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ChiPat

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  1. Ok, did want to get this site in trouble for any cc issues. CHICAGO, Oct. 16 ? A day after the Chicago Cubs played their way back into lovable loser status, the streets around Wrigleyville were freshly swept, and a tired city went back to work, ball caps tucked into closets, people carrying on as always, speaking little of what had transpired the night before. Winning a trip to the World Series, now that might have caused a crisis of identity. Who would know what to do? But this city wound up facing what it knew best how to handle: Losing. And when it comes to baseball, Chicago is expert at that. This was painful, but familiar. So fans like Shellee Guinta, 51, a real estate agent who grew up on the Cubs and had waited her whole life to see them win a pennant, spent Thursday efficiently and unemotionally ? showing houses, preparing to store her Cubs jersey and her "Curse Busters" sign until spring. "You just go on, that's all," Ms. Guinta said. "This is the way it is. We got further than we could have ever hoped to and further than anyone expected. And like I said, there's always next year to think about." City officials reported few problems after the game; 51 cars were towed from illegal spots near the field, 23 arrests were made, and officers confiscated plenty of alcohol in open cups. But mainly, people went on home. "I think they have kind of moved on already in a way," said Matt Smith, a streets and sanitation department official. "We're talking about a patience that has developed over a century." In fact, for a team that has not been in a World Series since 1945 and has not won one since 1908, losing has grown into more than just a sorry sidelight; it has become a central piece of their followers' culture. George Loukas, owner of the Cubby Bear, a well-known bar near Wrigley Field, said he was feeling depressed on Thursday afternoon, somewhat tearful, but not quite stunned. "We've been used to all these losses year after year," he said. "The Cubs have been finding the knack for losing, and the Cubs' fans have the resilience of coming back next year." Mr. Loukas had held to a principle in the weeks leading to Wednesday's final defeat: "Pray for the best and expect the worst." The worst was what came, carrying with it a new chapter in Cubs lore, one to add to the list of collapses and a supposed "billy goat" curse that inspired this Chicago Tribune headline on Thursday: "The Bleat Goes On." In Tuesday night's game, with only five outs to go for a spot in the World Series, the Cubs collapsed in the eighth inning after one fan, Steve Bartman, reached out for a foul ball, even as a Cubs outfielder was trying to jump over the wall and grab the ball himself. The moment prevented the Cubs from getting an out, and the game unraveled. On Thursday, Chicagoans continued to debate how this new chapter, the Bartman incident, would fit into the Cubs' tangled history. Mr. Bartman's critics claimed that he had doomed the Cubs' chances, and his defenders ? seemingly a growing bunch ? claimed that Cubs fans were trying to blame the team's athletic failings on an innocent spectator. The Cubs organization itself issued a statement on Thursday calling it "inaccurate and unfair" to blame a fan for what had happened. Meanwhile, Mr. Bartman, a 26-year-old financial analyst, who had been threatened by fellow fans and splattered with beer, has remained out of public view. Not everyone, however, was somber in this divided city. Though the Cubs' journey into the postseason had lured many new fans to the North Side team, die-hard White Sox fans, South Siders, mainly, were having none of the hoopla. At one South Side bar, McNally's, patrons were awarded free beers for every home run hit by the Cubs' opponents, the Florida Marlins, and the bartenders wore Marlins jerseys. On Wednesday night, when the Cubs' loss was sealed, a thrilled Sox crowd poured out onto Western Avenue to cheer. "What a relief," said Henry Ortiz, who said he gets a warm, sweet feeling when the Cubs lose, just as he does when the Sox win. "What a weight lifted from my shoulders. If the Cubs had won the World Series, the White Sox would never have had a fair shake in this town. Now we're back to square one, both teams." For Cubs fans, ever hopeful, square one was just fine. On the floor of the Senate in Washington on Thursday, Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, read a poem he said he had written after the loss. It read, in part, "Now in our despair, there's one thing to say; Spring training is only four months away."
  2. Though you guys might enjoy. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/17/national/17FANS.html The Sox fan quote in here, post as Hangar13.
  3. I think you guys have a better chance with the Yankees then the Red Sox. The Yankees have a very weak up the middle d which should benefit your team strengths. The Yankees have a deeper staff then the Red Sox, you have always like your chances facing Burckett. But with Giambi bat no where to be found right now, that offensive isn't clicking and increases their vulnerability. The Red Sox might have gotten out of their funk last night, which would make them a very dangerous team, capable of putting runs up in a hurry. When the AL batting champ bats seventh in your lineup, you have a strong one.
  4. I don't think you've seen the Marlins play. They can care less about all this DH crap. They just want to win and they'll anything. If they can bounce back being 10 games under .500, down 0-4 in a game and 1-3 in a series, I'm sure they'll come back after one lousy at bat... No I haven't seen the Marlins play this season, I was watchin my Sox. But I have seen how the DH works, been watching baseball and mostly AL baseball for over 20 years now. I have seen National League teams screw up in who to put there.
  5. What the hell? MINDSET? GIMME A DAMN BREAK! A hitter is a hitter. They just don't play defense. What the hell was that all about. Mindset... Pfft. Hey I am telling you that young guys some times have trouble DHing becuase they are not into it. Look at Frank Thomas, he doesn't have the mind set to be a DH, his OPS is 100 points higher when he plays the field, becuase he can let go of bad at-bats leasier and stay loose. Trust me, DHing isn't as easy as it looks, you need to be able to forget bad at bats while sitting on the bench, which is a hard thing to do.
  6. I have no idea who your backup catcher is but if I Rod wants a rest from behind the plate, he could DH. Not likey but is an option.
  7. As an AL fan I would put Conine as your DH. Being a DH takes a different type of mindset then a position player. You are only playing for four to five at bats per game other then that you are watching the game, it is like being a pitch hitter four times a game. Conine played some DH with O's so he should know the mind set and be somewhat comfortable with it. Also if you pitch hit later in the games you can't have your DH take the field or you lose the ability to have a DH and the pitcher has to bat, so you wouldn't want to put a player who can play more then one fielding position in that slot. While Conine can play the field, I believe you don't lose too much D by making him the DH. Plus anything you lose will be gain by having him DHing over some one who isn't comfortable playing as a DH.
  8. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Only way I don't root for the Marlins is if they play the White Sox. Thank you Marlins, you have made Chicago habitable again. Thank you.
  9. The consensus on BBTN is that all pitchers are available on both sides except for Prior and Pavs. Beckett for closer ! :w00t JK Why not? Can Beckett pull a Randy?
  10. I have to go with old school Wu Tang, 36 Chambers of Death Son. Outkast is prety damn good too.
  11. Don't worry White Sox fans, we had the power to destory the Giants... I'm sure the Cubbies are in for a BIG surprise :shifty Please do so. White Sox fan will be gratefull for it.
  12. Put this way, the interleague games between the Sox and Cubs will never be played during the night. Since the last time it was played at night, every jail cell in the city was filled with fans.
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