2015 World Champ Cubs Keep Losing in 2013

I propose that the Guns and Roses beautiful power ballad, "Patience" should be the song that the players take the field to at the start of the game for the rest of 2013.  The notion must be reinforced that if we just wait a few more years, and allow our current core of players to develop, the  World Series trophy will be held high in Wrigley only 2 short years from now in 2015.  In the meantime, the Cubs have dropped their second straight game to the Pirates, while shut out for the first 17 innings of the 2 contests, until Alfonso Soriano's 7th homerun plated 2 in the bottom of the 9th, at the end of a 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

After sitting through Friday's 2-0 snoozefest loss, I wasn't about to pay 25$ to sit in nosebleed on Saturday, plus I was exhausted from hanging out with my fearless podcasting partner, The Lovable Lou Sears, who's boundless energy and love of bourbon usually ruins my life for a day or two after seeing him.  And good thing too!  The Cubs only had 4 hits against AJ Burnette, the Pirates tattooed ace.  Watching that woulda pissed me off.  I won't bother listing all of the Cubs players without a hit yesterday, so I'll stay positive and tell you who did hit.  DeJesus, Rizzo, Soriano, and Schierholtz each had 1.  Still, all but Rizzo lowered their batting average yesterday, and the Cubs slid further into the depths of the National League Central, ending the day only one game ahead of the lowly Milwaukee Brewers, and 11 games under .500.  But this is 2013....

But in 2015, we will have a new scoreboard, and it's continuous barking of advertisements and fan centric games by which we can follow a hidden baseball under one of 3 hats, will surely motivate our current future star players to new heights in the art of hitting.  Starlin Castro is hitting only .247 in 2013, but once the Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza Slice races begin, in 2015, Castro will loosen up at the plate from laughing hysterically as the Lou Malnati's Pepperoni slice trips and falls on the center field warning track.  In fact, that event, which I predict will happen in July of 2015, will be credited with actually winning the division, as all of the Cubs players laugh their way to victory, watching the replay of the Pepperoni Slice falling on the left field jumbotron.  Castro will bat .357 in 2015 with 42 Homeruns.  Likewise, Soriano, signed to another 13 year contract, locking him up into his early 50's will feel rejuvenated by the new boutique Cubs hotel and farmers market located right outside the ballpark.  The organic Kale and Quinoa he buys there will give him the fortitude to hit 38 homeruns, and steal 42 bases for the first time since 2006.  Jeff Smakjfbwfbwufbwkbjks, the Cubs Ace pitcher will win 31 games, crediting the new salon in the pedestrian mall outside of Wrigley, this future genius stylist will craft Smfbrjbfskjvsjfnwef's mullet into a finely tuned pitching machine.  Smskjfbebwfljc jfwf's hair will be aerodynamically sculpted to give him .00034 mm extra break on his curve ball.  And the National League batters won't like it one bit!  Here's is an artists rendering of what Smafdnergbaev ae's hair will look like after the renovations.

Ironically, the stylist, (pictured above) just so happens to be Kyuji Fujikawa's current interpreter.  But with Kyuji Fuji out for the rest of 2013, facing Tommy John surgery, Ryo Shinkawa used his extra time in the dugout waiting for Fujikawa's return, to carefully study the effects of pitcher's mullets on the movement and velocity of the pitched ball.  His charts, graphs, and skill with styling shears pays off in 2015 when Smabdkgbkfdsv vk goes 25-1 with a 1.34 ERA, wining the Cy Young Award, along with the Prestegious "Hair-O Dynamics" prize given bi annually by SuperCuts and Aussie Hair Products.  

But alas, this is 2013, and yesterday Smardsjkbfjsbksv gave up 4 runs on 4 hits, though he did strike out 7.  Just a few more years Jeff, and you'll be the Ace you already act like you are!

So, yes...Gun's and Roses said it best, all we need is just a little patience.  Theo, Jed and Tom have this all under control.  They are rich, so they're smarter and better than us regular people.  So let's all relax, pay full price for our tickets and enjoy 2013 as the "rebuilding year" it is.  Today, Edwin Jackson 1-8 with a 6.29 ERA goes against Jeff Locke 5-1, 2.45.  The Pirates will most likely sweep us today, just as they did on the road a few weeks ago.  But don't worry!  All we need is patience.....

