LIL' BUDDY'S BLOG - EXTRA! My Opening Day at Wrigley Field, Chicago, March 31, 2008
THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
This Lil' Buddy's Blog is a SPECIAL EXTRA EDITION, in honor of Opening Day at Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs! This is my first OFFICIAL Opening Day at Wrigley - last year, they hid me in a bag! Team Leader Dean hasn't missed an O.D. since the early 80's. Now, I start my own tradition. Like father, like son, I guess!
Here's my official Buddy Report!
Well, first, let me say, things started out looking good for our Beloved Cubs - but they got a ugly at the end. (Before the game, Dean & I had a long man-to-dog talk - he said to expect this - IF you want to be a TRUE Cub Fan!)
Before the game, there was a BIG CEREMONY honoring Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. Banks is our Team Leader's Hero, with his always-sunny outlook, despite playing for many years as a shortstop, then a first baseman, for a second-division team. He played only for the Cubs, is still a big Cubs supporter, and has a great knowledge of the game - even more than I do as a Lil' White Dog.
Banks, whose Uniform Number 14 is already retired and waving on a special flag on the Left Field Foul Pole at Wrigley, now has his own life-sized bronze statue, under the famous Wrigley Field Marquee, on the corner of Addison and Clark Streets.
Today's game atmosphere - in a word - WET! A fine drizzle before the game delayed the start of action 40 minutes. A second, heavier rain delay after the third inning lasted another 45 minutes. Loyal Cub fans didn't move, however, they just donned their trustee ponchos. Here's a picture I snapped of Dean & Sue just before the game started. (I was careful not to put my paw over the lens!)
IMPORTANT NOTE: FYI, the frothy beverage they are holding is Pure, Genuine Old Style Beer - a long-time Chicago and Cub Fan fave. It comes from "God's Country," and is only available in Chicago and parts of Wisconsin, generally. A popular-priced brew, it only gets expensive at Wrigley Field - $5.75 for a 12-ounce cup!
The game itself - disappointing, beyond the 4-3 Cubs loss, to the Rival Milwaukee Brewers, in 10 innings. A few high and low lights -
Starting Pitcher Carlos Zambrano was ON FIRE - three hits through 6 2/3 innings. Then, in what Dean describes as "typical Cub fashion," his arm began to cramp, on a bang-bang play picking a runner off of second base. He was removed.
In came Relief Pitcher Carlos Marmol with two outs in the seventh. Pitching into the 8th, he struck out three of the four batters he faced. Wow! Game score - 0-0, bottom of the eighth.
In the top of the ninth, our new Closer, former Starting Pitcher Kerry Wood, hit the first man he faced, walked a man, then gave up double, then a sac fly, that scored three runs. Score at mid-ninth - Milwaukee 3, Cubs 0.
What a bottom of the ninth! Brewers Closer, former LA Dodger Phenom Eric Gagne hit a man, then gave up a walk. Up comes new Cubs Right Fielder, Fresh from Tokyo, Japan - Kosuke Fukudome - bam, he hits a strong three-run homer to left center field. Fukudome (be careful how you pronounce that!) was 3 for three, with a double in the very first pitch thrown him today, he also had a single, and walked - INCREDIBLE DEBUT! Kosuke's hit tied the game 3-3. Into the tenth we go.
Top of the tenth, in extra innings - Reliever Bobby Howry has no command! Hit a batter, followed by a double, and a single. Milwaukee 4, Cubs 3.
Cubs don't come back in the bottom of the inning.
We lose! This dog is very sad the Chicago Cubs won't go 162-0 this year; the best we can do - 161-1!
Some recurring Cub problems, which got my seatmate, Dean, very mad -
The first three hitters - Leadoff Hitter Shortstop Ryan Theriot, Left Fielder Alfonso Soriano, and First Baseman Derrek Lee, went a combined 1 for 15!
No production from the bottom of the batting order - only Centerfielder Felix Pie had a non-productive single, batting in the Number 8 hole.
Alfonso Soriano swung at practically everything thrown to him - he struck out twice! Third Baseman Aramis Ramirez struck out twice, and had no hits!
Kerry Wood was ineffective in his first stint as the Cubs closer! (Oh, no - shades of a close-but-not-enough 2003 - he lost Game 7 that not-too-long ago year, and no '03 World Series appearance for our Cubs.)
Bobby Howry, who came in to relief pitch in the 10th, equally ineffective.
Questionable managerial decision by Manager Lou Piniella - inserting Kerry Wood with the score tied 0-0 - a non-save situation.
Poor clutch play by Pie - who might not yet be ready for prime time.
By now, you can tell this dog is really a BIG BASEBALL FAN!
So, as a little student of the game - and as the Chicago Cubs in 2008 remember (but definitely not CELEBRATE) - a century of World Series Futility (last Cubs World Series Victory - 1908!), I have to ask myself this question -
Will the 2008 Chicago Cubs be all TALK, but NO SUBSTANCE!
I hope not - because I'll be long gone if we have to wait ANOTHER 100 YEARS!
See complete coverage and several video links in today's Chicago Tribune. Here is the Complete Game Box Score via Cubs.com.
YOUR ACE REPORTER (and Sports Writer) ON FOUR PAWS,
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
