At Least They Hit It

Looks like the Cubs took some frustration out on their dugout in LA. Not content with spilling water by hitting the Gatorade cooler, someone apparently busted a water pipe in the dugout.

As the Fanhouse post speculates, my money is on Carlos Zambrano. I'm thinking he head-butted the thing though.

The real question is how the dugouts weren't protected against such acts after Milton Bradley spent so much time in L.A.

Three More Games Today!

Major League Baseball is the anti-NBA when it comes to playoffs...and refs cheating. So the after an opening day of the playoffs that featured three games, we have three more today.

1:30 PM Chicago (Vazquez) at Tampa Bay (Shields)

Of all the playoff teams, these are the only two most are surprised made it. The White Sox had their run at the end, becoming the first team to end the season on a three game streak against three different teams. The Rays? Well they've just always sucked. So how do they react to their first playoff game? The Rays took the season series 6-4, but that was the regular season. I really want to pick the Sox based on the momentum, but it's indoors and on turf today, which thankfully the tiebreaker game was not. I'll go Tampa Bay 5-3. Take heart Sox fans, I'm bad at predictions.

5:00 PM Milwaukee (Sabathia) at Philadelphia (Myers)

The Brewers almost pulled off the win in Game 1, which probably would have meant the series was over. Brad Lidge was able to get out of the jam, giving the Phils a big win. Today though, it's the workhorse, or ox, CC Sabathia. CC wasn't great in the postseason last year, but he wasn't pitching complete games every three days then either. Myers has been pretty good this year and the Phillies are always dangerous on offense, but CC continues his path of destruction. Brewers 5-1.

8:30 PM Los Angeles (Billingsley) at Chicago (Zambrano)

I'm so lost about this game I don't even know what to say. I think we know what we're going to see from the Dodgers. Runs will be hard to come by on Billingsley who has gone 4-0 over his past five starts. As I stated last night, I have faith in Zambrano. This quote gives me more hope: "It's in the past. This is a new age, new stage for the Cubs, new ballgame, new team. And I just have to go out there and try to do my job and have fun." New age. New stage. Z's dropping rhymes before the game. Cubs win. Please? 6-4.

Today's Links--Damn!!!

Cubs lost, did you hear?
More Leitch previewage. This time it's Sox-Rays.
Is Carlos Zambrano ready for tonight? Yes. Maybe.
Roy Williams loves talking trash about the Bears. We'll see how many points the Lions leave on the field Sunday.
God Explains Week Four of the NFL season. KSK does it again. Scary Bears tidbit in there.
Is Manny trying harder in LA? His time to first base in the third inning last night seems to indicate it.
A look back at the season series between the Sox and Rays.
Both teams playing in the playoffs today. Enjoy history in the making!

Ummm...Oops

It looked like the Ryan Dempster we have seen all year. Then something changed. The letter-high fastballs designed to draw the swinging strikeouts kept getting higher and higher, while the low breaking ball kept hitting the dirt. Even some of the strikes got fans shaking their heads thinking "that was another ball." In the third you had the bases loaded scare, including a walk of Derek Lowe. But then the strikeout to end it and the Dempster shutout was still on. A quick fourth brought more hope and more confidence.

Enter the fifth inning. Two outs, one on base and another walk. Another walk. Then as the fly ball to center towered, some claps as everyone (including the Dodger bench) thought the inning was over. It wasn't. Grand slam. After that the Cubs barely threatened and it's one game to zero. Dodgers.

That was all Carlos needed for tomorrow. More pressure. Still, keep faith Cubs fans. It's Big Z. At some point you say that he's your guy and he has been for the last four or five years and there is no one you would rather see take the mound.

Lou Piniella is at the helm and he is there for a reason. The team will be ready and the magic is still there. Just don't eat anything to upset your stomach more than it already will be tomorrow.

Playoffs Start Today!

Playoffs?!!

Yep, the playoffs. Here are your games today:

2 PM Milwaukee (Gallardo) at Philadelphia (Hamels)

The Brewers are riding some serious momentum into the playoffs this season. After a few years of frustration they are finally in. However, the Phillies will be too good today with Hamels on the mound. Gallardo is an X factor (Y factor?) today in just his second start since missing five months hibernating...er, with an injury. He was good in his first start, but that was against the Pirates. Big deal. Phillies win today 6-2.

5:30 PM Los Angeles (Lowe) at Chicago (Dempster)

The first game in a five game series is the most important. No, it's not. I don't know why people say that in series. They're all important. Don't lose them. After this game, game two will be the most important. I like the Cubs here because of Dempster. I like the Dodgers because of Lowe. That makes for a nail-biting pitching duel and I think at home in the first game of the playoffs, day will turn to night and the magic will take over as the Cubbies win 4-1.

9:00 PM Boston (Lester) at Los Angeles (Lackey)

The Angels have lost nine straight postseason games to the Red Sox. Will the streak end tonight? One streak will end, that much is certain. The other streak in jeopardy is the Angels' eight game run beating the Red Sox this season. The Angels go with the experience of John Lackey tonight and he'll need it, because he is coming off his worst start of the year giving up 10 runs in two and a third against Texas last Friday. Still, I like the Angels to win this one 10-6.

Hey, the Cubs Play Soon!

Remember the Cubs? It seems like forever since they have played a game. It really hasn't been long, just a little while since you cared what the outcome was. Plenty more Cubs content to come, but here's a quick preview of the series. Check out some position match-ups over at Top Ten Chicago Sports.

Why the Cubs will win:

The Cubs have the pitching to win this series. You can dig into the numbers all you want, but since Lou had a chance to set the rotation, things fall in place well for Chicago. Dempster has been unreal at Wrigley this year and I think anyone would want Harden and Lilly as the two guys trying to steal wins on the road. Then you have Big Z. Call him unpredictable if you want, but everyone knows the Cubs will get all he has on the mound in game two.

This lineup is also more than capable of getting the job done against LA. The Dodgers have great pitching as well, but after last season's playoff performance, these guys have something to prove. With the improvement the Cubs showed in taking pitches this season, we'll be seeing a lot of the Dodger pen.

Add in the playoff experience for Chicago as another positive. Even though it was just three games, almost every player on the team has a taste of postseason ball. Against a lot of right handed pitching we'll be seeing a ton of Jim Edmonds this series. You don't get much more experienced in the playoffs than Edmonds.

The Dodgers don't strike fear in their opponents, especially not the Cubs coming in with the kind of season they have put together. They're a great team, don't get me wrong, but the intimidation factor is zero. Check that, the intimidation factor is Manny (more on that in a bit).

Why the Dodgers will win:

The Dodger's starting pitching has the best ERA in the NL. Sure, there is no Brad Penny, but Derek Lowe chucked a .59 ERA in September, while Billingsley and Koruda (the game two and three starters) were solid as well. If the Cubs pitching falters, the Dodgers have the firepower on the mound to take advantage.

Manny Manny Manny. Manny Ramirez is the most likely guy in the playoffs to carry his team to a series win.

I can't possibly go on in this half of the segment as long as the positives for the Cubs. Suffice it to say they have good starting pitching, Manny, a solid pen, and the experience of Joe Torre running the show.

What does it all mean?

Nothing really. It's postseason baseball. It's the Cubs. Anything can happen, but I think this one looks good for the Cubbies. Sure LA is good in some aspects of the game, but I think the Cubs are clearly better. The opening game of the series is gigantic tomorrow night, but the Cubs pitching just stacks up too well for them to drop this thing. Right? We'll see. Cubs in 4.