But It's A Dry Heat!
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Have safely arrived in the Valley of the Sun, where in fact, it was cloudy until just about the time the plane landed an hour or so ago. On my flight were several people in Cubs garb, and a crew from Fox-32 in Chicago, including reporters Dane Placko and Corey McPherrin.
Walking by the newspaper racks in the airport, I noticed the Arizona Republic's main front page story was this one, headlined "Hometown team vs. longtime favorite" ... all about how there are tons of Cubs fans living here in the Valley; I expect to see not only those sorts of people at the games here, but many people like me, who have trekked out here for the series.
I'll post more either later this afternoon or tonight; thoughts about the series itself and the team matchups, but for now, I'm going to give Mike the last word:
(as always, click on thumbnail to view full-size in new browser window. If you are using IE, you may have to click the lower-right corner of the image in the new window to expand it to its full size; in Firefox click anywhere on the image.)
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73 comments
Comments
here's what I get upon clicking
The requested URL '/images/admin/penance.jpg' was not found on this server.
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thttpd/2.25b 29dec2003
by CubFaninNY on Oct 2, 2007 1:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yup, had the same problem.
by dat cubfan daver on Oct 2, 2007 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I know.
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Al, didn't want to start a new diary
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071002comcasthd,1,7914025.story
by N Oakley on Oct 2, 2007 1:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Great news unless you have Direct TV
Direct TV is now stating HD wont be availible until October 19th in Chicago
How MLB and TBS are getting away with this is beyond me.
by JB 23 on Oct 2, 2007 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wrong I have had TBS HD for a week
by Galvan316 on Oct 2, 2007 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
DirecTV already has TBS HD.
Channel 247. Not sure what you're referring to when you say 10/19.
by bergs55 on Oct 2, 2007 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your in Chicagoland correct?
Trust me, I would love to be wrong.
Thanks
by JB 23 on Oct 2, 2007 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep...I'm right downtown.
by bergs55 on Oct 2, 2007 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
great, thank you!
by JB 23 on Oct 2, 2007 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wish
by drewishdrewid on Oct 2, 2007 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Amen...
(I am hoping, though, that they step up and replace their TNT-HD feed with TBS's HD feed for just these games. Who needs Law & Order re-runs in HD when there is playoff baseball on?)
by Chadnudj on Oct 2, 2007 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you know...
by drewishdrewid on Oct 2, 2007 3:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Please do...
by Chadnudj on Oct 2, 2007 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well...
by drewishdrewid on Oct 2, 2007 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm fed up with comcast
by northofwrigley on Oct 2, 2007 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Directv has it's issues...
by bergs55 on Oct 2, 2007 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dish is cheaper
by drewishdrewid on Oct 2, 2007 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
about the penance part ..
What will not kill you will not only make you strong, it will also make you a vegetable.
by cubnational on Oct 2, 2007 2:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Are there any...
by PurpleLineToWrigley on Oct 2, 2007 3:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
back in the august series
by kylejo on Oct 2, 2007 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
considering
//I mention this every chance I get but...I HATE the DBACKS!
by cubsirishkillme on Oct 2, 2007 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Phoenix=Chicago 2
by dacubsfan76 on Oct 2, 2007 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sluggo's
It's in an office complex -- the former "Harry & Steve's" but still retains the Chicago format.
Old Style (cans) can be found there. Also, some Walgreen's liquor dept carry Old Style. Sometimes, it's hard to find.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 2, 2007 7:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually.....
by BeerCub on Oct 2, 2007 11:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh great
Now I'm gonna have nightmares until the end of the postseason... thanks a lot.
by conrad on Oct 2, 2007 3:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I can't stand
by qccub on Oct 2, 2007 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey Joe Morgan
Surly bastard.
GO CUBS
by Hammer on Oct 2, 2007 3:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone see the NY Times photo
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/sports/baseball/02rockies.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slo gin
Some things never change. If he (Barrett)catches the ball, Holliday is called out. SD clearly got screwed on the play, but the Barrett muff didn't help.
by LAcarl519 on Oct 2, 2007 3:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
That play was 100% not Barrett's fault.
by bergs55 on Oct 2, 2007 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree
by sue369 on Oct 2, 2007 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Barrett did what he could ..
