I was lucky enough to be able to witness who the real team is in Chicago. As everyone in the wide world of sports already knows, it is the Chicago Cubs.
The White Sox left their talented play on the South side. Even better, they left their dignity in the North side. Ozzie Guillen and his AL-Central leading Chicago White Sox were forced to crawl home with their tails between their legs.
The games were amazing. I was at the Friday game, sitting in section 202, enjoying the Old Style, and being frustrated with poor hitting by the Chicago Cubs. They couldn't get hits with guys on base.
Then the seventh inning rolls around and Aramis Ramirez began his hot streak by hitting the game-tying solo shot. The stadium went nuts.
Then, to top off the perfect game, the bottom of the ninth comes up and who is at the plate? Ramirez. He jacks a walk-off home run to start what was the best baseball weekend in the majors. It was insane.
I don't know if it was noticeable on TV as much as in real life, but Wrigley Field exploded with emotion. I got the hell beat out of me by about 20 people I don't even know. They were doing back slaps, high fives, hugging, jumping all over, throwing beer in the air, etc....I even got hit in the face with a hotdog. AMAZING!
Here are my takeaways from this series.
1. The Chicago Cubs are indeed the best team in Chicago, and most likely in baseball. The offense is potent enough to erupt at any point for nine runs (see Saturday's scoreline) and come from behind and win. This does wonders for a team's confidence. Think Marquis was worried about pitching from behind? Doubt it.
2. The White Sox's record is a result of playing a bunch of pathetic AL Central teams. This is not their fault, and I applaud them for doing what they have to do: beat bad teams. The pitching of the White Sox is good, but not even close to being great.
The Cubs' potent offense proves that once a lineup with good hitters is staring a Sox pitcher down from the batters box, the ERA starts to climb up ever so steadily.
3. If the Cubs make the World Series, the National Guard better be on hand in Chicago. It is June, people. JUNE. Not even halfway through the season. You should have been in Wrigleyville this weekend. I have never seen so many people go so crazy over a win in June.
4. The Cubs have a team that is more than capable of beating anyone in baseball, and possibly winning a World Series. I still, as history proves, believe pitching wins championships.
While the offense the Cubs have, which if I remember right is the top offense in baseball, can score runs, the team still can't afford to enter into high-scoring affairs on a regular basis. One of these will bite them in the rear.
Look for Jim Hendry to add a big arm to ensure that the staff is more than capable of matching up against a team like Boston with four really good starters. C.C. Sabathia would be perfect.
It is only June. I know I shouldn't be this excited about a record and performance this early in the year, but you have to be extremely happy with how things have gone.
The Cubs have what should be an easy series to win against Baltimore this week, and then it's across Chicago to the south to US Cellular Field to face the White Sox for the second series in two weeks.
Let's hope they bring the brooms again.
GO CUBS!
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3 months ago
The only caveat is that the Cubs are the best team in baseball AT HOME. When they are on the road, like a lot of ther teams, especially this year, they are about an average team. Look at the way the Rays spanked us last week.
I hate to take away the joy of sweeping the Sox, for it was truly a thing of beauty, but if the Sox, in turn, sweep us at the Cell, then we've proven nothing. I don't think they will, but home field means a lot this year. I still think the Red Sox are better than us if we played at their park. Again, as long as we're at Wrigley, we're the best.
3 months ago
Tyler, I love your Cubs fan perspective! I was at the game Friday too and after A-Ram hit that homer in the 9th, I was on cloud nine. Bob is right about the road struggles. Other than that, and maybe Marmol's mini funk, this team is as solid as ever.
Can someone write and article on who the most valuable player is on this team? You can make a case for anyone because we win with and without numerous stars in our lineup...
3 months ago
o please it's not like the cubs won a world series or anything. they HAVE to get excited in june because come September or October they will not have anything to cheer about. when your team starts sweeping on the road then you have something to cheer about.
it's not like you knocked the white sox out of first place either. get over yourself. you'll be sitting at home in october watching the world series on TV... just like the cubs will
1908
from 3 months ago
we'll see. The Cubs will take the NL Central, and have home field advantage through out the playoffs most likely. They are the cream of the crop in the NL. Its the World Series that worries me. The only chance I see the Cubs winning that is if the NL wins the All Star game.
We may not have knocked the Sox out of first, but its close. Watch out for the Twinkies!
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