And a podcast.... http://www.sonranto.com

The Cubs Need Drugs

I got into Wrigley yesterday in the bottom of the 4th inning. Having tried to talk the scalpers down from their asking price of 40$,  (Still below face value for Terrace Reserved, but I was hoping to pay 10),  I witnessed some girls pay 30$, and even though I insisted on a 20$ price point, I relinquished to the middle, and we ended up settling at 25$.  I don't think either of us was happy with the transaction, but it was a beautiful day, and I figured, what the hell, I'm already here.  I hit the seats and the Cubs have 2 on from a couple of walks, but what proved to be a theme of this game, in which the Cubs didn't score at all, and struck out 13 times, the rally failed, and those that paid full price for their tickets were left holding their floppy Budweiser hats, which were given to the first 10000 fans, in their disappointed little hands.  At least I took this beautiful picture!

I think the most I cheered in this game, which the Cubs lost 2-0, was when a guy down the right field line got a foul ball, celebrated, and then handed the ball to an apparent stranger in a selfless act of kindness not seen since Mr. Miyagi gave Daniel San a bonsai tree in Karate Kid 2.  Even the events worth cheering for all left a distasteful tinge in my mouth.  Like when the Cubs, who had been no hit through 4, finally broke it up with a single.  What's distasteful about this?  It was the pitcher Travis Wood who broke it up with a single.  Yes, the pitchers are our best hitters.  Ugh.  But Wood was then forced out at second by "new and unimproved" leadoff hitter, Darwin Barney, who struck out 3 times in addition to this failed attempt at moving the runner into scoring position.  Wood improved his batting average to .308, while Barney, in the leadoff spot, left 3 on base, including 2, when he struck out to end the game during the Cubs fake rally in the bottom of the 9th.  He is now batting .213.  In fact, almost the entire starting lineup in yesterdays game hovers in the mid to low two's.  The only other hitter in the Cubs lineup batting over .300 is Ryan Sweeney, who had 1 of the Cubs 5 hits.  It truly is getting tough to tell whether the other pitcher is really that good, or if we just stink at hitting.  I wonder if this guy regretted sporting this rabid fan hair style after watching such an inept display of offense.

It was, however, a beautiful day at the ballpark, and after making my way over to the sunshine seats in Right field, I got myself a little nook next to the fence to watch the rest of the nothing that happened on Friday.  So what's the solution to this hitting drought?

Drugs.

I recently watched this incredible documentary, called "I'm Keith Hernandez", about his Cocaine fueled days as a Cardinal and Met, winning 2 World Championships with each team in the 80's.  Totally worth a watch.  The Cards and Mets played with an intensity that I haven't seen in a while in baseball, and now we know why.  Both teams were considered cocky, and now we know where that confidence came from.  Drugs.  In this day and age of banned substances, I realize finding a stimulant, not on the banned substances list, might prove difficult.  But with the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the Rickett's to upgrade the team and Wrigley field in the coming years, it would be wise and prudent to at least spend some of the money on synthesizing a stimulant that's not on the banned list.  In this game of baseball, you have to stay one step ahead of the league, and that includes the drugs you're taking.  I'm sure Ricketts has friends at Eli Lily that can hook him up.  It's just a matter of changing a molecule or two in the compound.  Let's get on this Cubbies!  Because if I've even seen a team that needs some serious drugs, it's the 2013 Cubbies.  

Speaking of cool things to see on drugs, the Goodyear blimp was at the ballpark yesterday, and I took a couple of shots, only to realize that there was also a UFO in the shot!  I don't know what aliens would want with a 2-0 Cubs loss snoozefest, but check out this pic!  

Do you see the flying saucer with the purple energy field rings?  Incredible!

I actually think it was the DirectTV blimp not the Goodyear, but I can't keep my blimps straight these days.  When I was a kid, there was only the Goodyear, and the Hindenburg, which blew up and crashed.  I wonder why Michelin never got a blimp to compete with Goodyear.  Battle of the Blimps!

Well, the game ended on the afore mentioned Darwin Barney, fake rally, strikeout, and I stuck around the ballpark to see if some drunk idiot had left his floppy hat behind, but alas, I walked up and down the stairs only to see peanut shells, beer cups, and Mormons.  

No floppy hat for me.  But this guy's pretty cool.  Not like those Morons.....I mean...Mormons....

