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L.A. Goodbye: Cubs-Dodgers Series Preview

There have been, since the World Series began in 1903, 103 major league postseasons -- no, I haven't miscounted; there was no World Series in 1904, nor a postseason in 1994.

The Cubs and Dodgers, historic franchises, have participated in 35 of those between them. Between them they've been in 26 World Series (ten for the Cubs, 16 for the Dodgers; only the Cardinals, with 13, and the Dodgers, have won more NL pennants than the Cubs since 1900) and nine other postseasons in the divisional play era without making it to the Series (five for the Cubs, four for the Dodgers). But tomorrow marks the first time in the long history of both these teams that they will meet in a postseason game.

I thought, rather than do position by position matchups, which rarely mean anything (seriously: catchers don't do battle with each other on the field), I'd take a look back at the seven games these two teams played against each other during the regular season -- with the caveat that the Dodgers are a very different team now than they were then, having added Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake to their offense. The Cubs won the season series 5-2 by sweeping the Dodgers at home and splitting four games in Los Angeles.

May 26 at Wrigley Field -- Cubs 3, Dodgers 1:

Ryan Dempster [had his] 11th good start of the season. Yes, all 11 -- look at his previous game log and you'll see that although he had a couple of "not-great" starts, he hasn't been blown out of any of them, and has gone six or more innings in 10 of 11. Today, after getting out of a first-inning jam he caused himself by walking the nearly-unwalkable Juan Pierre by a nicely-executed rundown of Pierre trying to score (my friend and BCB reader bison texted me from California, where he had scored it from home 1-6-4-5-2-3-4), Dempster settled down and retired nine of the next ten hitters he faced, finally running into trouble in the fifth when Mark DeRosa couldn't handle an infield popup and had no play as Matt Kemp, who had doubled, scored LA's only run.

Dempster got himself out of another jam in the 6th, after he had loaded the bases with two singles and a walk to Kemp, and again in the 7th, when no one was warming up, a testament to how overworked the bullpen was in all the extra-inning games in Pittsburgh. Dempster threw 117 pitches, 71 for strikes, and Bob Howry had to do the same thing in the 8th. We couldn't figure out why Scott Eyre, warmed and ready, didn't come in to face two lefty hitters in James Loney and Delwyn Young. Lou explained during the news conference that he thought Howry was throwing better, and it appears he wanted to give Howry a confidence-builder.

That's a risky way to win games, but it worked. Howry struck out Loney and got Young to fly to Jim Edmonds (the ball, not too far away from Alfonso Soriano, had us yelling, "Let Edmonds take it!" (We were threatening to ask the Cubs to put those beeping sounds you hear from trucks backing up near the wall so Alfonso would know when he's getting close to it, either that or yellow crime-scene tape.)

Dempster, for his part, continued pitching well all year -- he only had one or two bad starts the entire season.

May 28 at Wrigley Field -- Cubs 3, Dodgers 1:

[Kosuke] Fukudome, who has been in an offensive funk, snapped out of it with the double, a single and a walk, and made a couple of sparkling defensive plays in right field. How anyone could consider hurting the defense by moving him to CF and putting a minor league first baseman in right, I simply cannot understand. It does appear, as I keep saying, that Jim Edmonds is done, done, D-O-N-E (have I said done?). He went 0-for-4 last night, got booed roundly the last two times, and his bat speed is probably about the same as Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry's would be if Perry took the field now. Edmonds did make one nice catch going back on a fly ball to the warning track; his fielding is still decent and he catches everything he gets to. I still fail to see how this team is helped by his presence.

Last night's performance by Kerry Wood ought to quiet a similar chorus asking for him to be replaced at closer. He looked dominant and seems to be getting more comfortable in the role each time out. Meanwhile, Carlos Marmol had a shaky outing, loading the bases before getting out of the jam. I'd like to see him rest up some, as he's bordering on severe overwork.

