Baseball

 

Yeah...that was instructional. Cubs hadn't lost more than two games in a row before that. If you make any mistakes against the Rays, you're meat. Zambrano couldn't keep the ball down...he's having an mri today and that isn't good. Sean Gallagher looked good, Scott Eyre somewhat less so *laughs uncomfortably* if Zambrano is out for any lengthy period, that would be a bad thing. Hendry will be looking to deal. He probably is anyway. Cubs have an outstanding farm system, with the minor-league clubs in solid positions, but not that many individually excellent players. Jim Hendry doesn't mind giving up high draft picks for proven players though. There are some aces that are struggling that could be pried away from their teams, and the Cubs have plenty of money. I don't think they'll give up on championship possibilities even if big Z is out for a while.

Kudos to the Rays...can't take that away from them. Very impressive series. Rays pitching made slumping D. Lee look like a minor-leaguer on several occasions with runners on base...and they can field too. I'd love to see them win the wild-card or even the division, though the BoSox will be hard to overtake.

For the first time in history, the Cubs and Sox face each other with both teams in first. Sox whupped the Bucs while the Cubs took one on the chin. Lilly faces Danks in the series opener in  couple of hours. Contreras vs. Marquis tomorrow and Vasquez vs. Dempster in the finale. Good matchups...Danks has been able to overcome occasional control problems so far but that's a problem against the patient Cub team. Contreras lost to the Cubs last year and Vasquez has three no-decisions. Sox best chance is probably Saturday...Lilly has given them problems in the past and has been pitching well lately, Marquis is always a question mark, and Dempster is pitching like an ace, especially at Wrigley where he's 8-0.

A friend of mine who's a Sox fan owes me a case of Sam Adams should the Cubs win two. Two if they sweep.