As I was taking this photo, this family of Pirates fans was snapping selfies and when they were all done, the dad realized his bag had been lifted.  They apparently stole a sandwich.  That'll teach him to leave food laying around a bunch of obese and hungry Chicagoans!

Well, crime was rampant yesterday in Chicago, as after the game, and after playing some flying V guitars at Guitar Center on Halsted, I returned uptown, only to hear 10-15 gun shots a half block away.  I had just gotten in 5 mins earlier.  Coulda been meat.  Here's the story if you care.  This gang banger got shot in the face. 

So, a guy gets gatted, a bag gets stolen, and the Cubs get shutout, so I went to RibFest with the Lovable Lou Sears to drown my sorrows in meat!  If you go, eat the Texas stands ribs.  They were by far the best.

There's a game today, but I'm not going.  Stubhub was too rich for my blood, but I might try in the 5th again and see if I can't get in for 20$.  The Shark, Jeff Smejfekbrkwbgkrbgeng is going up against AJ Burnette, who has some sweet tats.  Should be magical....

In the meantime...look us up at http://www.sonranto.com

and check out the podcast!!!

10 Day Cubs Baseball Binge; Now I Have a Sveum-over

After spending 9 of the last 10 days in the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, missing only the cold and wet Friday game against the Reds, I can truly say that for the first time in my life, I'm glad the Cubs are on the road for a 3 game set against the Nationals. The Cubs were 4-6 on this homestand, splitting a 4 game series with the Padres, swept by the Reds in 3, they clobbered the Rangers in a makeup game, and then split the 2 game series with Cardinals to finish it off.  Besides the obviously exhausting problem of drinking too much, talking too much, and eating too much at these 9 ball games,  I am actually hung over from the Baseball itself.  Once again, as in earlier series this year, we were close in almost all of these games, but ended with a losing record for the homestand.  Why can't this team get over the hump?  Why do they make stupid errors?  Why is Carlos Marmol given the ball in close games?  Why do we allow teams 5 outs an inning due to misplays?  And most importantly, why is Dale Sveum still the manager?

Let's take yesterday's 5-4 loss to the Cardinals, a game we were winning until the 7th inning, and didn't go behind until the 8th.  The Cubs starter, Carlos "the stache" Villanueva had 2 outs in the 7th, and was due up second in the bottom of the inning.  Sveum pulls him after 101 pitches, because his arm was tired from twirling his mustache between innings,  and in comes James Russel, who has been great, until yesterday, gives up a double and a single.  Tie game.  Now I'm not a big fan of the whole lefty/righty match up thing, especially with Villanueva due up second in the inning, it makes no sense to use your lefty in the 7th for one batter, Matt Carpenter, when the next 4 Cardinals are switch hitters, or righty's.  Russel gives up the double to Carpenter, and then Beltran, a switch hitter, brings him home with a single.  Russel then stays in to get the final out against righty Holliday.  So what's the point of the lefty match up, when Russel comes in and faces two righty's anyway?  Stupid.

Sveum, then pinch hits Borbon in the 7th for Russel, who attempts to bunt Cody Ransom to second, but runs to first base on the grass side of the baseline, and is called out on interference.  Ransom goes back to first.  DeJesus comes up, grounds into a double play, inning over.  Why the hell doesn't Borbon run in the damned baseline?!  The man has been in and out of the big leagues since 2009, but can't do something simple like run down to first base!  Why?!  Sloppy play= crappy coaching.

Then in the 8th inning, Michael Bowden come in for the Cubs, and the Cardinals take the lead because of a single, a wild pitch (our league leading 21st), and another single.  Why all the wild pitches?  They don't score without a wild pitch!  We have 2 Missers....I mean Catchers that can't catch or block the damn ball.  Your called a Catcher!  What you are supposed to do is in the damn job title!  I don't know if these are pitch crossups, lack of communication, sheer ineptitude, or a combination of the 3.  But I do know, when something negative happens enough in your game play, that you must work to fix said negative problem.  Once again...sloppy play=crappy coaching.

