I'm not "wishing" bad things on the Cubs, Rodeo... just making a prediction on the 10 cent head of Zambrano. Believe me, I admire the guy and was singing his praises as a hitter Monday... but I don't believe for a second this cat will perform in an unflappable manner when the situation calls for it the most.

He held himself well last year in the playoffs. That being said, can you name another #1 pitcher who has his emotional issues?

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Mac, more stirring the pot, then actually pissy about what you wrote I will say that I do notice, not you, but other on air people find it very hard to leave their sox hat hanging when they get on the air and I just find that unprofessional.

Look at Mully (I know this isnt your problem, just a example), he will not discuss the sox if they lose or just mention them barely. He has said its hard for hims to discuss a sox loss and he rather just talk about the wins, to me, thats unaccpetable, even more, when he spends a hour on the cubs losing a rain shorten game, that is what I get touchy about and it happens at ESPN1000, some there have taken shots at the cubs who are 21 games over 500 and yet, its nothing but sox love and excuses when they get spanked by the lowly Royals, again, to me, thats just not right.

Dammit Mac, if you cant show cub love, then you aint a real fan,.......

My want is for the Cubs to win the National League pennant. Would love to see that. That's as far as I'd be willing to root for them, however. Sorry to disappoint, but my perfect postseason ALWAYS has the American League winning the World Series. A Cubs' trip to the biggest stage in baseball would be okay by me.

Sox fans with any real intelligence (like Mac) can see the current squad is tremendously flawed. How did they win in 2005? PITCHING! More than anything else, they pitched very well that season. Thats why clued in Sox fans, know they are going nowhere this year. Danks and Floyd are good, but Buhrle is not at his best and inconsistant this year, Vasquez is on a downward spiral and Contreras (when healthy) has been bad fairly often. In 2005 Contreras was the ace down the stretch and almost unbeatable. The bullpen is either hurt or bad as well. Now they are also overused-the guys who are not already hurt that is. Plus, the offense has too many old and unproductive pieces that kill rallies with either strikeouts or double plays. Can they win the Central-yes. The Twins have a very long and tough road trip, that will test them, to be sure, coming up. But they also have Liriano back and he may make a big difference for them. But even if the Sox were to win that lousy division, they will go nowhere in the playoffs anyway. People can say what they want about "you never know what might happen in a 5 or 7 game series" and thats true. But even if they do get some breaks, like they did in 2005, when Curt Schilling couldn't pitch in the opening series for Boston, Graffanino makes a key 2 out error to allow Iguchi to hit a 3 run homer, The angels ace Bartolo Colon couldnt pitch and they get the fake dropped 3rd strike with Pierzinski call, they still would not win with this years team. Besides the pitching being inferior to that years team, they also have too many old, unproductive hitters now. So forget the idea of them getting hot at the right time of year and riding a wave in the playoffs. It is not gonna happen this year for the Sox. However, the Cubs have not only 1 but 2 Cy Young contenders in Zambrano and Dempster, along with Harden, who if healthy, is another top pitcher. Hell, even Lilly generally gives them a decent chance to win in most games. Plus they have an offense that can score runs, even if they dont hit homers that day. Finally, they have a bullpen that could be the best ever on the North side. Kerry Wood was leading the league in saves, before his blister had him out of action for a few weeks here. But that may just mean that he's that much fresher down the stretch. Marmol is back to form. Samardjia (sp?) is looking like a guy who may take over Howry's spot very nicely. Cotts is looking good these days. Thats why, once again, "THe Cubs end the wait in 2008!!!! Come on Danny Woo Woo, hop on the Big Blue Train, it's gonna be a beautiful ride.....

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Go Cubs!!!!

I dont know, I dont care much about other teams, so if the world series is non-chicago, which is the case 1 out of the last 60+ years, I dont pay much attention. I will say that a all chicago world series would be great, it would make the NYY vs NYM world series look like nothing if that were to happen.

If the Sox and Cubs meet in the World Series, Chicago might burn to the ground.

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"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public." ~ H.L. Mencken

Yeah , by having Mrs.O'leary's cow singing the 7th inning stretch.

Assuming it went 7 games, these could be the people to throw out the first pitch.

game-1 Steve Bartman

game-2 William Ligue and William Ligue Jr. if he is out of prison by then

game-3 Leon Durham

game-4 Jerry Dybinski (sp?)

game-5 Mike North (he isnt doing anything else anyway)

game-6 Terry Bevington and Jim Essian

game-7 The entire Twins team since everyone on the southside team and organzation loves them so much

Why would the White Sox want Steve Bartman to throw out the first pitch? That's a meathead Cub fan thing.

If that fantasy actually did happen, the mayor would undoubtedly throw out the first pitch of the first game.

Uh.....it-was-a-joke and I am the meatball?

I know it was a joke...and I don't know, you tell me. I'm not calling you a meatball, I'm saying the fans that think Bartman cost the Cubs the World Series are meatballs.

Mike, relax, take a few deep breaths, it will be ok. I would say that I am not a meatball, because while I am a cub fan, I wont be happy till they win a world series, would like a new stadium and hate the 7th inning strech singers, so no, I am pretty sure I am not a 'cub fan meatball". But go ahead and feel free to insult me for no reason at all

I know bartman didnt cost them the chance to go to the world series, it was A.G. missing a grounder, Prior not burying a curve more and blowing a lead in game 7........thanks, now I have a headache.

Did I insult you. I apologi. Usually when I post stuff I sound like more of an asshole than I really am. I took a few deep breaths and I feel much better now.