.. I am not one of them ..
But I do sadly agree that his defense tanked this year and became a serious deficit and after the Z fiasco as a result of his poor reading of the defensive situations, it was clear that he had to go. Nice guy and fair bat, but even slapping around A.J. doesn't justify his performance in this season. His miscues became magnified in light of the klieg light illumination shone on the Cubs in April and May as we floundered.
That said, although Barrett didn't get a clean catch, it was because of the throw he was dealt. I stayed up and watched that game. It was one of the wilder ones I've seen this year. Giles has a good arm but his toss was a desperate attempt to defend against the ultimate reality of Holliday's tagged up run. The throw just ran out of gas 5 feet in front of him and Mikey did all he could to keep from losing it.
AND the ump screwed up. Holliday never touched the plate and dug a new trench into the dirt with his chin as he slid past the bag and out of reach. Barrett ran, got the ball and tagged him.
That tag should have been an OUT. I saw it the first time and I think the ump sat there and blinked not quite knowing how to call it. I blinked not believing he didn't see that this was an OUT right off the bat and couldn't believe it when an eternal second later he signalled it safe.
San Diego got robbed. Plain and simple.
What's really weird is that Barrett didn't do what he's able to do and that was to melt down and make a scene behind the plate. If there was EVER a time he should have done so, it was THEN, to indicate that he saw he had a play and that he made it. Instead, the drama was focused on the team freaking out and the trainers dabbing at Holliday's banged up face.
by cubnational on Oct 2, 2007 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
First of all, as the guy who posted it
However, and more important, I also agree that the ump screwed up the call 100%. Holliday never tagged the plate.
My point is that had Barrett caught the ball cleanly, it seemed the ump wanted to call Holliday out, given the delayed call (even though the lack of tagging the plate made this the un-important part of the play, but given the position of the ump, there was NO WAY he could see that Hollidy missed the plate).
The only play the ump could see was whether Barrett caught the ball cleanly or not--and he did not. The catch, or not is what the ump made the call on. Like it or not, this was Barrett's fate last night. The ump screwed the Padres, but the facts are that the ball arrived (ever so slightly) ahead of Holliday and if I knew how to copy & paste a photo, I would be happy to show it to you.
I was cheering for the Padres...trust me, I wish the game had a different result. :-(
by LAcarl519 on Oct 2, 2007 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree about the throw - it was awful
What I thought was remarkable was I think it was the first time I've ever seen where the outfielder's throw was higher in elevation than the ball that was hit to him.
When I first saw the replay of the batter hitting it, I couldn't believe this was going to be a sac fly situation - that hit was a frozen rope! Then I see Giles catch it and unleash a rainbow of a throw - almost like he was a catapult. Then the play at the plate, which I think has been pretty much dissected here already.
So plenty of blame to go around - it needn't be all heaped on poor Michael. In fact, my vote goes to Bud Black for not starting Peavy on Sunday - this all could have been avoided...
by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2007 8:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Giles
But I thought the same thing and felt bad for Barrett after HE FINNALLY stood at the plate instead of coming 3 feet in front of it to make the play like he used to always do
by Hammer on Oct 2, 2007 4:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Al...
by ronsanto10 on Oct 2, 2007 4:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
On the Diamondbacks website.
Come on, Cub fans! Come on down and rock their house!
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sold out???
by ronsanto10 on Oct 2, 2007 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
because Arizona
by cubsirishkillme on Oct 2, 2007 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Correct
- It's part of the slower way of life out there... it's too hot to get too excited about anything.
- The Dbacks have only been around for about 10 years now so many people that live out there grew allegiances to other teams, often aliging themselves to teams that play spring training out there. A lot of Phoenx area folk are big SF Giants fans actually because up until 98 all we had were the Phoenix Firebirds AAA team in the Giants organization.