So, that's how we lost yesterdays game, but what did we do to not win it?  Well, ground into 4 double plays for one.  Two of them reflecting on coaching or management in my opinion.  The first one that bugged me was Dioner Navarro's DP in the 6th inning.  With men on first and third.  Navarro, who is visibly fat, hit a 2 bouncer to second.  Just about every other player on the team would have beat that out, but not Sir Chuggington Navarro.  He is listed as 5'9" 205 lbs.  Which is the exact weight and height same as me.  And I'm fat.  About 25-30 lbs overweight.  How is this guy a professional athlete, and allowed to stay this rotund?  The run from third would have scored had he been able to leg it out.  Maybe I can shame him into losing weight by sitting near the first base line, and yelling Boom Babba Boom Babba Boom as he runs down the line.  Don't these guys have dietitians and conditioning coaches?  Why is nobody demanding this guy get fit?  He gets paid millions of dollars to play a kids game!  Ever hear of Seattle Sutton's healthy eating?  They're a freakin Cubs sponsor for Crissakes!  But do you think Dale Sveum went up to Navarro and told him, "you know you would have beaten that out if you weighed 15 lbs less".  No.  Probably not.  Sloppy Body=Crappy Coaching.

The other Double play I will second guess Sveum on happened in the 8th inning.  Now granted, Nate Schierholz has been one of the best players on the Cubs this year.  But he rarely plays against leftys.  In fact, he's had only 9 at bats and 1 hit against lefty's this year and is batting .111.  The Cubs have first and third, one out.  Now, Sveum has Alfonso Soriano on the bench,  and all we need is a sac fly to tie the game.  Soriano is batting .421 against leftys.  Yes, .421 vs. .111 with the game on the line in the 8th inning against the hated Cardinals.  What does Sveum do?  Nothing.  Schierholz bounces into the Cubs 4th double play of the day.  Inning over. Chance squandered. Cubs go 1-9 with men in scoring position and......Ugh... Soriano did end up making an appearance in the on deck circle in the bottom of the 9th where he would have faced a righty though.  As I said, I'm not a fan of the lefty righty thing.  Maybe Schierholz would be better against leftys if he actually got to face them once in a while, but Sveum loses the lead by using a lefty matchup with James Russel, and then fails to do the exact same thing on offense an inning later.    This team is inconsistent.  Dale Sveum is among the most inconsistent.  Actually, I take that back.  He is incredibly consistent, at losing baseball games.

Further reasons why Sveum sucks and should be canned.  Even though we beat the Cards on Tuesday, why was Marmol allowed into that game?  We were only winning 2-1, and Marmol gave up a walk and 2 hits in an inning and a third.  We were lucky that the Cardinals Molina made a stupid base running play and was picked off.  Marmol needs to work out some kinks, yet he didn't pitch in the blowout against the Rangers on Monday.  It would have been the perfect time to let him get out there with no pressure.  Because under pressure, he blows it.  Every time.  Yet, we did see James Russel, our lefty specialist in the blowout.  Why?  What was the point of that?  Bad decisions.  Bad coaching.  Yesterday, Rizzo tries to steal third with 2 out in the first.  Why?  He's already in scoring position!  What's the point?  Dumb Dumb Dumb.  Bad Coaching.

So, yeah.  I'm calling for Sveums head.  These young players who apparently don't know the simple fundamentals of baseball like running in the baseline, or not stealing a base when it's unnecessary, or being fit enough to run, need a manager like Bobby Cox, or Piniella in his hey day.  Someone old school who will teach them how to play the game right.  Why they already don't know that at this point, as professional millionaire ball players is beyond me.  I guess jocks are dumb.  But the Cubs make me feel like I'm at the blackjack table, and someone next to me keeps taking my Ace, by hitting on 16 when the dealer has a bust card.   They're just playing the game wrong, and it's killing us.

Well...what's on tap?  A new podcast with the Lovable Lou Sears for one.  Check out the expiring one here....   You can follow us on Soundcloud or subscribe on itunes!  And you will be notified accordingly...

In the meantine...check out http://www.Sonranto.com and Go Cubbies!

Let's Kill dem Nats in DC!!!