Well, obviously, I was wrong about Edmonds that day in May -- he started hitting right after that and has been an exemplary presence on the field and in the clubhouse. His postseason experience -- he has more than anyone else on the club, even Alfonso Soriano -- will be invaluable in October.

May 29 at Wrigley Field -- Cubs 2, Dodgers 1:

Before a near-sellout of 39,945 on a night that was, by the end, starting to get cold, the Cubs provided 9th and 10th inning dramatics that had Wrigley Field rocking as I have never heard it for a regular season game this early in the year, and Alfonso Soriano shut up his critics (for a day, at least) by poking a single into left field, scoring Mike Fontenot with the winning run in an excruciatingly exciting 2-1 Cubs win over the Dodgers, completing the Cubs' fourth three-game sweep at home this season, moving their home record to a spectacular 22-8, pushing them 11 games over .500 for the first time since the last day of the ill-fated 2004 season...

Remind me again why the Cubs need another starting pitcher? They allowed an admittedly hurting LA "offense" three runs in this series, and the only one Carlos Zambrano allowed last night was on a bases-loaded walk after he had helped load the bases by hitting Matt Kemp. Z admitted in his postgame comments that he knew he didn't have his best stuff or command; he walked four, tying his season high, and had to get, essentially, five outs in that tense eighth inning because his defense deserted him (Mark DeRosa let a ball go off his glove which was ruled a hit, and Ryan Theriot made a throwing error, both of which could have been outs). Z threw an alarmingly high total of 130 pitches -- something we haven't seen since the Baker era. However, Lou said in his own postgame remarks that he'll keep Z on a short leash in his next start...

It was right after that when Z's shoulder started to bark at him and a little over two weeks later, he had to be taken out of a game at Tampa Bay and wound up on the DL. I think Z is fine now, but the staff will have to watch his pitch count closely. (Yet another reason Bob Howry shouldn't be on the playoff roster.)

June 5 at Dodger Stadium -- Cubs 5, Dodgers 4:

Kerry Wood, who some here were ready to throw under the bus when he had a tough debut as closer on Opening Day, is now leading the National League in saves.

Once again, this team won with a different hero; last night it was Kosuke Fukudome, who hit his first MLB home run away from Wrigley Field and who drove in the winning run with e perfectly-placed single off his countryman Takashi Saito in the 9th inning.

The Cubs blew an early 4-0 lead when Jeff Kent homered twice, once off Ryan Dempster, once off Bob Howry, who nearly did a Ted Lilly slam-the-glove-down move, rare for him -- you almost never see Howry show emotion on the mound -- but this resilient team came back. Props to Neal Cotts for throwing a scoreless inning -- so far, since his recall, Cotts looks more like the setup man who had a 1.94 ERA for the 2005 champion White Sox, than the guy who got sent down seemingly never to return last year.

Kent won't be playing in this series (and we hope, neither will Howry), and it would be great if Fukudome could get out of his two-month offensive funk and contribute in this series.

June 6 at Dodger Stadium -- Dodgers 3, Cubs 0:

... they just got beat last night when they got shut down by a pretty good pitcher. That kind of stuff happens even to great teams (example: the 114-win 1998 Yankees got shut out five times, including by scores of 7-0, 9-0 and 11-0. This makes three for the 2008 Cubs). [Hiroki] Kuroda not only held the Cubs to four harmless singles, he also struck out eleven and didn't walk anyone.

I posted a long diatribe about Ryan Theriot's lack of range in that recap; obviously, we're long past the time when any change is going to be made (especially with Ronny Cedeno now with a balky shoulder because of the dumb dive he made into 1B in NY last week). Theriot's the SS, for good or bad, for the duration. We can only hope that Kuroda's more hittable in game three than he was that night in June.

June 7 at Dodger Stadium -- Dodgers 7, Cubs 3:

Carlos Zambrano actually threw six good innings; unfortunately, his defense deserted him in the seventh, with Aramis Ramirez charged with one error and Kosuke Fukudome dropping a catchable fly ball (the latter would have ended the seventh inning with the score only 4-3 Dodgers). You simply can't give a major league team five outs in any inning and expect to win.

