IST Cubs - Dodgers

[Frayed Knot]

6:30 EDT
Ryan Demster faces Derrick Lowe

Raffy Furcal, who missed a huge chunk of the season and only got a handful of ABs at the very tail end of the season, will reportedly be in the lineup tonight.

[Frayed Knot]

Cubs jump out to a 2-0 lead on a DeRosa HR.
Dempster kept walking guys but getting away with it ... until a 2-out GS in the 5th by James Loney and it's 4-2 Dodgers.

Dempster out, Lowe still in.

Edited October 1, 2008 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Dodgers using Maddux to close?
He's in to try to close a 7-2 game.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'll tellya, Dodgers very much looked like the better team tonight. I think the Cubs might have taken their foot off the gas a little after turning away that threat from Milwaukee in August.

[Elster88]

3 walks followed by a homer. Poor Fat Lou must be tearing his hair out. I'd love it if he didn't walk on the field anymore. It's a tough image to take.

[metirish]

Cubs taking a beaten here tonight.

[Frayed Knot]

It was all infield singles and errors ... until Russell Martin cleared the bases with a double.
Zambrano should have been out of that inning several batters ealier.

[bmfc1]

Our guys should be playing the Cubs right now.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Had we done a better job agoinst the Cubs jayvee a week ago we might be.

Edited October 2, 2008 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

The Cub infield has now errored for the cycle: Eeeeez at 1st, 2nd, SS, and 3B

[Guest holychicken]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'll tellya, Dodgers very much looked like the better team tonight. I think the Cubs might have taken their foot off the gas a little after turning away that threat from Milwaukee in August.

This is my take. Serves em right for rolling over for the Brew Crew.

[metirish]

Jeez but the Cubs are blown this , they look completely dead while the Dodgers look loose.

[HahnSolo]

Getting away from Wrigley may serve the Cubs well. I don't believe we've heard the last from them.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

HahnSolo wrote: Getting away from Wrigley may serve the Cubs well. I don't believe we've heard the last from them.

I do.

Not to underestimate a 97-win team but they seemed to have peaked some time ago. I thought they looked perfectly average in September and more or less like crap this week. Lou in the papers this morning absolutely trashed Fukudome.

Wait till next year, Cubbos.

[Benjamin Grimm]

A Phillies-Dodgers playoffs would be like, so thirty years ago. But I guess there's not much chance of seeing the Yankees vs. the Royals in the ALCS this year.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not for nothing but here are the records in September:

Dodgers 17-8
Phillies 17-8
Cubs 12-12
Brewers 10-16

In the AL:
Angels 17-9
BoSox 16-10
Rays 13-14
White Sox 12-15

[bmfc1]

Hey Cub fan in Chicago--you, who has to get up at 6, or perhaps earlier, for work on Monday--or kids, who have school on Monday... if your team wins on Saturday, then be ready for a 9:25 central time start of Game 4 on Sunday!

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp

[Valadius]

You know, if the Dodgers were to win the World Series, I'd pay good money to watch George Steinbrenner's head explode.

[Willets Point]

Valadius wrote: You know, if the Dodgers were to win the World Series, I'd pay good money to watch George Steinbrenner's head explode.

...and Theo Epstein.

[stevejrogers]

Willets Point wrote: ="Valadius"]You know, if the Dodgers were to win the World Series, I'd pay good money to watch George Steinbrenner's head explode. ...and Theo Epstein.

You seem fixated on vindication for ManRam. The guy was a cancer that had to be removed from the organization.

Big difference between dumping him on anyone that would be dumb enough to take him, and vindication for a manager who was humiliated on his way out the door from his old job.

To say nothing about the fact that the Sox are in the playoffs, with Jason Bay performing quite well, no Manny but can you honestly say the Sox would be in a better position if they still had Manny on their team?

While true the Yankees would have struggled with Torre just as much as with Girardi, vindication would be sweeter with the Yankees having egg on their faces with Torre. I truly doubt the Red Sox will feel any sense of embarrassment with a Dodger championship. Unless of course, if it comes at their expense.

[stevejrogers]

Series over, Dodgers win.

Cubbies, 101 years and counting...

Haven't won a postseason GAME since the Bartman play.

Dodgers win their first playoff series since the 1988 World Series, and advance to the NLCS for the first time since 1988.

This will be their 8th trip to the NLCS, tied for 4th in all time trips to an LCS with the Red Sox (for the moment), and Reds. Only the Braves (11) and Cardinals (9) have made more NLCS appearances.

[Fman99]

What's worse, having your team roll over and miss the playoffs (again), or getting in and getting swept in the first round (again)?

[soupcan]

Missing altogether.

But its close.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

This has to feel like a total disgrace to Cubs fans, probably worse for them to dominate like they did then get totally bitched by an 85-win team than for Mets fan to witness a flawed team fail in the final week.

[Guest cooby]

I think getting swept to the curb would feel worse. Think about the glorious roller coaster ride getting there, only to be bone crushingly numbed just a week later.

Not that I care how Cubs fans feel.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Guest

[soupcan]

At least they won a division.

Small consolation I know, but its there.

[Guest cooby]

Next year, soupcan, next year. The Mets will do it.

[smg58]

I'm with JCL on this. We had an obviously flawed team, and we all knew it. The Cubs had a great rotation, a great pen, and a lineup with no weak spots. For me 2006 hurt worse than the last two years, because I thought the World Series was a foregone conclusion with that team. But at least we were in that series with the Cardinals, right up till the last pitch. The Cubs got railroaded. They didn't hit, pitch, or field particularly well. They did nothing right. Did they even have a lead at any point?

[Guest holychicken]

My view is that anything can happen in a short series. . .so making it and getting swept is a very distinct possibility even for the team that is way better.

That being said, for me it hurts much more not to make it than to make it easily and exit as quickly as possible. You have to be in it to win it.

[soupcan]

holychicken wrote: You have to be in it to win it.

Boom.