that even the Brewers helped us out! Extending Pittsburgh to 12 innings just might help us tomorrow if we can get to their bullpen early. And oddly enough, it was the White Sox who ensured that we were the first team to 80 wins (also with the best record in baseball).

One more win, one more series won, one more game off the schedule…

By taking 2 of 3 (or 3 of 3), it continues to put pressure on Milwaukee. Yes, the Brewers swept the Pirates, but they only gained a game. Win tomorrow, take the series, and keep forcing Milwaukee to sweep series to gain games (which is going to be tough to do).

that is incredible. i need a thesaurus to find another word. I love this team.

And the moment when Dome came back to the dugout after his HR… I got a little misty. Everyone was so happy for him. I think Blanco patted him on the back about 10 times grinning. It was a joy to watch.

but the guy isn’t even eligible for arbitration this off-season. He might not even be eligible next year. Why in the world would the Nats trade him? They’re more likely to pair him with Zimmerman as the faces of the franchise. They are actually trying to sell tickets there.

Otherwise, just keep winning. This is the best Cub team in any of our memories, unless someone around here can actually remember the 1935 team.

Geo’s stats:

BA HR RBI OBP SLG
.284 19 71 .368 .501

Soto’s OPS is 2nd only to McCann among catchers in the NL, and he’s 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in just about every statistical category among NL catchers. Soto has thrown out 28% of runners, whereas Jason Kendall (!) has thrown out done so at 43% (!!). Here’s some more of Soto’s defensive stats.

And his closest competitor, Edison Volquez:

ERA W-L SO WHIP
2.80 15-5 155 1.31

Volquez is 4th in ERA, tied for 2nd in wins, and 6th in strikeouts. And he’s on a team that has 57 wins and is 24 games out of first.

I think Volquez gets Cy votes, but the ROY goes to Soto because he’s the field general on the best team in the NL.

Dan

…………on Friday, Al, but did not the last two days of this series.

To date, the 2008 Cubs have a +175 run differential. And if my calculator is functioning correctly, their current pace projects out to a +219 differential by the end of the season!

Here’s the differentials of the past postseason Cub teams (and the 1969 squad, just for fun):

2003: 724 runs scored, 683 runs allowed, +41
1998: 831 runs scored, 792 runs allowed, +39
1989: 702 runs scored, 623 runs allowed, +79
1984: 762 runs scored, 658 runs allowed, +104
1969: 720 runs scored, 611 runs allowed, +109

Now, prior to my running the numbers and just going off stuff I’ve read about 1969 and my own memories of 1984, I was saying to folks that this year’s team seems as strong as those two squads. But in terms of numbers, the 2008 club may even be stronger than those other two.

Al is right. Remember this club for how strong and solid it’s been over the course of this magical season, regardless of what may happen in the postseason (assuming we make it into October).

I haven’t fofgot Pinella’s quote after the disappointing losses at the end of last year. It’s only the beginning is right. When it’s seemed I was the only cub fan that would admit it in those years when we were 30 UNDER .500 in august, I am thoroughly enjoying season, almost moreso than ’84. ’84 was so neat because it had been soooo long but this team could erase a lot of memories. Al is right, the best is yet to come, it IS only the beginning!

I think it was a “step in the right direction” like HBCG said, but literally. He stepped almost directly twoards the pitcher as he swung, instead of bailing and flailing (I just made that up now . . . ) like he’d been doing. He hung in there, drove the ball, and got positive reinforcement. Good stuff.

“Its time to face the facts that Mota is our Marmol”

UHHHH Sure thing boss:

Mota 2008: 4.63 ERA 3-5 W-L 1.50 WHIP 40 SO
Marmol 2008: 2.83 ERA 2-3 W-L 0.92 WHIP 92 SO

Something in the cheese up in Milwaukee that would make someone say that?

besides 1969 (and MAYBE 1945), most people who call themselves Cubs fans have NEVER seen this team perform this well. We are WITNESSING history! I mean we are witnessing something that an entire generation of Cubs fans haven’t witnessed!

for any Led Zep fans…Jimmy Page is on soon in the Olympic’s closing ceremonies.