All of this was after the Cubs had fashioned leads of 2-0 and 3-2 against the tough Derek Lowe, and even though Z had given up a ton of hits, he had gotten out of every jam up to the point where Russell Martin homered to tie the game at 2. In fact, all three homers hit today -- Martin's, Alfonso Soriano's, and the killer three-run blast from Matt Kemp that put the game away -- didn't seem as if they were going to go out when they first left the bat. All seemed routine fly balls that wound up carrying; Dodger Stadium seems more conducive to that during the day than at night.

And those defensive lapses were the story of the game; otherwise Z and Lowe matched up pretty well, and once the game was out of hand, Neal Cotts threw an inning and a third without allowing anything else, saving the rest of the bullpen for tomorrow.

So -- the Cubs could have defeated Derek Lowe (who is 2-1, 3.25 in eight career starts vs. the Cubs) if they'd have played a more solid defensive game, and note that the Dodger homers were hit during a day game, when the ball carries better than at night; all the games in the division series are likely to be night games (the first three definitely are).

June 8 at Dodger Stadium -- Cubs 3, Dodgers 1:

Apart from Geovany Soto's throwing error on Juan Pierre's first-inning steal, which allowed Pierre to go to third and score on an infield out, the Cubs were nearly flawless in front of the national audience. Jason Marquis -- see, I knew he had this kind of talent, as Mark DeRosa said:

"I think sometimes he becomes his own worst enemy," DeRosa said. "He sometimes doesn't realize how great his stuff is. When he's on, he's tough to hit. He has a good sinker, he had good command of his slider and his split. He's a good pitcher. He's been a good pitcher in this league."

Exactly. Marquis threw strikes last night and had terrific movement on his pitches. If he hadn't run into trouble in the 7th inning, Lou might have let him finish, as he had thrown only 89 pitches when he was removed, but taking him out in favor of Carlos Marmol was the right thing to do.

Marquis probably won't pitch -- much -- in this series, but it's nice to know that he has this terrific outing, one of his best of the year, to think about if he winds up going against the Dodgers. LA, in fact, is one of his favorite opponents; in 9 career appearances against them (8 starts) he's 3-1, 1.99 in 54.1 innings.

So there you have it. For the Dodger fan's point of view please check out our SBN Dodgers site True Blue LA, and I also wanted to give a shout-out to my friend Rob McMillin's site that covers both the Dodgers and Angels, 6-4-2. (And Rob's wife Helen is a Cubs fan and occasional BCB poster.) In case you haven't already looked up my 2008 preseason predictions, there's the link; usually it's pretty embarrassing, but only half so this year. I nailed the NL playoff teams, all four of them. (Not so much for the AL, but at least I'm in good company; hardly anyone would have picked the Rays, White Sox or Twins back in March). I'll stand by my NL predictions for the postseason, too: the Cubs to win this series 3-1, and the Brewers over the Phillies, setting up what ought to be a terrific NLCS.

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This post needs some pictures

My next sig line quote will also be from Lou Piniella, and the first word will be either "Look", or "Listen", followed by a comma.

by JohnM on Sep 30, 2008 8:39 AM CDT   1 recs

beautiful

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Sep 30, 2008 10:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I could get used to seeing that every year.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 30, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

me too

that is a pretty sight

When you're eight games behind, it's like eight miles; when you're eight games in front, it's like eight inches. ~ Ron Santo

by gwood on Sep 30, 2008 10:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ditto...

…but it would seem a little out of place in 2009.

by sniffy the bee on Sep 30, 2008 10:58 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Step one...

Perty, though.

make*art

by neverAcquiesce on Sep 30, 2008 12:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

NLCS ticket drawing

Anyone know what happened to the emails? I’ve been searching and nothing. They have taken the info off cubs.com. When we beat the Dodgers I want to get to Chicago for game 2 of NLCS. I’m feeling lucky but no info from MLB. Did anyone get anything?