Too little Too Late; Cubs Rally and Lose

Boy did I almost pick the wrong day to not sit in cold rainy Wrigley Field.  The Cubs staged a 9th inning #fakerally to be edged out by the Reds 6-5.  Soriano left the bases loaded twice and decreased his trade value further.  Rizzo went 3-5, but didn't have a single RBI, and blew it when the chips were down.  and Darwin Barney ended the game by swinging at a pitch over his head.  But....they almost won, and I would really have regretting not sitting through a rain soaked walk off.  Castillo committed his 4th error in the game as well, though it should have been charged to Castro for not covering second base on a throw down to second.  Castro is simply not a team player.  He doesn't jive with the other players.  He seems to be in his own damn world out there.  Lay off the sunflower seeds buddy and concentrate!

At least Lou and i got the new podcast out...this sentence is a link!!!

Some positives.  We were close again.  Yeah...horseshoes and hand grenades.  Kevin Gregg pitched another scoreless inning, and the Cubs actually took 3 walks and pounded out 15 hits!  Unfortunately, that's about it in the positive category.

I sound like a broken record here, but we left 12 men on base, and were 5-15 with men in scoring position.  The 5-15 isn't as much the problem as the LOB.  But we only scored 5 runs, and had many other chances that weren't capitalized on.  This team is a day late and a dollar short.   also, I'm pretty sure Michael Bowden is not a great pitcher.  3 walks in 1.1 innings.  Carlos Villanueva was shaky too.  I think his arm was tired from twirling his stache....

Well, at least the weather is better today, but I'm not feeling this 12:05 start.  At least me and the lovable Lou Sears will be sitting in free box seats!  Hopefully, the 9th inning rally can continue into the first inning of today, and if not,  the Shark can pick the team up without the always waning run support.

Check out our twitter feed during the game....gonna try and post some nice pics as we're sitting close...

As always...like us on Facebook and check out the Website 

Go Cubbies!!!!!

Sitting at Wrigley with a French Guy

Yesterday was awesome.  Not only did I get to send the Cubbies off to Milwaukee with a little "Go Cubs Go" from my 6$ terrace reserved seats, but the rain held off long enough to watch Carlos "The Stache" Villanueva to provide the Cubs with his 3rd strong outing of the season.  Allowing only 4 hits, two runs (on solo homers), and striking out 6,  Car-ville is what every manager in the MLB would LOVE out of a 5th starter.  My only regret is that he didn't come out of the game in the middle of an inning so as to give him a standing ovation while he left the field.  Hopefully, his great performances continue, and he will inspire legions of fans to sport his old tyme moustache look.  Check it out!

Other positives include back to back homeruns by Rizzo and Soriano, and a 4 hit game by Catcher "Beef" Wellington Castillo who is now batting .425.  Given Castillo's hitting prowess, I don't even mind all the wild pitches and passes balls today.  All in all, a great game where the Cubs fired on all cylinders.  Even Carlos Marmol, save for a couple of out of control pitches was lights out on the mound in the 9th.  Great to see him succeed, even if he still doesn't seem to be up to his old form again yet.  James Russel was awesome as always and still has not allowed a run this year.  

Another cool thing about yesterday is, I went to the game with a french theater director named Valery who had never seen a baseball game before.  He drank an Old Style, ate a Chicago Dog, and we had a great time discussing art history between plays.  I always love bringing foreigners to ballgames.  As I try to explain what happens on the field, I realize the idiosyncrasies of the game, as well as how strange some of our baseball traditions seem to an outsider.  For example, when the 7th inning stretch came around, I turned to Valery and said, "OK, now every one stands and sings a song together."  He looked incredulous, as if those words could not have possibly just come out of my mouth.  It is a rather odd tradition to someone unfamiliar with the custom.  He also thought the on deck batter could somehow be involved in the play, just because he was standing on the side swinging a bat.  That would be awesome if the on deck hitter could run into the field after the ball is batted and try to disrupt the play.  Arena Baseball!  Well, at least Valery speaks English.  Last time I went to a ball game with a foreigner was when I brought an Argentinian to Yankee Stadium on opening day.  Trying to explain the rules of baseball is hard enough, let alone trying to explain it in intermediate level spanish.  "Cuando este hombre tira la pelota...."  Further confusion and hilarity reigned when I found out that the Spanish word for catch "cojer", is slang for "sex" in Argentina.  So when I said "Coje la pelota", in his country it would mean "make love" to the ball. That's a whole new ballgame....

  Back to baseball.

