reasons why the Cubs will win thursday ..

by cubnational on Oct 2, 2008 12:21 AM CDT

Let the venting, griping and window jumping go on in the other threads

1) The team will remember how tonight's tasting like last year and will dig in deep and come out to play some ball tommorrow.

2) Lou will be smart enough to realize that game plans can go out the window when necessary and will make better use of the bullpen quicker ...

3) This team is simply far better than the one from last year. They are going to relax, refocus on having the fun they've had all year long and make the Dodgers pay dearly.

4) Z will come with his A game and be his best friend on the mound

5) The crowds will have energy tommorrow like never before. They will make Clark and Addison shake. It will impart something to the Cubs.

6) The big boppers are going to snap out of it .. all it takes is one good inning to break the funk and start clogging bases again productively. Tommorrow is that day ..

7) We are Cubs fans .. we will always Believe .. ALWAYS .. GO CUBS!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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well..

I dont know how you know all that, but id be shocked if the Cubs lost again tomorrow. Then it becomes a 3 game series, with probably our best pitcher in Rich Harden going in what would be game one.

We can still do this. This team hasnt forgotten how to win and its not like they havent come back to win a series after losing the first game. Just gotta go get em.

by BigDumbFace on Oct 2, 2008 12:28 AM CDT 0 recs

And,....

… if all goes as you say, and Harden wins game 3… well then, the Cubs steal home field back.

Five game series are short, yes. But there are still four games left.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Oct 2, 2008 8:29 AM CDT up 0 recs

I feel really good about Ted Lilly in game 4.

by daeviant on Oct 2, 2008 11:26 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Oct 2, 2008 11:40 AM CDT up 0 recs

I hope and pray you guys are right

by sanks on Oct 2, 2008 12:34 AM CDT 0 recs

This just in….Dempster just walked another guy….Seriously, no time to bail now. Zambrano and Harden in games 2 & 3, things could be worse. I hope for Dempsters sake he gets another shot in game 5.

by Comfortably Numb on Oct 2, 2008 4:23 AM CDT 0 recs

well even if it is a positive outcome for us

he still might not need to pitch :D

2008 Cubs: Who needs nine innings, when you only need a 7th?

by Chanman25 on Oct 2, 2008 6:37 AM CDT up 0 recs

go Z go!

by Cubinator on Oct 2, 2008 6:37 AM CDT 0 recs

other reasons for optimism

Billingsley is worse on the road than at home
Billingsley is worse in night games than day games
Billingsley has already pitched 53 more innings than his previous high, his arm may be getting tired.
Billingsley has no post-season experience
Billingsley had a september average against of .296
If Cubs hitters can get ahead in the count, Billingsley is very hittable.

He’s still a stud just like Z, but this is the optimism thread so there ya go.

by Cubinator on Oct 2, 2008 6:55 AM CDT up 0 recs

thank you

those were refreshing facts to read.

bring up felix.

by kylejo on Oct 2, 2008 7:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

How about

his stats are overrated because he played against the NL West?

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Oct 2, 2008 8:04 AM CDT up 0 recs

Good points. To piggyback on that...

Zambrano is better at home than on the road and is MUCH better at night than in day games (3.18 vs. 5.66 ERA).

I like our chances.

by kanderber on Oct 2, 2008 8:27 AM CDT up 0 recs

Billingsley also

has trouble spotting his curve ball at times. he throws hard 94-96 but if that is all he can get over for strikes we just need to sit on fastballs

by bizzle4 on Oct 2, 2008 9:07 AM CDT up 0 recs

thanks for the optimism...

You ARE freaking out MAN!

by crw89 on Oct 2, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up 0 recs

Billinglsy is unstable

He can give up 6 runs, he can give up 2 runs but he does give up hits. And he also gives up HR’s….to DLee, DeRosa, Ramirez and Fukudome this year alone!

by ak123 on Oct 2, 2008 12:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

Win tonight and you're back in the driver's seat

I think tonight’s pitching matchup is essentially a push, although Z’s playoff experience could give him the edge…if he doesn’t go insane out there!

It really is up to the offense. Any changes? Maybe Fonty in and Fukudome out? No, I think Lou will stick with the same lineup.

Demp and Rich: proof that people that live in igloos and say "eh" can contibute!

by Canadian Cubs Fan on Oct 2, 2008 6:59 AM CDT 0 recs

Dome

As much as I love the guy and his glove, it really is time to sit him right now I think. It was a good idea to let him go in game one, to see what he could do and send the message Lou still believes in him, but he is an automatic out right now. Put LBR in there at second and move DeRo to right. Maybe bat DeRo second and LBR eighth.

by bms on Oct 2, 2008 7:35 AM CDT 0 recs

I agree....if Dero is healthy enough to play right.

And by the looks of last night, it looks like he’s fine.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Oct 2, 2008 8:06 AM CDT up 0 recs

agreed

putting DeRo in RF but have the riot bat in the 2 spot.

by bizzle4 on Oct 2, 2008 9:05 AM CDT up 0 recs

Or move him to 8th, at a minimum

by dr stabbingworth on Oct 2, 2008 10:00 AM CDT up 0 recs

I don't care how

I just want them to win tonight. I have a feeling though that Z will be on his A game. I don’t care what the big boppers do, I don’t care if the Cubs get no hit and win it because of a walk, as long as it’s a win.