I agree Al, 3-1 sounds about right to me. I’m just worried about getting off to a good start and everything will take care of itself.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Sep 30, 2008 8:42 AM CDT   0 recs

I don't think any NLCS emails have been sent out yet.

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

by Al on Sep 30, 2008 8:46 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

There were supposed to go out Monday right?

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Sep 30, 2008 8:49 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Not sure.

But based on what happened last time, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out they’re late.

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

by Al on Sep 30, 2008 8:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Phillies sent their e-mails out already about NLCS

I didn’t win but if the Cubs and Phillies meet, I should be able to swing a ticket from someone.

by PhillyCub on Sep 30, 2008 8:59 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you're my new best friend, neighbor...

also looking for a Cubs/Phils matchup in the NLCS and failed in the lottery for the Phils.

Win.

by RavenswoodRob on Sep 30, 2008 11:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think the emails weren't being sent until Oct 1 or 2

I remember the date being in October, so I wouldn’t worry yet.

"It was a tough first 10,000 wins. I hope the next 10,000 are easier."
-Ryan Theriot

by lindz221 on Sep 30, 2008 9:08 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

NLCS winners notified via email Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008

NLCS sale for winners Friday, Oct. 3, 2008 Noon – 6 p.m.

"Every team will win 60 games, every team will lose 60 games, it's what the team does in the other 42 games that decides the season."

by flachimesa on Sep 30, 2008 2:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Based on the season series, we can expect to have 4 or 5 low scoring pitching dominated games

Which are the worst kind of games for my sanity.

Your 2008 Missouri Tigers! #3/4 4-0 (0-0). Next up at Nebraska October 4th. Live on ESPN in primetime. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin for Co-Heisman!

by nji232 on Sep 30, 2008 8:43 AM CDT   0 recs

Yep.

They never really blew this team out. All pretty close games.

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." - Alvin Dark

by Fishbone2 on Sep 30, 2008 9:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

This guarantees a blowout

Hopefully in our favor!

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Sep 30, 2008 5:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Pitching is KING and that should be bore out abundantly in this series

Given the aforementioned truism this series will come down to the team that can execute its offense the best. I see these games being relative low-scoring affairs. Cubs need Alfonso Soriano to hit because he has become the bellweather for this offense. Cubs also need to play good defense in support of our pitchers. And finally, our starting pitchers need to get deep into games given the dubious nature of our middle relief.

Oh please let this dubious bullpen be good enough in the playoffs...

by MDBNIU on Sep 30, 2008 8:47 AM CDT   0 recs

Not just pitching, but

Rich King

Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...

by N Oakley on Sep 30, 2008 8:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

These games doubtful will be slugfests

The starting pitching on both sides of the ledger is good. The back end of each bullpen is also good (Marmol, Wood) and (Kershaw, Saito, Broxton). Execute, execute, execute will be the key on offense. It was something the Cubs became marvelously good at the first half of the season. They need to get back to that.

NLDS MVP — Ryan Theriot

Oh please let this dubious bullpen be good enough in the playoffs...

by MDBNIU on Sep 30, 2008 9:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

IIRC We got to Saito everytime we faced him this year

He may have been injured at the time, but our approach of taking his pitches and getting on base seemed to work. That bodes well for any ninth inning rallies if we need them.

Your 2008 Missouri Tigers! #3/4 4-0 (0-0). Next up at Nebraska October 4th. Live on ESPN in primetime. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin for Co-Heisman!

by nji232 on Sep 30, 2008 9:02 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I can't wait for the games to start.

I expect the key is more than pitching. Quality pitching is probable from both sides and patience at the plate will set the tone. One pitch at bats will allow their starters to gain rythym and confidence.

