Batter up! The 2003 JD Baseball Thread...

[dustrho]

Someone explain to me why that "idiot" cost the Cubs the game last night

I don't think he truly cost the Cubs the game last night, but he sure did put a sour taste in a lot of the Cubs' players.  Everything was going perfectly fine for them, and then this Bartman guy pulls that stupid crap during the game, got the whole crowd pissed off, and then the poop hit the fan!  It was definitely the most frustrating moment for the Cubs during the entire playoffs.

The thing that really irritates me about that Bartman person is that he had already gotten a baseball, and it was given to him by Moises Alou.  Moises caught a pop-up to end one of the innings, and tossed it into the crowd.  Bartman caught the ball.  So, when he tried catching that ball in the 8th inning that was his second attempt at getting a baseball.  

[JediMAC]

This is NOT looking good for the Cubs now.  Woods didn't have it tonight, and the Fish have posted a commanding 9-6 lead in the bottom of the 9th...  And the Cubs have the bottom of the lineup up...  

Time for one of the all-time great comebacks, RIGHT NOW!  Just like my Angels did against the Giants last year in Game 6!!!  

[dustrho]

I cannot believe the Cubs lost.    They were up 3 games to 1, and they lost.  They showed video shots of the crowd's reaction a few minutes after the game ended, and there were so many people just crying hysterically.  It was a sad sight.

[Scott]

Stick a fork in 'em

At least you have the Bears Illini White Sox Bulls Blackhawks to root for in Chicago...Go Cubs 2004!

[JediMAC]

Absolutely unbelievable...  You lose a 3-1 series lead to a team with a bunch of absolute no-namers!  Unfreaking-believable.

The Florida 'no-name' Marlins in the World Series?

That's one of the stupidest and most pathetic things I've ever heard of...  Cubs choked.  Kerry choked worse.  They are cursed.  We'll see if the Sox are too, come tomorrow...

[Jango Fettish]

Yep, Marlins did it, and didn't have to pull their old roster stacking routine to get there this time.

Oh well, back to not caring about baseball..

[Darby]

I never believed in that curse until now.  That's all I have to say about it.  

[Nicklab]

I couldn't believe the news as I drove into work this morning.  I had watched the Yankee game, much to my dismay.  But the real shocker came as I listened to sports radio during my commute, and learned that the Cubs had lost.

I had really high hopes for that team as early as late August.  I'd been listening to the radio, and hearing how the division races were going.  For a little while it looked like Houston would win the NL central, but I kept up hope for the Cubs.  Lo and behold, they managed to win their division.  And when they advanced past the Braves in the Division series, I was really happy about it.  The Braves have dominated the postseason for some 12 years, and it seemed like time for a new team to play through October.

I thought game 6 would clinch it for the Cubbies.  They were going back home to Wrigley with the support of not only a city, but seemingly the entire country cheering them along.  All this with one of the best young pitchers in baseball, Mark Prior, taking the mound.  But, it wasn't meant to be.  the Marlins are a solid, hustle-minded young team with some good veteran leadership.  I hope people can give them their due.

I don't know the gory details of game 7, and I'll leave it at that.  I know Kerry Wood was on the mound for Chicago, and he's been solid for them.  But this turn of events can definitely make you think that there just might be something strange about how it all worked out.

[Mikey D]

Well that hole in the ship plugged up real quick.  The team that ripped my heart out and stomped on it like a flaming bag of turd Tuesday night finally showed up last night and in a big way.  My voice is a little course this morning from cheering to cursing to more cursing to cheering and then more cheering.  The big guns (Nomar, Mueller, Millar and Ortiz) went a combined 11 for 20 with 4 ribbies and 4 runs scored.  Its about time they showed up.

Now its the matchup of the ages - Pedro vs. Clemens for a trip to the Fall Classic.  Should be a good one.

Go Red Sox!!

