You know, I believe that's something fans of all teams can agree on: Joe Morgan is a terrible announcer. I mean my mom was a fan of the Big Red Machine (not necessarily Joe, though she was ok with him), and she hates his guts now. He's just so full of himself, you know?
So, who is it that I want to win tonight?
Cards win and the Reds gain half a game on fourth, a position they're much more likely to overtake than first.
Cubs win and I get the satisfaction of knowing that a team that the Reds recently swept took a series from the Cards.
So confusing. If you both could find a way to lose, I'd really appreciate it.
I suppose it depends. Do you want a moral victory (Cubs win) or to keep pace with both the Cubs and Astros (Cards win)?
CalvinPitt: I do know, indeed. So very smug. And I can't get CardNilly's line out of my head: Is Joe Morgan gonna have to choke a bitch?
Hmmm, the Chi Sox-Bo Sox was called. We could pick up some ground in the best record category.
I also have to consider that it’s very posh for Reds fans to hate the Cubs right now. It’s all the rage. So by choosing a side tonight, I’m also making a larger statement about conformity.
Decisions, decisions.
Interesting. I did not know that. Why is it so cool to hate the Cubs? And who are the Reds' rivals?
Mistake #1 (Jon): The Cardinals do not lead the division by 18 games. They lead the *Cubs* by 18 games.
Interesting. I did not know that. Why is it so cool to hate the Cubs? And who are the Reds' rivals?
Mistake #1 (Jon): The Cardinals do not lead the division by 18 games. They lead the *Cubs* by 18 games.
Mistake #2 (Jon): It's not Skip Mahoney. It's Mike Mahoney.
Beauty of a hit-and-run!
Mistake #3 (Jon): Has no clue about the Cubs' line up.
I’m not sure why it’s so popular. I think it’s because Cubs fans are so obnoxious.
Sorry for the delay; I was putting my tot to bed. Have I missed Joe referring to his own baseball career yet?
At least I didn't miss Jon overpronouncing "Einar Diaz." That would have been a real shame.
No problem. It's drinkin' time now.
I don't believe he's said much about when he was on "those championship teams..."
According to his profile on the Cubs site, Burnitz was born in '69. Maybe you guys should pursue him for your outfield in the off-season.
According to his profile on the Cubs site, Burnitz was born in '69. Maybe you guys should pursue him for your outfield in the off-season.
The real gem was his pronunciation of "Yadier Molina." A thing of beauty.
Nah, we like our very old outfielders to have more All Star games, Gold Gloves, MVPs, etc.
Speaking of Molina, how is the little cutie pie doing? He coming back any time soon?
Yes, he caught a bullpen session a few days ago and is getting checked out tomorrow probably to get cleared to hit.
WOW. That guy usually can't hit water if he fell out of a boat. 1st career HR. Congrats, Mike.
Wasn't Mahoney a character in Police Academy? Oh, I just looked it up: that was Carey Mahoney.
Too bad. I was hoping you’d be calling up the guy who makes the sound effects next.
Well, if someone else gets hurt, we probably will.
I see last year's Morris has shown up.
Well, if someone else gets hurt, we probably will.
I see last year's Morris has shown up.
Ouch, Patterson hits a big ol’ shot. Is that what happened in those first two games?
Marquis pitched better than this on Friday. But on Thursday, yep, pretty much.
Amazing. The Cubs looked so defeated in the Reds’ series. I thought they were cooked for the rest of 2005.
Lots of fly balls tonight; is Morris usually a fly-ball pitcher?
No, he's not. He's in big trouble tonight.
The Cubs have to have somthing positive from this season, and if it's a winning record against the Cards and nothing else, that's fine.
Ah, it only took until the 3rd to bring up Bonds.
I don’t usually watch ESPN, were you expecting Bonds to come up sooner?
I don’t usually watch ESPN, were you expecting Bonds to come up sooner?
Jon & Joe love to talk about Bonds.
Jon & Joe love to talk about Bonds.
I hate that the Cubs don’t have their names on their jerseys. Do they just expect me to recognize all the players from their stances? Do they just expect me not to care (much closer to the truth)?
Edmonds is trying to steal second? Does this make sense to you, BS?
Oh, hit and run. Nunez's bad.
I think it was a blown hit and run.
I'm going to take a break for a few minutes, I spilled beer.
You should put down the beer before you shake your fist at the t.v.
Yeah, you think I'd know that by now. Sigh. Wasted beer.
So Jr. made it through waivers, think he'll be dealt?
Good heavens, I hope not.
That's not entirely true. If they could get some top-notch pitching for Jr. without paying ANY of his salary for the new team, I could get behind the move.
As much as a whole lot of Reds fans hate GM Dan O'Brien, he and I actually seem to think quite a bit alike, so I'd be pretty surprised to see the Reds pay for Griffey to play for anyone else.
He's owed so much money, I can't see any other team taking him without the Reds picking up a large chunk of his salary.
I was very surprised the Reds didn't make a deadline deal. So many outfielders, so little pitching.
Yeah, but no one's willing to give up their good pitching, and we don't need any more crappy pitching than we've already got.
Off-season will be different. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see someone go, probably Wily Mo.
I think I'd take Pena. Hmmm. I'll give you Adam Wainwright (AAA starter).
If the peanut gallery has anything to say, chime in.
I'm sure Tony loves this. Especially when he's losing.
Are you also irritated to watch Eckstein sprint to first on a walk, or is that just me?
It's a little weird, but I'm used to it now.