Making the LA pitchers battle every at bat and getting to Torre’s pen will create opportunity. All pretty obvious, but the Cubs have wavered between a patient team and a pressing team all season. They have won both ways during the season, but I doubt that continues in the playoffs.

Disposable dixie cup drinkin... I'm hiding out in the big city blinking...

by N Oakley on Sep 30, 2008 9:11 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agreed

The thing that jumped out at me from Al’s recaps were how close all the games were. It will be nice to take Game 1 and get off on the right foot.

Get 'em on, Get 'em over, Get 'em in!

by DKT on Sep 30, 2008 11:38 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, at least you admit "pitching is king" is a truism.

I suppose that’s progress.

The Chicago Cubs: 2008 Central Division Champions

by dat cubfan daver on Sep 30, 2008 10:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

So what's queen? No Freddy Mercury references please.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 30, 2008 10:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Strong defense?

She’s beautiful when you do it right, a bitch when you don’t.

The Chicago Cubs: 2008 Central Division Champions

by dat cubfan daver on Sep 30, 2008 11:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

And

We have to not allow Torre to manufacture runs. Keep the runners in place for the DP and out of scoring position.

by 100yearitch on Sep 30, 2008 12:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Who can tell me the name of the Chicago based band....

that had a mini hit with the song Al used in the thread title ? (LA Goodbye) No googling is permitted.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

by cubfever7 on Sep 30, 2008 8:47 AM CDT   0 recs

I'd answer, but of course I already know.

I’ll let the rest of you do that.

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

by Al on Sep 30, 2008 8:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Winner winner!!!

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like to him."
Solomon

by cubfever7 on Sep 30, 2008 9:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank you for playing this edition of "Stump the Chump"

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like to him."
Solomon

by cubfever7 on Sep 30, 2008 9:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Car Talk fan?

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand. - Homer J Simpson

by MikeOxbyg on Sep 30, 2008 10:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you mean the stump the chump thing?

My buddy Jimmy (from suburban Westchester) and I have been using that term for every bit 30 yeaers—do they use it?

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like to him."
Solomon

by cubfever7 on Sep 30, 2008 10:53 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah...

They have a Stump the Chumps segment.

Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand. - Homer J Simpson

by MikeOxbyg on Sep 30, 2008 11:18 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Car Talk is AWESOME

Believe or Leave ~Cubswynn 9/9/2008

by slcathena on Sep 30, 2008 5:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wow

I remember commcercials for Ides of March records or concerts on TV – but like on channel 32 or 26.

My next sig line quote will also be from Lou Piniella, and the first word will be either "Look", or "Listen", followed by a comma.

by JohnM on Sep 30, 2008 10:05 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

They sort of morphed into Survivor.....

same songwriter/driving force behind both bands—the great Jim Peterik. He also wrote pretty much every hit .38 Special ever had and others by Chase, Henry Paul Band and more..a Blessed man creatively.

"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like to him."
Solomon

by cubfever7 on Sep 30, 2008 10:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Good morning all...

Go Cubs Go!! Go Cubs Go!! Go Cubs Go!!

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Sep 30, 2008 8:47 AM CDT   0 recs

Jimmy!

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 30, 2008 9:15 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yo Willie!

Go Cubs Go!

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Sep 30, 2008 10:15 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Jimmy's in the house!

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 30, 2008 10:16 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Is it Wednesday yet?

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Sep 30, 2008 9:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Eat lots of health food. Pizza, nachos and brats should do it.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Sep 30, 2008 10:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I've got all the health food groups you mentioned

plus barley and hops in a bottle the 4th food group so I’m good to go.

Tommie Agee was out.

by Weeghman Park on Sep 30, 2008 10:29 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm completely ambivalent about the Sox

I just don’t care one way or the other. Do you have to hate them to be a true Cubs fan? I’m only talking about the team; not its fans.

Tommie Agee was out.

by Weeghman Park on Sep 30, 2008 11:06 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Not being from Chicago...

