09/28 - Magic Number is Zero!!!

They say a picture's worth a thousand words.
Well, here's two thousand words' worth...



Congratulations to the 2007 Central Division Champions, the Chicago Cubs!

09/18 - No Gold Glove This Year

As much as I like watching the game from the bleachers (best seats in the park, IMO), I don't think I'll ever used to shagging balls inside. I always seem to get tangled up in the seats and benches, usually earning a bruise or two in the process.

Today was no exception. Beautiful night for a game, strong wind blowing out, so of course I'm inside. And once again I was treated to watching several balls go over my head and out onto the street. Ahh... but there was one ball that was staying in and had my name on it. Nice high drive down the line. I stepped up into the aisle, then went along the top row, tracking the ball all the way. Once I got under it, I reached up as high as I could, even had the "claw" grip going on the glove (just the fingertips on the inside) and it just wasn't enough. Ball tipped my glove as I was falling backwards (giving me another bruise on my leg) and ended up out onto Waveland - the ball, not me.

Could have been worse, I suppose. At least the ball didn't bounce off my head and out, like Jose Canseco a few years ago in Boston...

Out of the Ballpark Totals:
Tuesday, September 18: BP-15 [W-12,S-3], HR-0, Foul-0, Roof-1 [A-1,C-0]
Season: BP-392 [W-304,S-88], HR-11 [W-9,S-2], Foul-5 [W-4,S-1], Roof-38 [A-22,C-16], Windshield-2 [W-1,S-1]

09/10 - Sweep!!!

Cubs swept the Cardinals today. Ok, so it was only a one-game series, a makeup of an earlier postponed game. But hey, a win is a win, especially when it's of the 12-3 variety and especially when it's against the Cardinals.

Batting practice was understandably boring, given the strong winds blowing in. Only four made it to Waveland and one to Sheffield. Nothing came out during the game, though Jim Edmonds put a charge into one that went into the left field bleachers for a home run. He's always had tremendous power the other way - I got one of his a few years ago, a blast that cleared Waveland and bounced against the Budweiser building. Had he hit this one yesterday (when the winds were gusting out), he might have been the first one to hit an opposite-field street homer since the bleacher expansion.

Out of the Ballpark Totals:
Monday, September 10: BP-5 [W-4,S-1], HR-0, Foul-0, Roof-0
Season: BP-367 [W-283,S-84], HR-11 [W-9,S-2], Foul-5 [W-4,S-1], Roof-37 [A-21,C-16], Windshield-2 [W-1,S-1]

Key: W-Waveland, S-Sheffield, A-Addison, C-Clark

09/06 - Aramis Goes Bus

Aramis Ramirez nailed a charter bus today during the game, leaving a window rather significantly smashed. Unfortunately the ball left the park about five feet foul, so it was all for naught as the Cubs lost to the Dodgers, 7-4. Got kinda ugly at the end (again) but I suppose you already knew that.

Once again, I was inside the park as it was a 'value day' at Wrigley, if you can call a $17 ticket a value. I guess it is compared to $32 regular price and $40 for the 'prime' games. Anyway, I had fun watching the balls fly over me and out of the park during batting practice - five on each side. Luis Gonzalez put on quite the display by launching several bombs out onto Sheffield. Nothing came out during the game, even though there was a pretty decent wind.

Out of the Ballpark Totals:
Thursday, September 6: BP-10 [W-5,S-5], HR-0, Foul-1 [W-1,S-0], Roof-0
Season: BP-362 [W-279,S-83], HR-11 [W-9,S-2], Foul-5 [W-4,S-1], Roof-37 [A-21,C-16], Windshield-2 [W-1,S-1]

Key: W-Waveland, S-Sheffield, A-Addison, C-Clark