EDIT: Alright on second thought I take back what I said about Lou. He explained it well at the postgame conference, the bullpen has been solid and Zambrano is coming back on three days rest. Marmol has been lights-out all year so Lou was confident bringing him in. It's easy to second guess the decision now that we see how it turned out, but at the time it was probably a good choice. And we can't win games only scoring one run, it just isn't happening.
That's it for me tonight. I might be doing this again tomorrow, if I think I can handle the agony. All that excitement Cubs nation had about the playoffs? Gone.
11:38 -- "Help me Alfonso Soriano. You're our only hope."
11:33 -- There's a guy behind home plate with a flashing Cubs light. Yup, the umpire just caught him. At least someone is trying to win this game for us.
11:32 -- Wow, this is it. Ninth inning. We're screwed.
11:28 -- I vote that Bob Howry pitches every inning for the rest of these playoffs. You may think he doesn't have the stamina, but if people can run marathons I don't see why he can't pitch 36 innings in four days.
11:23 -- The superstitious part of me just gave in and I put on my Believe bracelet. Two of them actually. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
11:19 -- Why can't we get the ball over the wall? We've hit three balls to the warning track in recent memory, and they all fall short. The DBacks hit two fly balls and they go over the wall. I'm prepared to start making wild accusations about turning on the air conditioning to simulate wind blowing in at this point.
11:14 -- So the question on everyone's mind right now is, why the hell did Lou take out Zambrano? I know Marmol is supposed to be amazing and all that, but Big Z was on fire! If he was cramping up, give him a damn IV and tell him to drink some water, and if you're saving him for Game 4 then you are retarded Lou. We have to win a game before we even get a shot at a Game 4.
(I'm a little upset at this if you couldn't tell.)
11:09 -- This would be a really bad time for Marmol to tell everyone that he's not actually a wunderkid, he's just been getting really lucky all season. Now we're down by two. Lou, get a handle on your pitchers!
11:01 -- I'm considering stopping talking at this point. Carlos Marmol, you're fired.
10:59 -- It's Carlos time! Of the Marmol variety, that is. This kid is amazing, so much so that I kind of wish we were saving him for the closer role.
10:53 -- I guess Piniella is taking Zambrano out. Did no one remind him to drink water tonight? Seriously, how hard is that. You work hard, you get thirsty, you drink water. A two year old knows that.
10:50 -- I'm very impressed right now about how well Zambrano pulled it back together after that solo home run. Something like that would usually rattle him, but I think he's pitched even better since that happened.
We're tied at 1 after six innings, so let's take a page out of Zambrano's book and imagine this as a new game. We're tied, Soriano is leading off, and we've got three innings. Let's make something happen, because I can't stay up all night watching baseball.
10:40 -- Zambrano needs to make better choices on when to get hits. That double he got earlier? Would have been great right now. I guess I can't complain too much, at least we're not losing anymore.
10:38 -- START THE RIOT!!
10:36 -- Webb is starting to lose it. This just got really interesting.
10:34 -- Wow. Two men on base. I guess miracles do happen.
10:30 -- Uhhhh, anyone know why Aramis didn't run to first base on that strikeout? He just kinda looked at the catcher and thought "Well I could run, but then I might start to sweat and the ladies don't love that".
10:25 -- Brandon Webb gets a taste of his own medicine, Zambrano is fired up, and the heart of the order is coming up to bat. We need something big right about now.
10:22 -- Augie Ojeda is like an electric blanket? Who needs an electric blanket in October? Pansies.
10:19 -- Beautiful play by DeRosa. Derrek Lee wasn't kidding when he said Mark could be considered for the team's MVP.
10:16 -- Five straight innings we have gotten a baserunner on, and five straight innings we have scored nothing. Would it kill us to get two hits in an inning?
10:12 -- So whoever lubed up Reynolds' hands during the commercial break, I would like to buy you a beer.
10:08 -- Alright everyone...I was just about to say something about us not panicking, but that Aquafina commercial just blew my mind. Holy Crap. Lou Piniella is pure comedy gold. Somebody please throw that up on YouTube and send me the link.
10:04 -- That was NOT what I meant when things had to change.
10:02 -- Webb has thrown just 49 pitches through 4 innings. At this rate he'll be pitching a complete game shutout. Something has to change.
9:59 -- Webb just hit MarkyMark. This means WAR!
9:57 -- So Aramis didn't get the home run, but at least we know someone on the offensive side of this game is awake other than the pitcher.
9:52 -- Alright Zambrano is starting to lock it down. I think the big guy deserves some run support this inning.
9:46 -- DLee just watched two beatiful pitches go by and he left Zambrano standing all alone at second base. Something is not right here.
9:40 -- Zambrano! This guy wants to win this game singlehandedly.
9:37 -- Theriot and DeRosa team up for a beautiful double play, and Zambrano survives through another inning. If he can tighten up his control a bit this could be a long, low scoring game for both teams. Still 0-0 at the end of two.
9:33 -- Yes Dane Cook, there IS only one October. And you're ruining mine. Go back to describing common uncomfortable situations with ridiculous sound effects and leave my baseball alone, please.
9:30 -- Well that part of the inning didn't go that well. It's alright though, Big Z gets to lead off the third. I think Lou should seriously consider using him in the clean up spot one of these days.
9:27 -- DeRosa pulls through with the first Cubbie hit. Expect to see a full recap of the at-bat on his blog early tomorrow.
9:22 -- Thank you so much for that strike call Mr. Umpire. I wasn't sure if Zambrano was getting out of that inning with his sanity intact. At the end of one, we're still at 0-0.
9:16 -- Blanco could have thrown him out. When Big Z doesn't have a good start, things get scary.
9:12 -- Lee and Ramirez go down without incident after a Jock Jones walk. Not the best start to a game, but I hear this Brandon Webb guy is pretty decent. No worries...yet.
9:07 -- Annnnnd we're underway, with a paltry Soriano groundout.
9:02 -- Dick Stockton and Ron Darling? Really? This is all you can pull together to announce a playoff game?
Also, Henry Blanco is apparently not on the playoff roster. Geovany Soto has some big shoes to fill.
8:57 -- The game hasn't even started yet and they have to bring up the Zambrano-Barrett fight. We got rid of Barrett, problem solved, I don't know how that's even relevant.
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