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Jenya · 10-16-2003, 08:04 AM

Cubs Reeled In Again!

By Mike Kiley Chicago Sun Times

Thursday October 16, 2003

An overachieving Cubs team that did so much to bring Chicagoans together for a rarified glimpse of championship ambition has left their confused loyalists and fickle bandwagon jumpers torn asunder. Some believe a postseason run was only the start for the increasingly Fabulous Baker Boys, whose reputation has risen a hundredfold.

Others are swayed knowing postseasons never have been an annual event in this city and are still skeptical whether manager Dusty Baker can alter that moribund history and make this jammed Octoberfest routine. Expectations for 2004 will be at an all-time high, and that, too, can work against a team that's always judged against increased pressure.

To believe or to bereave? That remains the burning question after the Florida Marlins became National League champions with a 9-6 victory Wednesday night at Wrigley Field in Game 7, extending the Cubs' fruitless quest for the Holy Grail of baseball. They last visited the World Series 58 years ago and last won 95 years ago.

Kerry Wood was fouled to death by the Marlins. They deflected so many pitches in the early innings, in addition to laying off his inconsistent breaking ball, that Wood had to come out in the sixth inning after 112 pitches. Afterward, he needed to strike out at someone, so he picked himself.

"I choked, that's the bottom line,'' said Wood, who took the loss. "I choked. I let my teammates down. I let the organization down. I let the city of Chicago down. That's about all I got.''

Pudge Rodriguez delivered an RBI double against Wood in a three-run fifth that erased the Cubs' two-run lead. It marked an NL Championship Series-record 10th RBI for Rodriguez, who was voted MVP of the series. Wood got himself in trouble that inning by walking a pair.

The Cubs' 3-1 lead in the series turned out to be a mirage as the Marlins won three straight. While many thought the long walk through a wasteland of baseball drudgery was over, the only watering holes in sight today are the same ones that surround Wrigley Field, smokey dens that got a rugged workout after this somber occasion and sit as empty and hollow shells this morning.

"The Marlins took it,'' Baker said. "Sometimes you have to look back at the end and say, 'Were they better than us?' They might have been better and more well-rounded. Our guys got a taste of what it's like in the postseason. We're younger and going to make some improvements for next year. In my mind, this is just the beginning of good things to come for many years.''

The Cubs' bullpen gave up two big runs in the seventh. Kyle Farnsworth was hit for consecutive two-out singles by Mike Lowell and Jeff Conine. Dave Veres entered to permit Alex Gonzalez's two-run double. General manager Jim Hendry rebuilt the bullpen this year and will need to rehab it further in the offseason.

"If we could have stopped them from adding on at the end, I feel we would have caught them and passed them,'' Baker said.

Marlins manager Jack McKeon also got into his bullpen but met better results. Starter Mike Redman was yanked after three innings. Eventually, McKeon went to Josh Beckett, the starter who pitched a complete-game, two-hit victory in Game 5 to turn the tide. Beckett again was the stopper, allowing one run on one hit (pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary's home run) in four innings. Brad Penny pitched a scoreless third inning and was given the win.

"Those are two tough guys to beat,'' Beckett said of besting Mark Prior and Wood in Games 6 and 7. "Prior pitched great. We got lucky and caught a break. Things worked out for a reason, I guess.''

Miguel Cabrera's three-run homer in the first inning quickly reignited leftover fears from the eighth inning of Game 6 on Tuesday night, when the Marlins' eight-run explosion obliterated a 3-0 Cubs lead.

Wood's two-run homer in the second sent the fans' rocky roller-coaster ride to giddy heights, tying the score 3-3. The Cubs took the lead when Alou smashed a two-run homer to left in the third.

"I kind of liked them scoring first because we have been scoring first and they've been catching up,'' Alou said. "When we got ahead 5-3, I thought it'd go our way, but it didn't.

Asked recently why the Cubs haven't won a World Series in 95 years, McKeon begged off.

"I'm not that old,'' he said.