[Jim]

Finally the bats have awakened for the Sox.  Game 7 will be one of the biggest in Sox Franchise.  Yesterdays game had me biting my nails through the whole game.  Unbelievable how it went back and forth.  I am not claiming a win yet on game 7, but if the Sox can show a little magic tonight they are looking golden.  I said at the beginning of the series that whoever took the American League would take the World Series.  Go Sox! Cowboy up! Yankees Suck!!!!!!

[Mikey D]

Congrats to the Marlins.  Great comeback.  I like their never say die attitude (kind of like the Red Sox).  The better team obviously won and they deserve it.

As for anyone saying the fan cost the Cubs a trip to World Series, get a f***ing clue.  How anyone can honestly believe a kid in the stands catching a ball clearly out of play cost a professional team a game is beyond me.  What about the other hypocrites who were trying to catch the ball and missed it?  Face the facts, the Cubs choked and choked hard.  Blame them, not some poor fan just trying to enjoy himself.  Blaming him is like saying years of futility are because of some friggin goat or a fat ass pitcher turned slugger.  Its all a load of horse ****.

[dustrho]

As for anyone saying the fan cost the Cubs a trip to World Series, get a f***ing clue.  How anyone can honestly believe a kid in the stands catching a ball clearly out of play cost a professional team a game is beyond me.  What about the other hypocrites who were trying to catch the ball and missed it?  Face the facts, the Cubs choked and choked hard.  Blame them, not some poor fan just trying to enjoy himself.  Blaming him is like saying years of futility are because of some friggin goat or a fat ass pitcher turned slugger.  Its all a load of horse ****.

Do I sense a little hostility in your tone of voice?  

All I can say is that game 6 was running just fine until that kid grabbed the freakin' ball right out of Moises Alou's glove.  The score was 3-0 in favor of the Cubs, and with all the anger and hostility from that stupid play things just went downhill.  I know I'm not saying the Cubs lost all because of that fan, but he sure poured the gasoline onto the fire and helped start up that fire.  We were just less than 2 innings away from winning the game.  So try to be realistic here and face the facts.  Things were running smooth in game 6 until that particular moment had occurred.

Yes, the better team might have won that game.  The Cubs definitely choked... no doubt about it.  But, if they face the Yankees I don't think the Marlins have a fighting chance against them.  It will probably be over in 5 games at most.

And if you believe in UFO's, ghosts, poltergeists, crop circles and other phenomena than there's no reason why anyone can't believe in curses.

[Mikey D]

Chris, no hostility at all. My comments weren't directed at anyone in particular and I'm sorry if you felt that was a personal attack on you (or anyone else for that matter).  I can ensure you it wasn't.  It was a generalization after two days of the media adding fuel to the fire and constantly harking on something that, quite frankly, should be over and done with.

Was the fan an unfortunate turn of events for the Cubs?  Yes.  Should they have let it go and play on and try to finish the inning?  Yes.  Did they? Yes, but definitely not until after the Marlins capitalized.  To blame a fan for losing a series, after a team is up 3 games to 1, playing 2 games at home with your 2 best pitchers going for you is ridiculous.  What does it say for humanity when physical threats are placed on a person who did what anyone else would have done in the same situation?  

Again, not directed at anyone in particular just a generalization.

[chuckles]

I was rooting for the Cubs to win too but yes, let's stop blaming it on what is now known as "the fan".

First off, that fan did what any of the 30-40 thousand, or whatever, fans that were there that night would have done had they been sitting in that exact same seat when that foul ball came their way. They would have reached up and tried catching it, just as he did. You react on instinct in that situation, not what possible outcomes may come of it.

Secondly, he did not cost the Cubs a trip to the World Series. Sure he "might" have cost them game 6. But we'll never know for sure what would have happened had Alou made that catch. And the Cubs did nothing after that play to help themselves either with an error and hit after hit allowed. He also did nothing to lose game 5 for the Cubs and he did nothing to lose game 7 for the Cubs. I think people need to cut this guy some slack.  The Cubs simply choked. Pro sports teams do it all the time. This time it was the Cubs turn.

[Jim]

Here is to all you Yankee fans!  Enjoy in case this gets yanked.  BTW, this is a joke and I have nothing against you fans.

Yanked by DSJ