Here we go again

Not that I’ve ever been asked to do so, but I would use today’s Cubs game as the perfect example of what being a Cubs fan feels like. They gave up the tying run late in the game, and then gave up the winning run in extra innings. I tapped into my frustrations for a

Everyone’s in camp now

The Cubs apparently now have all their players in spring training, so the start of the season keeps getting closer. I offered my opinions on the Cubs this year for a Cardinals site, and they were published today. I was assuming at the time that the Brewers would be without Ryan Braun for the first

He’s officially gone

A number of years ago, I was participating in a fantasy baseball draft and I picked an unknown (at least to the people taking part in the draft) third baseman named Aramis Ramirez. I pronounced it AIR-uh-miss, and nobody said anything to the contrary. A few months later, in the middle of the season, the

Say it ain’t so

Unlike a lot of people who pay attention to these things, I was supportive of Ryan Braun’s recent MVP award. Matt Kemp of the Dodgers had a better statistical season than Braun–only a fool would deny that–but the award isn’t really about that. What the award is about is up to the individual voter, and

The power of making the playoffs

Once you get into the postseason, anything can happen. If you don’t believe that, you weren’t paying attention to the St. Louis Cardinals this year. They made it in with a single game to spare, thanks to the wild card format and the collapse of the Atlanta Braves, and then kept on fighting until the

1 shining moment

On 11/1/11, I wanted to take a look at a player who wore the number 1 for the Cubs for the past few seasons, Kosuke Fukudome. He’s possibly the best example I can think of for how the way something starts can be different from how it ends up. And I mean completely, totally, 180

Who says baseball is in trouble?

The World Series that just concluded last night has demonstrated that baseball is alive and well. And if anybody wants to point to television ratings as an indication of anything, I’ll simply say this: Baseball was around before anyone knew what television was, and it will still be around after nobody can remember what television

I could never root for the Rangers

Game six of the World Series is tonight and, if all goes as I hope it will, there will be a Game seven, winner-take-all, ultimate baseball showdown in St. Louis tomorrow night. The series to this point–and this year’s postseason in general–demands nothing less. I’ve already gone on the record as being a Cardinals supporter, for

The pendulum swings toward Texas

When the FOX announcers began talking about how the Cardinals had never been involved in a 1-0 game in their previous 100+ games of World Series play, I knew the final score wouldn’t be 1-0. I’m going to suggest that jinxes do exist, and talking about a 1-0 game is the quickest way to make

I’m rooting for the NL team, even if it is the Cardinals

At the beginning of every baseball season, whenever somebody is making their predictions about how everything will turn out six months later, you can reliably hear two things: The American League East is a “strong division,” while the National League Central is a “weak division.” Any division with both the Yankees and the Red Sox

Johnny 59

As the Milwaukee Brewers continue on into the post season, I’ve noticed that their closer, John Axford, wears #59 on his uniform. It just seems like more of a football player’s number to me, as baseball players seem to wear lower numbers than that. I did some looking around for others who have worn that number over

So it’s the small market to the north against the small market to the south

The Cardinals and the Brewers both play in the National League Central, and next week they’ll be playing each other for a spot in the World Series. I’ll watch the games, of course, but they will only remind me–and any other baseball fan who cares to notice–how dismally the Cubs have failed as a franchise.

Process of elimination

On the last night of the regular season, which seems like much longer than eight days ago, we were treated to a sensational night of memorable moments. Perhaps I’m being greedy, but the next thirty-six hours could give us even more moments like this, because three teams will see their seasons end, one way or