
…if Corey were to play well, that would shut Chuck up. Well, we can’t have everything.
Think I can weasel a win out of this one?
Hey, Harold stole my email address! And he’s supposed to be dead!
LaTroy, you’re a man after my own heart.
Isn’t a hawk a form of vulture?
At least I have the market cornered on my e-mail address.
My email is all filled up with job applications sent from the computer room at St. Theresa’s Grammar School in Bridgeport.
Not so fast, Daley.
1-2-3 ninth. It must be because we had more than a 1-run lead.
Let’s go Giants and Padres!!
Cubs win!
On to New York to face the Mets.
This is getting good…
They took care of business again today. That was a nice way to end the sweep. Now they need to do the same in New York and by that time we should be on top of the wild card.
I have to give props to the bullpen today. They did a pretty good job. Farnsworthless should definitely be kept on a very tight leash though. Maddux did his job like always too.
Rusch, Prior, and hopefully Wood in New York. I’d say the only one that could be trouble is Sunday’s game. We definitely need two and we’re in great shape.
GO CUBS!
I’m out for the rest of the season
Although this might be as accurate as a Weather Channel 7-day Forecast, here’s how the rotations break down for the final 10 games:
At NY:
Rusch-Benson
Prior-Heilman
Wood-Leiter
Cincy:
Zambrano-Claussen
Maddux-Hancock
Rusch-Hudson
Prior-Harang
Atlanta:
Wood-Cappellan
Zambrano-Thomson
Maddux-Byrd
I just stated that the Pirates did not put up much of a fight against the Cubs the past three days. Wow I am a dumbass. Two one run games and another one that was in doubt till the bottom of the 8th. Sounds like I am very scared of the Cubs.
Please only pencil me in for my next start. My lumbar area is experiencing a modicum of muscle spasms.
I’m here Kerry! How does that feel?
Ask Wayne Hagen about the softballs tossed to Big Mac down the stretch in ’98. He needs to worry about his own gimpy team. The one that got six interleague games against the Mariners and Royals. along with a pretty favorable schedule in the early going.
By the way, where and why was that douchebag discussing the Cubs anyway?
The douchebag and Mr. Shannon always talk about the Cubs. They are completely obsessed with their every move. They always state the Cubs are lucky that they have a chance to make the playoffs. Lucky? What about Karen being able to pitch this long or Lassie not testing positive for HIV due to his dog molesting?
We have committed 3 errors and gave up 6 hits to Yadier Molina and Hector Luna. They also have all four rbi’s. Now that is putting up a fight!
Hey Straw (pun not intended), get me a phone number and a time where I can call these clowns on a call-in show, if they even have one. I’ll sneak in and blast ’em one.
I’m rootimng for San Fran to complete the sweep tonight. Let’s bury Houston for good, and ride into the playoffs with the Giants.
rootimng?
nevermind
A check of the KMOX website shows that Bernie Dickless will be hosting Sport Open Line tonight from 6:30 till 8. Might be worth a shot.
Mike Shannon mentioned two times that the Cubs won today. And it was during the same at-bat. I guess they are worried about the fourteen game lead they have with 10 games remaining.
I’m 12-2!
They just announced that Gay Mariotti gets a THIRD hour and (9-12) and Dan "Every ballplayer is my bestest friend" Patrick also gets an extra hour (12-3).
I am now on at 10:00 PM.
Program Director Norm Winer must REALLY hate Chicagoans to drop this turd on their heads. Either that, or he must be getting paid by the SCORE on the side.
The Cubs have swept 10 series this year.
Rack me!
I’m out!
I blew it in the ninth. Rangers win 5-4.
As of what date are you gone, Romey?
As to why you’re getting dropped, you’re getting waxed in the ratings.
Hey, e-mail for you here, Rome.
Dear Jim:
Congrats on your successful talk show in Chicago.
Signed,
Magic Johnson
Chevy Chase
Pat Sejak
Chuck,
Have the ratings been in for Mariotti yet? I’ll lose all faith in my fellow citizenry if he’s doing well.
Last I saw, Eddie Munster was behind Murph & Fred and further behind Boers and Burnsy. I also saw that Rome wasn’t keeping the rate/cume from Jay’s lead in. And Danny P. recovered most of it.
Rome bought his way in and it didn’t work. He gawne.
Here’s Len’s note. Rome goes to replay and after dark:
—————
Coming Monday September 27th, yet another new chapter in ESPN 1000’s history will begin as we make some significant programming line-up changes.
In middays Jay Mariotti will add a third hour to his show, while Dan Patrick is getting his third hour back. Jay will be heard from 9a-Noon and Dan will follow immediately from Noon to 3p. This now gives our station a solid midday tag team, surrounded by one of Chicago’s top combined drive-time teams, Mike & Mike and Mac, Jurko & Harry.
