The Cubs Demise... and Nasty Flies

If you saw the Indians vs. Yankees game last night you would have noticed that the star of the game wasn't any player. It was the insects. Millions of little tiny moth-like flies invaded the Jake last night and make quite a mess of the whole baseball atmosphere. But it might have been the most unique natural phenomenon during a baseball game I have ever seen. I kept wondering how many of those little insects were splattered all over the ball as it was hurled from the mound to home.

In other news today is the third game of the Cubs vs. Diamondbacks series in Chicago. It's been four years since Wrigley field had any playoff baseball and no doubt a crucial game for the Cubs in this series. I'm not optimistic. It's not because of any curse, or Bartman or any such history of failure (and I can tell you about Cubs and failure). The reason I am not optimistic is because Arizona is a good team, really good. I am surprised by the NL West this year. I guess I shouldn't be but with the miserable Giants just a few minutes away I suppose reality was skewed and I thought that the West was mediocre. Actually it was Central that was mediocre with the Cubs only 3 games above .500. Arizona was the only team in the NL to win 90 games this season. I don't like the fact that Cubs might go down today but lets be real. Arizona over the long-haul of the season has been the better club, and they are hitting the ball well at just the right time.

Chicago on the other hand has been off and on all season. They almost gave the Central back to Milwaukee at the end, and have looked more like a wild-card team that barely got in than a Division Champion. The bats in spots 2-5 have been very quiet in this series and that's always a problem for a team in October (ask the Yankees and A-Rod). Arizona is the better team.

Let Bartman be served papers, make a Billy Goat day at Wrigley, do whatever you can to cheer for the Cubs, but know that we are going to have to wait until next year.

Prognostications

I, Ando, peering deeply, reverently, into my crystal ball, have witnessed the following conclusions to tonights Major League Baseball playoff games:

#1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 5. Boston Red Sox - 3.

Breakdown- Having never faced Dice-K before, the Angels will struggle at first to get things going and will trail 2-0 early. Finally, in the fourth, Chone Figgins will get on, steal second, and will be subsequently driven in, sparking a scrappy inning where the Angels grind out four runs on a combination of infield hits, a hit-and-run, and at least one Boston error. The Sox will pull within one in the sixth with a home run from J.D. Drew. But the Angels will answer in the top of the seventh with a home run from Juan Rivera. Escobar, having pitched brilliantly for seven innings will yield to the bullpen where Scot Shields, Justin Speier, and Frankie Rodriguez will make things interesting, but ultimately hold down the fort giving the Halos a series tying victory before heading back to the Left Coast.

#2. New York Yankees - 7. Cleveland Indians - 4.

Breakdown- Indians phenom Fausto Carmona will have his hands full with a relentless Yankees lineup. He'll give up at least one run in the first inning, and be gone by the fourth, trailing by four runs. Meanwhile, Yankees pitcher Andy Petite will look like the Petite of old for six solid innings, surrendering only two runs, one unearned. Trailing in the seventh, the Indians will show signs of life, scoring two runs off Yankee middle relief until Joba Chamberlain is brought in to put out the fire. The big offensive contributors for the Yanks will be Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter, each with a pair of RBI and at least one homer between them. Alex Rodriguez will continue to struggle in the postseason.