…I couldn’t give a rat’s backside about them one way or another.

But I do have a soft spot for the Twinkies.

by sniffy the bee on Sep 30, 2008 11:08 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Similar thoughts here

Great baseball management. Too bad the owner is a tightwad

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Sep 30, 2008 11:56 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I tried to watch the Sox last night...

…but I just CAN’T STAND Hawk. That guy really is so bad it’s painful. I don’t know how even the Sox fans can put up with him.

"There's a lot of things we don't tell you." Lou Pinella

by derv on Sep 30, 2008 11:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Really?

I kind of like Hawk, and really don’t care for DJ (who is gone after this year anyways.) He is entertaining and is really passionate, kind of like Ron is on the air, IMHO.

The Missouri Tigers (4-0) begin defense of their 2007 Big 12 Conference North Division title Saturday on the road, as they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) in Lincoln, Neb.

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Sep 30, 2008 11:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I guess it's that...

1. Stupid hillbilly southern accent
2. The long pauses
3. The lack of a vocab
4. It sounds like he has the mic in his throat
5. That PUT it on the BOARD thing – I mean, come on!

"There's a lot of things we don't tell you." Lou Pinella

by derv on Sep 30, 2008 11:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sounds more like

insults than criticism.

The Missouri Tigers (4-0) begin defense of their 2007 Big 12 Conference North Division title Saturday on the road, as they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) in Lincoln, Neb.

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Sep 30, 2008 11:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Revised...

1. Long pauses with seemingly nothing to say
2. Limited use of descriptive words to articulate the elements of the game
3. Sound engineers for the TV broadcast should decrease the bass input on his mic and try to increase the mid and high ranges for a more enjoyable listening experience

others omitted based on input

"There's a lot of things we don't tell you." Lou Pinella

by derv on Sep 30, 2008 11:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dude, I'm just saying...

…think about what non-Cubs fans have to say about Santo. I know plenty of guys who HATE him as a broadcaster, mostly because since they aren’t Cubs fans, they are not excited by his style of commentary. Hawk is the same way. All those nauances, a lot of Sox fans LOVE them, because it articulates the Sox to them, and the experience of watching a Sox game, much like Santo does for Cubs fans.

The Missouri Tigers (4-0) begin defense of their 2007 Big 12 Conference North Division title Saturday on the road, as they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) in Lincoln, Neb.

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Sep 30, 2008 11:42 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Gotta say

I’m with derv and not for any constructive reasons, it’s his schtick that I can’t stand. His home run calls and strike out calls just irritate me. Maybe that is due to the fact that I am not a White Sox fan, but either way, I cannot watch him.

When you're eight games behind, it's like eight miles; when you're eight games in front, it's like eight inches. ~ Ron Santo

by gwood on Sep 30, 2008 12:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

they're contrived.

I can see Pat’s home-run call having evolved into what it is. I think Hawk said “what can I say that will become a catch-phrase”.

"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella

by drewishdrewid on Sep 30, 2008 12:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Exactly

and they come across that way. I understand that every announcer wants “their call.” Hawk’s just doesn’t work for me because it seems separate from the game. The good home run calls, IMO, are those like Pat’s, Haray Carry’s and Brickhouse’s that aren’t intended to be catch-phrases.

When you're eight games behind, it's like eight miles; when you're eight games in front, it's like eight inches. ~ Ron Santo

by gwood on Sep 30, 2008 12:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

What it comes down to, I think,

is Hawk’s call sounds like something on a baseball video game. That is, something preprogrammed to go off when a home run is hit. No genuine, organic emotion, just an automated response.

make*art

by neverAcquiesce on Sep 30, 2008 12:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Exactly what

I was trying to get at, it isn’t a reaction to what is going on on the field, it Hawk trying to steal the attention for himself

When you're eight games behind, it's like eight miles; when you're eight games in front, it's like eight inches. ~ Ron Santo

by gwood on Sep 30, 2008 1:07 PM CDT