Beautiful field, great weekend, see you next year Cubs’ fans, good luck the rest of the way. (ed. note – “Someone’s got to beat the Mets. Please? That is, If DC can’t knock them out come September.”)

Gotta say, the Nats fans were all really classy this weekend. And anyone that hates the Mets is cool w/ me. :-)

This is reminding me in a funny way of the 85 Bears. One long fun ride and hopefully it will end in a world championship for the ursine men of Chicago.

This is the kind of season we have dreamt of our entire lives. A dominant team a fun team a team with likeable players.

Being a fan of 35 years I know how special this season is but then I think of my Dad and people even older than him. (he’s 69) and how much joy they are taking in this season.

I want to be with my Dad when we win it all. Hopefully in our seats at Wrigley but I want to see his face.

with a fabulous quote from DeRosa:

“I hit a buck-ninety in July, and you feel terrible,” Mark DeRosa said. “You know when you’re going bad. You come up in key situations, and when you don’t get the job done or at least put the ball in play to help the team out, it’s frustrating. But there’s not a guy in here that wavers on anyone on the team. Everyone has contributed to our success this year. I hope he gets hot as a pistol right now.”

Gotta love this team.

if the Cubs win the World Series we all get free cars. I want a 75 Vega

is that Rich Harden allows two hits in 7 innings, 1 ER, 0 BB, and notches 11 Ks, and the collective reaction of most Cubs fans is, “That seems about right.” And he’s not even our #1 starter! This team is loaded…

I guess I’m not feeling nervous right now because in other years, including last year, I’ve thought “This is too good to be true.” But this year I look at our pitching and our lineup and I think, “This seems about right.”

I think I’m going to go out and buy a DVR pretty soon. There are probably going to be some incredible games down the stretch. Frankly, I wish I had recorded a lot of games already this year.

Sean, Matt and Eric… not looking so good in the AL. I didn’t expect all of them to shine, but Sean seemed to have some good days ahead, Eric looked better than his brother and Matt seem serviceable as an extra OF. What happened to these guys?

That said, Harden and Gaudin have been excellent additions. I can’t imagine our team without them – let alone the other ‘surprise’ additions of Reed, Jimmy and Samardzija.

Cubs are 15-6 in the month of August with seven games remaining. 2008’s best month is May with 18 followed by April with 17, (June & July they won 15 each) meaning they are currently 3 over the 90 win mark projection right now, (15 wins per month).

Conceivably the Cubs should win at least 4 more games but they are on the hunt for a 20 mark.

Also with Soto’s and DeRosa’s HR and Lee’s HR the other day this puts the Cubs on the track of having at least five players with 20 HR’s in the lineup where Edmonds has 16 and could join the club. I am researching the records but I cannot find a club with 7 players with 20 HR’s in the lineup leaving only Fukudome and Theriot not in the club.

Finally I was told that Fukudome was overstriding (which was mentioned on WGN) and that Fukudome has been working on this mechanical flaw. If he can get corrected and also Ward with some PT gets his bat back Cubs will roar in September.

Philly just did the WAVE with the tying RISP and only 1 out.

Dude! Philly. Knock that off.

Checking in from Nevada, MO with a “high speed” Wi-Fi connection that is so slow I can’t even listen to the Gameday Audio archive.

I couldn’t get the Cubs game on the car radio, but my consolation prize was being able to listen to the greatness that is Denny Matthews. (The Royals actually won, if anybody cares.)

If DeRo continues at this place, I won’t be able to go home until November!

Thanks for taking care of him for me while I’m absent from the game threads.

bases loaded no one out top 10… and they don’t score.

Hopefully this game ends soon… I’m bored.

10th bases loaded and no outs and they don’t score?

I feel a Phillies walk off coming

in Delaware, job allows to watch the tube on mid-shift. Since close to DC get to watch the replay of the game. Only caught a portion of the game today, had to get some sleep.
 I to love this team. 6 with the Brewers and 6 with the Cards, that will decide the division.
This team seems focused and more importantly having fun.

Go Cubs!!

how dumb is Howard? Picked off as the winning run in the bot 10???

will this game ever end??

Ned Yost or Jerry Manuel