As I was watching the financial markets melt down yesterday and thinking of the recent confrontation with Russia over Georgia (and perhaps Iran to come) I couldn't help but thinking back on W.P. Kinsella's short story "The Last Pennant before Armageddon".

It appears in an anthology called "The Thrill of the Grass" and I reread it last night.  I was even more struck that the story has the Cubs playing the Dodgers in a five game series in October, albeit for the pennant (this was before the expansion of the playoffs).

I can't believe I'm the only one musing over the coincidences, am I?

My small local cable operator started offering Extra Innings today for the balance of the season at $159.  My main interest, of course, is getting to watch more Cubs games, especially since my cable operator doesn't carry WGN.

I know that blackouts apply before 7pm on Saturdays for FOX and after 8pm on Sundays because of ESPN, but saw a note in a wikipedia article that WGN games are blacked out as well.  Is this true?  If so, it would defeat the purpose of getting Extra Innings.

One week into the season and I've already heard the new Square D ad more times than I'd like, but I can't believe Pat says it's been 100 years since the last pennant.   A pennant is a league championship, right?  How could they make such a simple error (and rebroadcast it thousands of times)???

The 1945, 1938, 1935, 1932, 1929, 1918, and 1910  Cubs must be rolling in their graves.

It appears that the Orioles haven't issued a tentantive 2008 schedule, but has anyone reverse-engineered a schedule from the other teams' preliminary schedules?  

Our Boy Scout Troop will be in the area the week of June 29 and I'd love to take the guys to Camden Yards on either 6/28 or 7/5 if the O's will be in town.  

They are only 3 of the 18 men who have managed the Cubs in the last 30 years to get another opportuntity to manage at the major league level.  Amazing that 15 ended their managerial careers, isn't it?  I'm not counting John Vuckovich since he only managed 2 games as a Cub and only 9 more afterward.  Kinda makes you wonder who'd take the job?  I guess Lou figures he'll retire after this gig anyway...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/managers.shtml

I ordered three shirts on Saturday night with overnight shipping, hoping to have them by tomorrow.  In checking the order status it gives no estimate of delivery.  

I finally called today and was told to expect about a week for delivery.  Apparently they don't pre-print these so that's the reason for the wait.  I'm jealous of you guys up North who can just buy these in the store....

Well I guess Uncle Drayton can't fire himself.  I don't know that Garner could have made more of such a weak roster, but Purpura definitely deserved the axe -- Jason Jennings' signing alone has been a total disaster.  Of course that would have never happened had Uncle Drayton ponied up the bucks for Clemens and Pettite to stick around another year.  

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/5086447.html

For those that are interested, here is a current list of the ST games to be aired on XM:

3/1/2007 Giants @ Cubs 3:05PMET XM 181
3/3/2007 Cubs @ Athletics 4:00PMET XM 177
3/4/2007 White Sox @ Cubs 4:00PMET XM 178
3/5/2007 Cubs @ Mariners 3:05PMET XM 178
3/8/2007 Cubs @ Padres 3:05PMET XM 177
3/10/2007 Cubs @ Royals 3:05PMET XM 176
3/11/2007 Brewers @ Cubs 4:05PMET XM 178
3/17/2007 Padres @ Cubs 4:05PMET XM 179
3/22/2007 Cubs @ Padres 4:05PMET XM 180
3/24/2007 Cubs @ Giants 4:05PMET XM 184
3/25/2007 Angels @ Cubs 4:05PMET XM 187
3/26/2007 Cubs @ Angels 4:05PMET XM 183
3/31/2007 Cubs @ Mariners 4:05PMET XM 187

Good News:  My confirmation came yesterday for an August vacation with Jay Buckley's baseball tours.  My son, Dad, brother, brother-in-law and nephew will be joining me and we're all very excited about the trip.

Scary News:  In my dream last night, I make it to Wrigley but they've completely rebuilt the park.  It's now the size of a college ballpark and my seats are in the outfield.  There is no upper deck and everything is made of orange brick with green canvas awnings.  The center field wall is 1000'+ from home plate, so I can't see the players at all.  In addition there is an eight lane highway where Waveland used to be and the sound of the traffic drowns out the PA.

Perhaps this Under Armor thing is bothering more than I thought.  

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2669903

$45M????  Soriano is starting to look like a steal (pun intended).  This is an unbelievable waste of cash for the Dodgers and I'm glad it will leave them with that much less to compete for the remaining FA's.  

Of course we now know we're going to need a CF.  Any suggestions?