Who is?

10-16-2003, 08:04 AM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	Cubs Reeled In Again! Cubs Reeled In Again! By Mike Kiley Chicago Sun Times Thursday October 16, 2003 An overachieving Cubs team that did so much to bring Chicagoans together for a rarified glimpse of championship ambition has left their confused loyalists and fickle bandwagon jumpers torn asunder. Some believe a postseason run was only the start for the increasingly Fabulous Baker Boys, whose reputation has risen a hundredfold. Others are swayed knowing postseasons never have been an annual event in this city and are still skeptical whether manager Dusty Baker can alter that moribund history and make this jammed Octoberfest routine. Expectations for 2004 will be at an all-time high, and that, too, can work against a team that's always judged against increased pressure. To believe or to bereave? That remains the burning question after the Florida Marlins became National League champions with a 9-6 victory Wednesday night at Wrigley Field in Game 7, extending the Cubs' fruitless quest for the Holy Grail of baseball. They last visited the World Series 58 years ago and last won 95 years ago. Kerry Wood was fouled to death by the Marlins. They deflected so many pitches in the early innings, in addition to laying off his inconsistent breaking ball, that Wood had to come out in the sixth inning after 112 pitches. Afterward, he needed to strike out at someone, so he picked himself. "I choked, that's the bottom line,'' said Wood, who took the loss. "I choked. I let my teammates down. I let the organization down. I let the city of Chicago down. That's about all I got.'' Pudge Rodriguez delivered an RBI double against Wood in a three-run fifth that erased the Cubs' two-run lead. It marked an NL Championship Series-record 10th RBI for Rodriguez, who was voted MVP of the series. Wood got himself in trouble that inning by walking a pair. The Cubs' 3-1 lead in the series turned out to be a mirage as the Marlins won three straight. While many thought the long walk through a wasteland of baseball drudgery was over, the only watering holes in sight today are the same ones that surround Wrigley Field, smokey dens that got a rugged workout after this somber occasion and sit as empty and hollow shells this morning. "The Marlins took it,'' Baker said. "Sometimes you have to look back at the end and say, 'Were they better than us?' They might have been better and more well-rounded. Our guys got a taste of what it's like in the postseason. We're younger and going to make some improvements for next year. In my mind, this is just the beginning of good things to come for many years.'' The Cubs' bullpen gave up two big runs in the seventh. Kyle Farnsworth was hit for consecutive two-out singles by Mike Lowell and Jeff Conine. Dave Veres entered to permit Alex Gonzalez's two-run double. General manager Jim Hendry rebuilt the bullpen this year and will need to rehab it further in the offseason. "If we could have stopped them from adding on at the end, I feel we would have caught them and passed them,'' Baker said. Marlins manager Jack McKeon also got into his bullpen but met better results. Starter Mike Redman was yanked after three innings. Eventually, McKeon went to Josh Beckett, the starter who pitched a complete-game, two-hit victory in Game 5 to turn the tide. Beckett again was the stopper, allowing one run on one hit (pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary's home run) in four innings. Brad Penny pitched a scoreless third inning and was given the win. "Those are two tough guys to beat,'' Beckett said of besting Mark Prior and Wood in Games 6 and 7. "Prior pitched great. We got lucky and caught a break. Things worked out for a reason, I guess.'' Miguel Cabrera's three-run homer in the first inning quickly reignited leftover fears from the eighth inning of Game 6 on Tuesday night, when the Marlins' eight-run explosion obliterated a 3-0 Cubs lead. Wood's two-run homer in the second sent the fans' rocky roller-coaster ride to giddy heights, tying the score 3-3. The Cubs took the lead when Alou smashed a two-run homer to left in the third. "I kind of liked them scoring first because we have been scoring first and they've been catching up,'' Alou said. "When we got ahead 5-3, I thought it'd go our way, but it didn't. Asked recently why the Cubs haven't won a World Series in 95 years, McKeon begged off. "I'm not that old,'' he said. Who is?