Recently by PMC
Every Day A Little Life or Death
I'm not normally a numbers guy but something about baseball demands that you can crunch, remember, recite and generally be conversant with some general sense of the way they all add up. It's not necessary to enjoying or even earning a living analyzing the game -- Joe Morgan the other night came out and admitted, somewhat astonishingly, that he's not much for statistics -- but it does enhance the experience, say, if you know going in that Craig Biggio is a "Cub killer,'' as is Chris Capuano and....you get the idea. I can't immediately summon whatever target Barry Bonds is aiming for in his chase of Henry Aaron's all-time home run mark this season, but I know it's within reasonable range. I remember 714 and 56--individual milestones buried deep in the memory bank. So was 61 until Sosa, McGwire and Bonds smashed it in the last decade.
The Bud Light Bleachers
I ran into a scalper acquaintance with whom I'd done previous business last week outside the bleachers. I'm aware of their tactics--buy low, sell high always--and leery. He asked if I had any tickets to sell for remaining games. I told him No, I'd given up my partial season package for a variety of reasons and was glad I did--and suspected I could get good seats for most remaining games. "You might've made a smart move,'' he said, indicating a buyer's market.
Oh What A Relief He Was
The years between the Cubs' prolonged winning if ultimately not winning it all days in the late 60s and early 70s and the Tribune Company's takeover in 1983 brought a decade of leanness -- from Whitey Lockman to George Mitterwald, Herman Franks to Dave Kingman. Sure, there were individual highlights along the way, batting titles and such, but the Cubs of that period -- my formative years as a fan -- were frustrating because for every move forward, they seemed to take two steps backward.
The Big Waffle
It's hard to explain just how a lifelong Cub fan feels about the Sox thrilling championship run: emphathetic and excited, yes, but also divided and ultimtely, unable to fully partake in the joy. Amid all the calls for citywide baseball unification, you want to jump aboard the Ozzie Express, but there are a few things holding you back. For this Cub fan, the Sox can only be savored from a chilly, envious distance.
End Of Nothing
Bittersweet would be too positive a word to describe the end of the Cubs' 05 home season. I wasn't there for the official finale but watched with one eye and ear to the fitting ending -- bases loaded in the ninth and nothing to show for it. Jose Macias, a Dusty Baker favorite, made the last out; Corey Patterson, Wrigley wipping boy, struck out to help snuff the rally. The next noises emanating from Clark and Addison will be construction on the expanded bleachers.
September Song
As the Cubs wrapped up yet another disheartening loss to their divisional nemesis Cincy last nite, the stands at Wrigley Field had emptied to about 10 percent of capacity. The Cubs' efforts to squeeze in more and more night games when school resumes has boosted attendance, but why stick around when it's past 10 p.m. on a weekday, your team is going nowhere and the bullpen has blown another lead? This is called playing out the string, the Cubs' all-too-familiar September song.
Down and Out
The opera ain't over but the fat lady is surely warming up in the bullpen for the wilting '05 Chicago Cubs. The sense of frustration here in Wrigleyville could not be much stronger; I will be interested to see and hear how the crowd reacts at tonight's game and throughout the coming "make or break'' homestand.
Tuesday Night Memories
What a strange yet special night. I had made advance plans to attend Tuesday night's Cubs-Giants game with an old friend from Scotland and his two youngsters, 12 and 14. They were quite "keen'' on the occasion, but then the weather hit and it was clear there would be a long delay, maybe a washout.
Mid-season Appraisal From Wrigleyville
Living within 5 blocks of the Wrigley bleachers you are surrounded by all things Cub -- banners, sign cards, souvenirs, posters, people in uniform and my personal favorite, a Mona Lisa painted on the wall of Panino's, a nearby pizzaria I favor just a few blocks east of Wrigley. She is not sporting her usual, cryptic smile but a Cub hat instead.
A&I Live Odds
For entertainment purposes only. Including gambling.- Cubs win World Series: 40-1
- Lou gives birth: 4-1
- Pop fly lands on A-Ram's head: 6-1
- Crane Kenney sex scandal: 6-1
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