"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti

by wrigleyrocker12 on Oct 2, 2008 7:37 AM CDT 0 recs

I'll be honest...

I don’t get too wrapped up in the ups and downs on this team, but last night’s loss really deflated me-Even MORE than last years 1rst game defeat to the DB’s. . Unfortunately, the percentages of losing the first game of a 5 game series are staring us in the face…. I didn’t think we played all that bad last pm and disagree that everybody from 1-8 (excluding Soriano) was up there free-swinging like 2007. Dempster, who has been prone to wildness, was simply overthrowing..

There is no doubt in my mind that this team, especially wtih the Zambrano-Harden——-hopefully good Lilly—- CAN come back and win 2 of the next 3 sending this back to Chicago. the problem we face head on is that Dodger pitching staff. we face a potential stud tonight and have really not done well against Kuroda, and then…we get to see Lowe again.

No doubt that Dempster will redeem himself next time out, and is very capable of winning that game 5.. My confidence in getting there is, unfortunately, quite low..

We need Z, who also struggled late 2007 before the playoffs, to show up like he did in last years game 1, when he was pretty much zoned in….

by LuisSalazar on Oct 2, 2008 7:43 AM CDT 0 recs

i agree

and espn and tbs guys all said the cubs just couldnt hit the ball….. um… we had 9 hits the dodgers only had 8. we hit the ball but we have to do a better job getting hits at the same time!

by bizzle4 on Oct 2, 2008 9:09 AM CDT up 0 recs

Let's just pray that we see the good Z tonight and not the evil Z , if he's on we win.

Fat , drunk , and ,stupid is no way to go through life son.

by alabebo on Oct 2, 2008 7:58 AM CDT 0 recs

Zambrano

I think Z will be a bull tonight. I actually think he’s more likely to win tonight than if we had won last night.

And I hope afterwards he flings some baseballs at the pressbox and all those idiots.

Thngs of worth are worth fighting for regardless of the odds.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Oct 2, 2008 8:19 AM CDT 0 recs

Pie

I can’t believe I am saying this………but………………..Pie should play tonight! He looked like a different player in September. Why in the world would you play Kosuke the way he has hit the last 2 and a half months?……….especially in the 2 hole where Theriot has thrived all year. Get you’re head out of your ass Lou!!!

by plenz on Oct 2, 2008 8:22 AM CDT 0 recs

I'm not opposed to Kosuke in the lineup

But hitting him second is stupid. We basically have two automatic outs at the top of our lineup right now. Soriano is in one of those funks and Kosuke has been a terrible hitter for months now. Put Riot 2nd and Kosuke 8th.

by kanderber on Oct 2, 2008 8:29 AM CDT up 0 recs

LSA

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Oct 2, 2008 8:30 AM CDT up 0 recs

i'm a huge Pie supporter

and there’s no way you play him against a guy whose biggest weakness is command. We need as many patient bats as we can get in the lineup tonight

by DartmouthCubsFan on Oct 2, 2008 8:34 AM CDT up 0 recs

BIG Z TO THE RESCUE

Tonight will be differant …If Big Z is on all will be fine …With Dome having trouble at the plate Lou is thinking defense in Right field ….I also thought Riot might be batting second but only the lineup card tonight will tell,,,Bounce Back Boys …..

by cubs north on Oct 2, 2008 8:32 AM CDT 0 recs

Edited the title of this post...

… changed “tomorrow” to “thursday”.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Oct 2, 2008 8:49 AM CDT 0 recs

Cubs are 7-1 on Thursdays since the All-Star break

and the 1 loss was the “Hoffpauir game” in NY when the Cubs rested nearly all their regulars.

So they got that goin’ for them.

"I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game." - Walt Whitman

by hip2bsquare on Oct 2, 2008 11:06 AM CDT 0 recs

Thank you

For a positive post. It is very very difficult to be positive right now. We are Cubs fans and we crave the winning and I think we are all hurting right now. We need the confidence, in our team and in ourselves.

They call me MISTER Fukudome!

by brokenland on Oct 2, 2008 11:38 AM CDT 0 recs

don't let hysterical ranting fool you

it’s one thing to say “blast it, we lost again”

it’s another to go so far as to become void of any hope at all after one LOSS ..

i am done with that kind of black and white thinking .. Baseball is a game of degrees, infinite variety, and at times, out and out brutal directness. Things are never as bad as they seem in every bad situation.

People who freak out and blow their bile ducts out all over this forum are over the top IMHO .. It’s a free country and they should be allowed to have their say, but the amount of insanity last night was unbelievable.

These are the 2008 Chicago Cubs. I think things are going to turn around .. tonight!

(thanks Al, I posted this last night as an effort to Accentuate the Positive ..)

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Oct 2, 2008 2:43 PM CDT up 0 recs