TDA Bullpen - Our Writers' Blog

Friday, October 10, 2003

The Cubs just caught Flight 545 en route to a 2-1 lead in the NLCS. What an unlikely play to cap off a game filled with unlikely heroes. Two pinch-hit triples for the Cubs from Tom Goodwin and Doug Glanville? Todd Hollandsworth tying the game off Cubs closer Joe Borowski? Borowski going 2 1/3 for the win? Lefty Mike Remlinger asked to close the game against righties Ivan Rodriguez and Derek Lee when righties and onetime closers Dave Veres and Antonio Alfonseca are up and warm in the pen?

What will happen next? One concept that has been somewhat battered by the topsy-turvy Games 1 & 3 is that of momentum. Recall Game 1, anytime it looked like the Cubs had anything resembling momentum, it was gone within an inning and a half. The four runs in the bottom of the first were countered by the Marlins' three dingers in the top of the third. The Cubs' Alex Gonzalez's game-tying homer in the bottom of the seventh was countered by the two runs the Marlins pushed across in the top of the ninth. Sammy's equalizer in the bottom of the ninth only got the Cubs as far as Mike Lowell's game-winning shot in the top of the 11th. Game 3 seemed like one long affair of momentus interruptus, starting with the Cubs leaving a bunch of guys on base in the early innings (and Marlin Alex Gonzalez's near-miss of a three run homer), to the Marlins stranding runners in the middle innings, to the back-and-forth of game-tying or go-ahead hits from Pudge, Randall Simon and Hollandsworth, to once again having the visitors pull one out in 11 after a late rally by the home team.

Maybe this bodes well for the other guys in the Cubs' rotation, Matt Clement and Carlos Zambrano, who have had nothing but bad momentum in recent weeks. Or maybe it means bad news for the Cubs, who seem to have the momentum in the series after scraping by with Wood having less than his best. Who can say for sure? That's why they play the games, I guess...

posted by Tom Renbarger 11:13 PM

Monday, October 06, 2003

Here we go. Game 5, tonight in Oakland, and it's sure to be another "instant classic."

Pedro's Game 1 performance (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 3K, 4BB, 130 pitches) was gutsy to say the least, but Oakland got to him in a three-run third inning. If the A's can chip away at him early again, they'll be in business. You can be sure that Grady Little will be depending heavily on Martinez to get at least seven, if not eight, solid innings from his star. However, with the A's stars shut down (Miguel Tejada's batting .053, Eric Chavez is hitting a miniscule .056), it will be up to Erubial Durazo, who got the big hit against Pedro in Game 1, and Eric Byrnes (6-13, 2RBI, 2R, 1SB) to pick up the A's lineup.

The Red Sox will be facing Barry Zito, who left Boston's lineup watching his curveball come at their heads, only to land in Ramon Hernandez's glove as strike three. Zito allowed five hits and one earned run to the Sox while striking out nine and walking two batters. However, after David Ortiz's clutch hit in last night's game and Todd Walker's huge series (.357, 5-14, 3HR, 4RBI), could the Boston lineup be finally ready for a big game?

One of Boston's concerns is put to rest: Scott Williamson has been the closer that they hoped they were getting at the July 31 deadline. If the game comes down to the wire (which I think it will), at least Boston fans won't cringe as much when their bullpen is needed.

Everyone on the East Coast should expect not to be asleep before 1AM tonight...

posted by Charles Curtis 10:23 AM

Sunday, October 05, 2003

I just wonder what the Vegas odds on a Fish-Cubs NLCS were going into this season. (Trying to resist a Pete Rose slam here).

No matter the outcome of Oakland-Boston, the ALCS ought to be a classic...

posted by David 8:36 PM