Cubs Lose the Old Fashioned Way

Well, that was ugly, but also quite familiar.  Carlos Marmol walked 3 and gave up a Grand Slam in the 8th inning and the Cubs lost.  Marmol, who sucked in equal fashion earlier in the season, had actually been pretty decent lately.  His ERA had gotten to under 4, he started striking out opposing hitters again, and the boo birds were leaving him alone.  But what's that mathy theory that about reversion to the mean?   I was always the new kid in school because we moved a lot, and  I tried to hang with the cool kids, and it would work for a day or two, but I always ended up hanging with the nerds again.  Well, Marmol, you're sitting back at the nerdy lunch table again.  You are who you are.  I've noticed the pitches much better when the Cubs are losing and he doesn't have a tie or a lead to hold.  Also, I think even little leaguers could hit his fastball, and he can't throw his formerly wicked slider for strikes.  If I were Sveum or Theo, I'd have gotten rid of him long ago, but he's making almost 10 million this year, so I bet we are stuck watching him all year.  Cubs brass has already written off this season anyway, and the lack of fans in the stands shows that most of us feel the same way.  Think it's just time to resign ourselves to the fact that Marmol will be really terrible sometime, and we just have to watch it.  Slow motion train wreck.

Speaking of train wrecks.  I am in NYC right now finalizing my divorce and playing gigs with my band Bad Teenage Moustache, but I was free last night and went to watch this ball game at Kelly's sports Bar on 1st and A in the East Village.  If you Google Cubs Bar NYC, Kelly's comes up first in the search results, and I've gone there on and off for 3 or 4 years when I lived here.  So, with the delayed start, and the hockey game on, I sat drinking 3 dollar PBR's and shots of well whiskey, waiting for the game to start.  It never did.  The Yankees/ Red Sox and Fox preempted the Cubs game, and except for some illegal internet feeds, there was no way to watch this game.  MLB, your blackouts suck.  I should be able to pay to watch a Cubs game on my Ipad or Iphone while I'm in Chicago.  And Fox should allow the other games they aren't showing in the region to be viewed on another Channel.  There are 99999999 channels, and you can't put the game on one of them?! I'm trying to watch your program Fox!  And you won't even let me!  Ridiculous!  Like many things in this country, it makes no sense and is likely the result of greedy bastards.  At least I didn't have to watch the loss live....

On a final note, Dale Sveum's an idiot.  He was ejected in the second inning last night over a blown call at first base.  Why does anyone argue these safe/out calls and get themselves ejected?  Never once have I seen an umpire overturn his call.  NEVER!!! So what's the point Dale?  Were you just ready for a beer after that long rain delay? I've often hypothesized that managers go out and argue in order to light a fire under the team. Manufactured Drama.  But it doesn't work. And Dale Sveums bad at it.  He barely looked angry at all when Joe west threw him out.  So Sveum must have said something bad about Wests mom or his tuna breath.   The way West threw him out was hilarious too.  That tight black Umpire jacket and chest protector doesn't allow West to lift his arms very high so he kinda looked like an Oompah Loompah as he threw Sveum out.

But seriously Sveum, all you accomplished was not being the manager for the evening.  If you're gonna argue, go out there and pull a Piniella and throw a base or something.  Kick dirt on an umpires shoe.  Let's see some theater!  Arguing is pointlessly futile.

In case anyone cares, the Cubs ended up losing 12-4 yesterday, and the twitterverse hashtag of bullpenisterrible was in effect.  Love it!  Bull penis terrible.  Hilare...... Marmol and Zach Putnam, the new mullet in the Cubs pen, each gave up 4 in what was through 7, a close and winnable game.

Well, we still have a chance to win this series today, but it's not bloody likely, because lefty phenom Patrick Corbin 8-0, 1.71 goes up against Edwin Jackson 1-7, 6.11.  Um yeah....not bloody likely....

Check out these pics from Kelly's Sports Bar!  Place is mad cool!  And the soonly expiring podcast!

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