So what can you say about a team that's capable of beating the Rangers so solidly?  I know it's only one game, but if these young Cubs start to believe in themselves, the sky seems to be the limit.  There's no reason we can't go to Wrigley North this weekend in Milwaukee and steal back 4th place from the Brew Crew.  We have been competitive in every single game this season.  Well....at least we haven't been blown out.   And our record would be a lot better than the 5-9 where we currently stand if it wasn't for just a few mental errors and miscues.  The Cubs may be bad this year, we may not win the World Series this year, but I think we will look better building towards a brighter tomorrow this year.  What I'm saying is, I don't think we will lose embarrassingly, nor do I think we will lose 100 games.

This afternoon, I will be driving up to Milwaukee to watch at least Friday night's game, and do a little gambling at Potawotami Bingo Casino.  Send good JUJU my way so I can afford to continue my lifestyle and career as a professional Cubs fan.  The new podcast will be out soon too, as soon as the lovable Lou Sear's drunken ass picks up the phone.  In the meantime.  Take a look at the website....maybe buy some Amazon stuff through our search bar?  http://www.sonranto.com

You can help Lou and I in tickets and beer!

Go Cubbies!!!!

Cubs Try to Lose; Win Anyway!

If there was any question as to how "Marmol" is spelled in japanese, I looked it up, and it's "F-U-J-I-K-A-W-A".  In a dismal 9th inning appearance, trying to preserve Carlos Villanueva's 2-0 gem, Kuji-Fuji, as he will be referred to from here on in, stank up the joint,  allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, plus a wild pitch, and he hit a batter (Buster Posey).  I was really hoping the plunked Posey would charge the mound ala Carlos Quentin vs Zack Greinke (video of melee in link), and break Kuji-Fuji's collar bone too.  At least I could have forgiven the 2 more runs he gave up, as I imagine it's tough to pitch with a broken collarbone.  But alas, cooler heads prevailed, and Posey trotted down to first, giving the Giants one more chance to go ahead.  And go ahead they did. Eventually,leading 3-2 going into the Cub's half of the 9th inning.

What is it with Cubs closers this year?  I've talked on the podcast with the lovable Lou Sears about  how these pitchers trying to close out the game, put extra pressure on themselves to wrap it up for a win.  That unnecessary extra pressure results in mistakes, thus runs, thus blown saves, and thus losses.  Granted, the fans in the stands are all a titter about going home with a win, standing, drunkenly chanting, and clapping randomly, but the closer, whoever it is, needs to just pretend it's the 3rd inning, and approach it as the routine 1-2-3 we Cub fans long for.  Maybe the fans could help set the scene by getting up to take a leak and buy a hot dog.  Let's all just pretend it's the third inning, and listen to the "W" from the bathroom, standing shoulder to shoulder singing "Go Cubs Go" from the iconic pee troughs of the Wrigley Field men's bathroom.  (Ladies, if you don't know what I'm talking about, find out by grabbing any random man in a Cubs hat and just say "Wrigley trough". Actually don't do that, it's weird... ).  So what changes in the 9th?  The only thing I can think of is that they stop selling beer, so many alcoholic fans have retreated to the Captain Morgans club, or one of Wrigleyville's many watering holes to watch the end of the game.  Maybe the absence of the constant chatter of "Beer here!", and "Get your Old Style", is unnerving to the pitcher.  It may be breaking the law to sell beer after the 8th, but I feel like we have to think outside the box for solutions.  I, Son Ranto, for one would be happy to 'take one for the team' and buy beer from vendors in the 9th.  Hell!  I'll even make the sacrifice to buy and drink beer  in extra innings.  Yes.  I love the Cubs that much.  It's all about sacrifice.

OK.  Ranto Rant over.....We won the game!!!!  And I was there!!!!

I took a little time off of my busy schedule of complaining about everything, procrastinating and drinking at home, to ride my bike the mile or so down to the Friendly Confines.  I was feeling generous, so I gave a scalper 10$ for a Box Seat and got to the game around the 5th inning.  Might I add, I decided to go down there in the 15 minute period where the sun was out.  I had been listening on the radio, as my poverty lacks Comcast Sports net and  It was 1-0 when I got to the stadium.  I heard Castro's homer from the roar of the crowd and Captain Morgan's amplified broadcadst, and found me a scalper.  2-0 is where it stayed until the fiasco 9th.  And I was like "Just great!  I come down here to sit in the cold rain to watch the Cubs blow another one. 2 damn days in a damned row".  I was truly questioning my purpose on earth, along with my horrific life choices, when the Cubs came to bat in the 9th...and from the ashes rose the phoenix!

