Tag Archives: World Series

Fox Sux, Part 2

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They did it again: Fox Sports screwed up yet again and chose to broadcast the Tampa Bay Rays game here in the Boston area.  Why?  I have no idea.  Perhaps it’s because I live near Boston, and since the Rays are in the Red Sox’s division, the coverage up here was tuned in to that team.  That’s the ONLY explanation I can think of.  But even that argument doesn’t hold water because apparently Fox broadcast the Cubs in Washington, D.C. area, which is very close to Baltimore, home of AL East team and division rival of said Sox.

Look, I’m happy for the Rays.  Theirs is a feel-good, improbable worst-to-first story that’s great for baseball.  But we’re talking about the Cubs here: one of the charter franchises of the National League, one with a storied past, with tradition, with a rabid, dedicated national fanbase.  Tampa?  They can’t even sell out their own stadium.  The way I see it, if the Rays’ OWN fans don’t care about the team (except when it’s for some wonky promotion for national TV), what makes the bigwigs at Fox Sports think that anyone else around the country cares about them?  If it’s truly about the numbers, then why didn’t Fox go with the Cubs broadcast nationwide?  They do it for overblown, overhyped Yankees/Red Sox regular-season matchups, so why not do it for a division-clinching game for another marquee MLB franchise?  Oh, that’s right: because FOX SUX.  It’s not like the 100-year thing for the Cubs hasn’t been covered tad nauseum this season.  There’s not a baseball fan (or perhaps even casual sports fan) who doesn’t know about the Cubs’ “curse” or World Series drought.  THAT is reason enough to broadcast the Cubs game over the Rays game.  If that’s not drama, I have no idea what is.

The Cubs are in the playoffs again, winning the NL Central title for the second time year in a row and third time in six years.  Thankfully, TBS has broadcast rights to the NLDS.  They’ll have their hands full covering all four series simultaneously, but I’m just glad it’s not Fox.  Unfortunately, Fox has rights to the LCS and WS coverage.  I can only hope that if when the Cubs make it to those rounds, Fox will send their “A” team to cover the games, even though I can’t stand Tim McCarver.  Joe Buck is an excellent play-by-play announcer, however, and because there’s no other playoff story bigger than the Cubs this year, Fox needs to wake up and smell the ivy.  Stop disrespecting Cub Country and give some other major market franchises NOT named the Red Sox and Yankees their proper due.

Team MVP

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Yup, it’s another Cubs update.  But, what can you expect?  Not only are the Cubs in first place in the NL Central, not only do they have the best record in the National League, they have the best record in all the majors.  And I learned yesterday that the last time that happened was 1908, the last year the Cubs won the World Series.  Exactly a century ago for the North Siders.  Coincidence?  Perhaps.  I dunno…I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, my two favorite players on the Cubs are first baseman Derrek Lee and right-handed setup man Carlos Marmol (MARMOL!!)  Lee is the best defensive first baseman in professional baseball and a pretty darn good hitter, too, despite his recent struggles. He’s a career .282 hitter with a career OPS  or .870, plus he’s a three-time Gold Glove winner.  Go ahead, find me another active first baseman who can field better than D-Lee, I dare you.  And Marmol?  He’s only turned into the one of the most (if not THE most) dominant reliever in the majors, with a high-90’s fastball and a slider that’s just filthy.  Stupid filthy.  In 29 games this year, he’s struck out 54 batters while only walking 12 in 36 innings and posting a miniscule 1.75 ERA and leading he majors in holds.  As Mike and I have been saying for about a year now, Marmol is the next great closer.

The way I see it, despite the contributions of Lee and Marmol, which have been tremendous, the Cubs’ MVP thus far has been rookie catcher Geovany Soto.  Let’s start with the numbers: in 53 games, he’s batting .296 with 9 HRs, 38 RBI, and 19 doubles, along with a .942 OPS, all of which place him at or near the top among rookies and catchers.  Not to mention that he calls a great game, works well with Cubs’ pitchers, and has the ability to throw out runners (he’s caught 11 of 24 would-be base-stealers).  And he’s done all of this from the bottom half of the batting order, starting the season in the #7 spot and recently moving up to the 5-hole.  Keep your eyes on Soto; he’s a superstar in the making.  Remember this folks, you heard it here first: Soto will be this year’s Rookie of the Year (with Fukudome coming in second).

(Cast your votes for the MLB All-Stars.  Vote now and vote often, up to 25 times.  Needless to say, I’ve already voted for Lee at first and Soto behind the plate, and I wrote in Carlos Marmol.)

The Cubs and their fans

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I read Mike’s blog today, and couldn’t help but comment (I’m T-Chris).  It also got me thinking, so much so that I had to blog about it.

 

Why do so many people hate the Cubs and their fans?  I did a Google search for “Cubs suck” websites and came up with, literally, hundreds of thousands of hits.  Yikes.  Why all the hate for the boys in blue?  Some comes from the fans of division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers.  But Cardinals and Brewers fans who truly HATE the Cubs are pretty few and far between.  The teams are rivals, yes, but there’s mutual respect among the fans.  Debates are heated and the games are spirited, sure, but there’s hardly a lack of respect for the opposing teams or their fans.  They are healthy rivalries.

 

Much of the Cubbie hatred, I’m sad to say, comes from White Sox fans.  I don’t know if it’s jealousy or insecurity or what, but many (not all, mind you) Sox fans are bitter, bitter people.  I’m not writing this entry to antagonize White Sox fans out there.  I’m just curious as to why so many of you truly hate and loathe the North Siders and their fans.  Now, you may point to my comment in Mike’s blog, and say that I’m bitter and hateful towards the Sox and their fans.  Quite the contrary: my statement was merely a reaction to the spew of the previous comment.  Cubs fans don’t inherently hate anyone, not even the Sox or their fans.  We may not like other teams, but we’re content to mind our own business in the Friendly Confines and watch our team try to win.  (And speaking of trying to win, I think I speak for Cubs fans everywhere when I say that I’m over the whole “Lovable Loser” tag.  It’s time the change the mentality of Cubdom and the rest of baseball.  The Cubs are trying to win just as much everyone else.)

 

Are you Sox fans jealous that Wrigley routinely gets sold out?  You deride the Cubs and their park for being filled with people who just want to enjoy the sun and the bleachers.  So what?  My response to you: if you’re so concerned that Wrigley sells out and Comis…er…US Cellular Field doesn’t, then tell more of your fans to show up to games.  It’s that simple.  And all this talk about Cubs fans not being knowledgeable about the game of baseball is a bunch of crap.  There are just as many die-hard baseball fans in the stands at Wrigley Field, if not more so, than those who are there merely for the social aspect of the game.  We all know it’s been a century since the Cubs last won a World Series.  So you’re saying the Cubs suck because of that?  Well, duh.  But instead of worrying about other teams, how about you worry about your won team and how it’s doing (not so hot, last time I checked the standings).  Do well first, then maybe, just maybe, you can start the trash talking.  Until then, why not just positively root for your own team rather than deride another?  That goes for the Sox fans, Cardinals fans, Brewers fans…anyone and everyone.  Mind your own business.

 

I’m proud to be a Cubs fan, whether they’re in first place or last place.  Always have been, always will be.  And that’s indicative of the vast majority of Cubs fans around the nation.  Through thick and thin, we support our team, not at the expense of other teams or their fans, but simply because we love the Cubs.  Can you say that about your team and its fan base?

 

Go Cubs, go!!