- Like Florida, so many people that live in Phoenix now are from Chicago, Boston, New York, Minneapolis, etc and they moved there either to escape cold weather or because of some of the tech opportunities that boomed in the 90s.
by Willgly on Oct 2, 2007 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
tickets, schmickets. The real question is...
Did some quick surfing the other night and the best I could find was $619. Ouch! That would get me two in the bleachers here at Wrigley...
by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2007 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I bought tickets on Southwest...
Price was $230.
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Al.....
by ronsanto10 on Oct 2, 2007 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
SD tickets were by lottery only...
I do have some Colorado tickets.
Philly tickets were by lottery only.
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
AL....
by ronsanto10 on Oct 2, 2007 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, I get it.
Yet.
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 11:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Smart move
...where I'll be leaning over the edge of my balcony, looking through my neighbor's window, and watching the game on his plasma wall tv... ;-)
Depending on how the first round goes, might be worth repeating that scenario (yours, not mine) for Anaheim. Cleveland's drivable and not a chance of getting a ticket in New York (or Boston) anyway.
by ballhawk on Oct 2, 2007 8:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Umpires?
by ms9av on Oct 2, 2007 5:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Off subject - Playoff roster
I don't see a whole lot of questions except Fontenot/Cedeno and Marshall/Ohman/Hart...
My prediction:
Lee, Ramirez, DeRosa, Theriot
soto, Kendall
Soriano, Jones, Floyd
Murton, Pie, Fontenot, Ward, Monroe
Total: 14
Zambrano, Hill, Lilly, Wood, Marquis
Eyre, Dempster
Howry, Marmol, Wuertz, Marshall
Total: 11
by Willgly on Oct 2, 2007 5:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No Blanco? Why Pie?
by ronsanto10 on Oct 2, 2007 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
let Soto sit?
Soto has power and speed. Blanco is at the tail end of his career and has done a wonderful thing mentoring Soto, but Soto has to be the starting catcher, with Kendall to back him up.
by drewishdrewid on Oct 2, 2007 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
From what
by sue369 on Oct 2, 2007 6:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yup
and the 25 man just announced a second go- no Blanco, Monroe or Marshall. Marquis, Fonty and Cedeno are in.
by Matt Allison on Oct 2, 2007 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wow
by Matt Allison on Oct 2, 2007 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe Comcast is wrong about Pie?
Kendall
Lee
Derosa
Theriot
Ramirez
Soriano
Jones
Floyd
Murton
Cedeno
Fontenot
Ward
Zambrano
Lily
Hill
Marquis
Marmol
Howry
Dempster
Eyre
Wood
Weurtz
Hart?
Who am I missing?
by Matt Allison on Oct 2, 2007 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did they say
by sue369 on Oct 2, 2007 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think
by Matt Allison on Oct 2, 2007 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Even with Hart...
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 7:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yes,
by Matt Allison on Oct 2, 2007 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Al, I will be at Wednesday's game
by BigJohnAZ on Oct 2, 2007 5:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Great cartoon, Mike.
by Cool Hand on Oct 2, 2007 5:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Can this series just start already...
by CubsBall2202 on Oct 2, 2007 6:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You and me both.
by sue369 on Oct 2, 2007 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
All of us!
by Al on Oct 2, 2007 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good Luck Cubs!..
Play Ball!
by Timbo02 on Oct 2, 2007 6:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I Would Strongly Suggest.....
by BeerCub on Oct 2, 2007 6:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
anyone got predictions?
by NDcubsfan on Oct 2, 2007 7:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Just caught the Cubs "stories" on ESPN.
Also, John Anderson, quite probably my least favorite ESPN anchor ever. I like most of the people on Dream Job better than him. "Win, and they that 'loveable losers' tag takes a fatal hit."
Congratulations, John. You know all those stupid pop-culture reference you make that always fall flatter than last night's beer? Well, you just made those look good by comparison.
by Cool Hand on Oct 3, 2007 6:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone watch
How many 500th homeruns and 300th saves were achieved against the Cubs?
How about the milestone of WINNING THE FRAKKING DIVISION? The METS aren't going to the post season. The ASTROS and the RANGERS aren't either.
by drewishdrewid on Oct 3, 2007 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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