Mac, I admit I don't listen to your show, and I'll also tell you I'm a Cubs fan and ES was stupid for putting this pro-Cubs stuff in the Sox section, but I want to make a point or two...
1. No one really saw the Sox pitching staff coming and wiping the floor the way they did in the '05 playoffs, 1-4, so predicting that that could happen with the Cubs' legitimate 1-3 (excluding Lilly) is possible...
2. Yes, Zambrano's a meltdown artist, but at some point he will grow up. It might not be this year, but it will happen eventually and it could be this year.
3. The ace of the Cubs staff would now fall to either Dempster or Harden. Since Dempster hasn't pitched as a starter for a long time, I would say oft-injured Harden is therefore the ace, making Zambrano the third best pitcher, and perhaps taking some pressure off of him should Demps and Harden survive till and through the playoffs.
4. The wide body of work of the Cubs this year suggests that while they are getting fat on the Pirates, overall they have been a good team...not as poor as their cold streaks, not as hot as their best streaks, but a good baseball team, potentially the best in the NL.

Let me know what you think...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Zambrano isnt the ace? Um Ill tell you your foolish. In his first playoff game as the ace he was dominant and would have gone alot longer had his manager not pulled a stupid move pulling him in the 6th inning. I would also say everytime so far we have needed him to step up he has.

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The manager had to make sure Zambrano was ready for game 4.


Oops

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Who really cares what your perfect postseason would be.

ES,
Let me refresh your memory. The Sox pitching staff went down the tubes in mid-August through September of 2005. During that stretch, they were carried by Jose Contreras and Brandon friggin McCarthy. The other starters struggled... along with the offense. It all came together at the end and they got hot at the perfect time and the rest is history.

The 2008 pitching staff showed at the beginning of the season that they can dominate. They're struggling now, but all they have to do as make the playoffs and put it together when it counts.

I'm not saying the Sox dont' have flaws... they do, but so do all teams. I'm just pointing out that your history was a little off. It's not who's best, it's who makes it the party and gets hot when it all matters most.

As a Sox fan, I wish the Cubs the best of luck... if they do something this year, many of my friends and family will be elated and I'll be happy for them. That's about all I have to say about that.

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Is there some contest that I am not aware of that rewards the longest posts? I don't have the hours needed to read E. Steve's posts........ probably a good thing?

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Correct me if Im wrong Stats Guy, but didn't the Sox have the best pitching staff statistically up to a few weeks ago? Now there are injuries, and the staff is suffering the effects. Every team goes through down time like this. The Sox got steller efforts from unexpected places in their pitching staff, and remember in 05 that they went through two closers before settling on Jenks. The staff did not all of the sudden get bad. Are they as dominating right now? No. But the chances are that with some rest over the past month, some of these guys will come back to the form from the first half of the season.



How is Derrick Lee doing with double plays this season?



Perhaps not, but you won't know until playoff time.



You waited this long to worry about spelling? Dempster is not a cy young candidate. He didnt even win on the road until late in the year.

Baseball is peaks and valleys and right now the Cubs are on a peak. They need to remain at or near that peak and surpass it in the next three months to win the series. I hope they do it, but their play has nothing to do with whether or not the Sox will make the playoffs or get to the Series.

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As it stands right now (i.e., before the Sox and Tigers play tonite), the Sox have only allowed 3 more earned runs than the Cubs staff, and the Cubs have given up the 4th most HRs in the majors.

So Steve, head this pearl from "Ball Four"; Tell your statistics to shut up.

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We've got 7 more weeks of baseball, plenty of time for either team to screw up. I'm not sure either team will be there in the end; as it takes only a week or two of bad baseball and both teams could fall out of first place.

Granted, the Cubs look like they can do no wrong right now, and every time the Sox blow a game; the Twins rarely make any ground up. But it isn't over yet.

But honestly, Mac. They "will they get back to first place ever" comment about the Sox during the 1:40 "warmup" for your guys show on Monday was moronic. I didn't hear that when the Cubs slipped out of first, why would it be impossible for the Sox to do the same?

Seven weeks, and then the shit really hits the fan in this town. It be great to see both teams in Post-Season play.

I'm gonna laugh my ass off when the Sox play one day longer (or more?) than the Cubbies.

I'd rather have drooping sox than crappy choking cubs.

I'd like some grated cheese with my meatballs btw.

I dream of a day when all of fellow Sox fan brethren can just leave the Cubs the fuck alone and worry about our own problems. GMAFB.

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Now that makes no sense to me. I still believe the Cubs may rally and do the improbable. But for the sake of argument, lets say the Cubs lose Saturday (I DO NOT believe it will happen-but lets suppose) then the Sox are eliminated on Sunday. What does that get you? I want the Cubs to win as much as anyone, but if they don't, it won't make the Cubs any better if the Sox lose as well. That kind of mentality is just bizarre to me. It's the old, if you aren't so great, maybe we don't suck so bad, mentality. Just stupid.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Yeah, they both suck if they lose first round.

The difference is, Sox fans on the board were just hoping to make the playoffs. One step at a time. Cub fans, you specifically, were parading around the board with idiot comments like "CUBS END THE WAIT IN 08" back in fucking June. Maybe a little poetic justice for those like you Steve.

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Need I remind you who started this thread Meatball Steve?

That's a pretty pathetic thing to dream about. I dream about waking up to a large pair of pendulous au naturale breasts swinging and swaying around my face.

i may have to come up with a new label for myself to keep from getting lumped into that crowd...

cubs sufferer probably suits...or the branch cubvidians...hm...