Mistake #4 (Joe): That was not the first pitch to Lawton.
The other day I turned on the game just in time to see Eckstein strike out when he thought he'd walked. He really seemed to take it personally. And what with all that sprinting, he was halfway to first before he realized he needed to go back the other way.
Holey samoley, this is getting ugly (for posterity, we’re 5-1 in the bottom of the 5th). This is NOT the same Cubs team the Reds saw earlier this week.
Whether that was fair or foul, Morris is just throwing batting practice. Phew, foul.
OK, 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
It's still ugly.
Hell, Eckstein can't cool it when he hits a Grand Slam! He's all full of caffeine or something.
Yeah, I think our bench and replacements are running out of magic.
Well, he's so little, it would only take one Mountain Dew before he was bouncing off the walls.
"The lights can't get there, that's why there's a shadow."
That's quality broadcasting, my friends.
Amazing insight, no?
SOOOOO TAGUCHI
Is the pressure getting to him, or does Mahoney always look that nervous?
Mahoney does it again???
Well, *someone* needs to step up.
Poor Mike isn't used to all this excitement.
Over 120 pitches for Prior? Why the hell is he still in there?
Clearly it's because he has the game under control. He totally meant to let the Cards tie it up. All part of his master plan.
Prior is even more of a genius than Tony La Russa.
Ouch.
I'm clueless: do you not think TLR is a genius?
Oh, George Will called him a genius in a book a while back, and the tag kinda stuck. He's very smart, but the "genius" label is used derogatorily.
Gah. It's beyond time to get Matty out of there.
I really wanted to find a picture of The Falconer from SNL to compare Morris to, but no dice. You'll have to use your imagination, I reckon.
What's going on here? Are we seeing a systemic collapse of the Cardinal organization? Maybe it's time to dismantle. Any of your decent pitchers interested in a new home?
I really wanted to find a picture of The Falconer from SNL to compare Morris to, but no dice. You'll have to use your imagination, I reckon.
What's going on here? Are we seeing a systemic collapse of the Cardinal organization? Maybe it's time to dismantle. Any of your decent pitchers interested in a new home?
You can have Marquis for free.
You kidding? He'd be the ace in Cincy.
Not really. The boy doesn't listen to his coaches.
All of my comments are being posted twice. That's almost as annoying as this game.
I agree about the double posts. Really, readers, we're more competent than that!
Slightly OT: what's up with the blogger getting a link off the official Cards site? Is that an official blogger or something?
That's the Cardinals' MLB.com beat writer. I guess he's paying the whatever monthly fee for it.
Weird. Isn't the site already like his blog?
I want to be an official blogger. I can talk smack for money. Not that my talking is all that smacky tonight. I should do something about that. I know…
Is it really legal for TLR to play a troll doll at shortstop?
Eckstein doesn't have enough hair.
You mean he doesn’t have enough hair to be a troll doll, or you just wish he were hairier in general?
You mean he doesn’t have enough hair to be a troll doll, or you just wish he were hairier in general?
For a troll doll. He's very monochromatic.
I hate the Cubs.
Well, at least the Astros lost. They couldn't even score a run against the Pirates.
I foresaw neither this nor the Pirates ever winning a game again. Go figure.
There may be hope for the Cards yet. Dumpster will come in for the ninth. He stunk for the Reds; maybe he'll regain that form tonight.
You've got Arizona coming to town next. You think next week's going to be more positive for your fellas?
I would certainly hope so. Walker and Sanders are taking BP, Molina could be back. If King can actually get a guy out, we may have a shot. Luckily, Patterson doesn't know how to bunt.
Of course, Arizona is where Yadi broke his hand, so maybe not for that series.
Listen to Pujols talk about what it would mean to be the MVP. It sounds like he practiced that speech in his room.
Why is it that when we play the Cubs, we play *like* the Cubs?
He's been asked that question every year he's played; he's had a lot of practice. Course, he never wins...
Well, RHM, if you'd like to try this with a Reds game, let me know, I've got Extra Innings, so I get almost all of the games.
Nomar demonstrating some of that choking the Cubs are so good at.
Hold on: I'll take a look at the schedule.
The 27th looks good schedule-wise. Cards are playing in the afternoon and Reds are playing in the evening; you wouldn't have to miss your guys to smack mine.
But would you want to witness the total obliteration of the Pirates? It's likely to be gruesome.
Sounds good to me. What's the start time? I may miss the first couple of innings.
7:05 EDT
Top of the ninth, tying run on second, 2 outs, Pujols up.
I'll admit: it has my rapt attention.
Amazing. Even Ryan Dempster was not enough to hand over the 4-game split to the NLC's top dog.
Could we be witnessing an historic collapse? Don't your boys usually wait till the World Series to do this?
8/27 ought to be a good time. :D
Eh, Albert isn't so great in close and late situations. At least that ground ball wasn't to the left side. He does that a lot.
That's 4:05 my time, I'd miss at least the first hour and a half.
Well, this *is* akin to the World Series for the Cubs, so maybe that's it. Ugh.
Don't think I mentioned that 8/27 is a Saturday. Is that OK? Wouldn't want to interfere with plans for clubbing or whatnot.
We could also do September.
Oh, Saturday? Yeah, that's totally fine. That's after the Fox blackout, so it should be no problem.
At least Dusty Baker won't get fired any time soon. That's about all I can say about this series.
And at least it's over, at least until September.
I'm not concerned about the baby bears; I just hate them so much.
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