The 9th started wonderfully with Dionner Navarro, who's aversion to running the bases, gives him extra incentive to hit home runs, did just that.  At 5'9", and 205 lbs, he prefers a trot as opposed to a full out sprint.  But it's fine by me.  Trot away Dionner!  So tie game, and I'm figuring extra innings, basically, because I don't have a whole ton of faith in this team to score twice off  Romo, the Giants closer, who was lights out the day before.  My pessimism was briefly vindicated by watching Valbuena and "Oh God!  why is this guy still on the team?" Brent Lillibridge strike out.  So two outs, and DeJesus doubles, Castro singles.  We win!!!

I must admit, I welled up a bit while singing "Go Cubs Go" with my drunken brethren.  To steal a victory from the jaws of defeat with my fellow inebriated Chicagoans was just as sweet as any thing that's happened to me ever.  Seriously.  Ever.  There are few better feelings for a baseball fan than a walk off win.  Of course I prefer it happen in a 4 game sweep of  the World Series (don't think my heart can take a 7 gamer).  But I felt great walking out of there!  Seriously wonderful!  The fans were still singing on the streets.  The atmosphere was jubilant!  Hopefully, this walk off win can carry the team with confidence into the weekend and beyond.  Especially Starlin Castro, who has failed miserably to be the hero all season until yesterday.  Way to go Starlin!  You acted the champion we all hope you'll be!

So, unfortunately, I will not be able to attend todays 12:05 start.  I'm going to watch some little kids play soccer in the burbs, and hang out with my Michigan cousins.  But I'll be back in the Friendly Confines tomorrow.  Up in the FC!  Got tickets?  Cause I don't.  Hit me up at sonranto@gmail.com, and of course http://www.sonranto.com.  Don't forget to check out the podcast here!

Let's go get a W today!  It's Madison Bumgarner (who I understand garners bums for the Giants) vs.  Our very own ace Shark Samardzija.

Let's go Cubbies!

PS.  Clevenger looked good at 3rd.  Get rid of Lillibridge!

Cubs Lose Opener. Wrigley Still Fun.

From our slightly obstructed view, Terrace Reserved seats behind home plate, The Lovable Lou Sears and I, Son Ranto witnessed a ball game where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.  Yes, 30mph wind was wreaking havoc upon any fly ball hit, too bad the Cubs didn't hit too many balls in the air.  Yes.  Starlin Castro's 9th inning fly out would have been a walk off grand slam, or a bases clearing double 2 innings earlier, but the wind started blowing in, and it was an out.  Yes. If Darwin Barney had been playing second, or Valbuena would have tried to turn two instead of throwing home, the brewers wouldn't have scored 4 in the first.  But that's what happened, and these are all excuses as to why we lost the game yesterday. Excuses excuses excuses.

This is going to a season of excuses.  But I'd like to dig deeper.  Why did Starlin Castro try to hit a homerun when he knew the wind was blowing in?  I woulda settled for a single.  Why is Brent Lillibridge on the team at all?  Granted Barney's hurt and Javier Baez is not ready, but it would just be a few weeks, and we wouldn't have to watch Lilliput...the troll out there not fielding, or hitting!  He's batting .000.  His OBP?  .000.  The most exciting thing he's ever done for the Cubs was yesterday thrilling fielders choice.  Another excuse, and over heard in the stands..."Barney would have gotten to that ball"....You know who else would have?  Javier Baez, or Junior Lake.

Now here's the big mystery of the year.  Why can't our catcher catch the ball?  Beef Wellington's only been charged with one passed ball, but there have been numerous wild pitches and just straight up cross ups.  Other, better defensive catchers would have gotten to some of those wild pitches.  Sometimes.  Castillo just straight up misses the ball with the glove.  All I'm saying is, the whole battery looks shaky.

The boo birds were out for Carlos Marmol yesterday too.  And the vitriol I heard spewing from the fans around me is unprintable.  Here's my question?  Do you want him to do well or poorly?  Why boo the guy?  He's already having a bad time of it?  What if you were at work and having trouble getting something right, and everyone just came around telling you that you suck?  Wouldn't that make it infinitely harder to do your job?  I mean, Christ!  It's not like we're going to win the world series this year.  Let's just support these guys.  It's our team.  Team team team.  Are you on it or just some drunken nay sayers?