Don’t worry Clones… Jim Rome will remain on the radio station and now run in its entirety. His show will move to evenings, airing every night at 10p, or as soon as our play-by-play event ends.
Thanks again for all of your feedback, and thanks for listening to ESPN 1000.
Len Weiner
Program Director
ESPN 1000 – First For Sports
I didn’t care much for the Rome show (I never had the chance to listen to it regularly though) but it was a bad setup from the start. ESPN 1000’s bizarre decision to air 3 shows that are normally 3 hours each in a 6 hour period (Kornheiser, Rome and Patrick) was ridiculous. Especially the Dan Patrick show, in which they spend the last two hours talking about the stuff from the first hour (which was cut out).
Wow, that was a close one! Jim Rome said I was working at AM 1000 and I was real worried because I thought I’ve been at WXRT, which is the sister station of the SCORE.
136/138/141, part of the problem for you guys, if you really are going to try to call in to a St. Louis show and give some knowledge, is the fact there isn’t a 24-hour sports radio station in St. Louis.
I know, stunning. Especially considering the town has the greatest sports fans in the history of the Universe. But it’s true.
There are a couple stations that do sports some of the time but none that do it 24 hours all the time like WSCR and WMVP do.
One of those stations, KFNS, got in a little trouble in late 2001 when management instructed staffers in a memo to "support the Cardinals’ request for a new stadium". As you may recall, that was the low-water mark for the Cardinals in their attempt to get a new ballpark. After the 9/11 attacks, Missouri politicans wondered about the wisdom of building a new park.
In case there was any confusion, the memo stated, in bold type: "…total support of the plan is going to be the `official position’ of all employees of Missouri Sports Radio." MSR operated KFNS at the time. The memo ends, "We do not want one show host answering ballpark questions differently from another host. The only way to sell this project is to have a common and unchanging theme." The station’s president is a member of the committee advocating the new stadium."
Here is a link to a story with more on that one mess: http://www.sportslawnews.com/archive/Mark's%20View2001/LoyaltyOath.htm
So, in the end, I would rather have the ability to choose to listen to the stuff ESPN 1000 and WSCR put out rather than not have it, even if those two stations do put out a lot of bad stuff.
And, Dave B, give ’em hell.
What day do I get printed?
Now, this is what we call good, old fashioned, college fun!
We’re regrouping at Midway Football in the lounge until the site returns.
Serena is that you?? ;)
DESIPIO RULES, but NSBB rules just as much.
Now THAT’S putting your journalism efforts to work.
We’ve been sounding ever since someone used the semicolon and closed parentheses together to try and signify a guy winking in a post.
…No it doesn’t.
Unlike #155’s link, Desipio requires NO registration. You just pay some money when Andy passes the hat around.
…has been outed.
and where else would I be so prominent?
A lot of people acted shamefully in the wake of 9/11. This assclown Greg Marecek, who sent the directive that would personally profit him in the article that you link to, is easily one of them.
It figures that he’s a Cardinal fan.
Hi, sister…
LOL
(And I’m aware that nobody "LOL’s" around here, either, but I did, in fact, laugh out loud at #160)
BC, what is it that KFNS is doing all day if it’s not sports?
BC, what is it that KFNS is doing all day if it’s not sports?
I want an answer dammit!
Kris is busy tonight. I am going to be all alone. Anyone want to stay with me tonight? I get lonely very easy. Please!!!!!!
Does your bed have a backboard? Since Sarah can’t make the trip…
It did have a backboard, but it broke the other night. Davey Martinez was in town. Maybe we just use floor?
MC,
As far as I can tell from looking at their website…
About half of the average day is unaccounted for programming-wise.
Here is what’s accounted for each day on their website:
M-F: 6am-6pm*
Sat: 8-10am
Sun: 4-6pm
* = The website lists a show "Speedzone" as being on from 6-8pm, but doesn’t list if it’s a weekend or weekday show.
And since the sports and news headlines on their front page are provided by the AP, it doesn’t look as if the station is affiliated with any of the national radio networks, like ESPN or Sporting News.
So, there are several possibilities here:
A. KFNS goes off the air during nights.
B. KFNS does get on a national sports radio network at times their programs are off, but doesn’t advertise it (Which would be odd).
C. KFNS gets on a national network of some other kind (News?) during the times their programs are off.
Personally, I would have to think it’s either A or C. Probably C.
OK, Dan Rather.
But, maybe you ought to check with someone who’s actually listened to the station.
The Giants gave up 5 in the ninth to blow a one run lead, and the Cubs are a game up in the loss column, half game up overall in the wild card race.
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