Speaking of drunken nay sayers.  The shadow unemployment in our society was well represented and explained yesterday, as on a Monday afternoon, unemployed alcoholics from all over the midwest showed up to watch the Cubbies lose this stinker of a ball game.  They were quite hilarious though.  And I look forward to recording these hilarious low lifes as the season goes on, and giving you out there who can't afford the 6$ to go to a game a window into how drunk Subs fans truly are.  It's gonna be ugly people.

Speaking of the podcast...listen to it here...  https://soundcloud.com/danny-rockett/son-ranto-home-opener.  There's a problem with our itunes feed right now...in the process of fixing it....

Well...Lou Sears and I will be on a rooftop tonight getting shit faced if you wanna look us up....email sonranto@gmail.com , and we can commiserate in our misery....

Excuses excuses excuses.....

Home Opener! Dream come True....

Hooray!  We've all made it another year!!  Now it's time to accomplish my life long dream of walking to Wrigley Field from my very own North Side apartment!!! As a child, I dreamed of living in one of the flats across the street (where the current 'rooftops' are).  This was back in the 80s when I think the main people sitting up there were actual tenants, just sitting on lawn chairs.  But alas, I can't afford to live closer than a neighborhood away...damned yuppies.....but still, I can walk to Wrigley in 25 minutes, and I'm freakin giddy as a japanese school girl about it.  (Is that racist?  make sense?)  I'll be joined in the stands today at the Cubs home opener against by the Milwaukee Brewers, but we're starting out the festivities with a little Champagne Brunch at the Ranto Crib.  And hopefully this morning rain will subside, and Tom Skilling's prediction of a decent afternoon will be fulfilled.  Either way, I think they'll get the game in.  And even though the Cubs looked horrible this weekend in Atlanta, there's nothing that can't contain my excitement about watching a game at Wrigley Field today.

OK.  Enough wistful rhetoric about how awesome my life is right  now.  And onto how terrible the Cubs are.

Carlos Marmol.  There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.  And unfortunately, I've been saying this for two years now.  Carlos Marmol is not a very good pitcher anymore.  Every batter in the league played fly swatter with his slider for years, and then figured out that if they didn't swing, one of two things would happen; they would walk, or get hit by the pitch.  Either way.  They'd end up at first base.  So then, the Cubs made him develop his fastball.  So, Marmol starts throwing straight darts down the middle of the plate in addition to the slider (which was usually a ball), and it was like batting practice.  His slider has or had crazy movement, his fastball has none.  Whatever the pitching coaches turned Carlos Marmol into, the result is horrific.  And I feel horrifically bad for the man because I used to love watching him pitch....in the 8th inning.  He never should have been the closer.  I've said it from the beginning.  Why take him out of the 8th inning when he's doing great in that role.  Don't fix it if it ain't broke.  Well now it's broke, and I don't think anyone can fix it.  It's over for Marmol and the Cubs.  My hope is that he goes to another team....preferably in the American League, where some dynamo pitching coach can help him straighten out everything.  I wish the man success, I loved watching him pitch,  but I just don't want to watch it anymore.  It's a train wreck.

The news then broke Sunday, that Marmol's out as closer, and Fujikawa's in.  Great.  Fabulous.  Sound the trumpets.  They finally did what I've been saying they should do for two full seasons now.
The real question about the Cubs front office when it comes to Marmol is..."why is he even on the team still?".  They could have traded him for Dan Haren in the off season, and didn't because Dan Haren has a nagging hip problem.  Well Carlos Marmol has a nagging pitching badly problem.  And has for some time.  I woulda traded Marmol for the organist for the Las Vegas Area 51's and a couple of Ho Ho Kams this off season.  Seriously.

OK.  Now I'm getting depressed...but today is Opening Day at Wrigley!  Just checked the Sattelite, and it's looking good for weather this afternoon!  Come say Hi!!!! We will be in Terrace Reserved to the third base side behind home plate.  Look for two devastatingly handsome men sitting with an old lady (Mom Ranto)

In the meantime.... here's the podcast link for today!

https://soundcloud.com/danny-rockett/son-ranto-home-opener