Best Cubs Game of the Year!

I wasn't going to go to yesterday's Cubs game, because A. I was hungover from the Tito's Vodka Trailer in the VIP section of the Robert Plant Concert on Friday, and B.  The tickets on StubHub never went under 40$, or at least when they did, they were either snatched up before I could buy em, or they were in nosebleed, and simply not worth it.  But after a day of recovery, and the sound of Pat Hughes saying "Cubs Baseball is On the Air!", I put on pants and headed down on my faithful two wheeled steed, to at least be around Wrigley, for the electric atmosphere of 42,000 fans witnessing a rare Saturday night ballgame at the Friendly Confines.  I'm glad I went.

I snapped off a few shots, around the ballpark, when I was approached by a lovely gentleman, sporting a shiny gold tooth,  inquiring of my need to procure tickets to tonights contest.  I hadn't planned on it, thinking the seats would be "premium priced", but after a brief and amicable negotiation, we agreed on 30$ for a 200 level seat in the 13th row behind home plate.  I introduced myself as Son Ranto, he as Cleo, and I asked him if we could take a picture together for today's blog.  He agreed. And here it is.

Cleo is probably the nicest scalper I have yet done business with outside of Wrigley.  His price was fair, his negotiation easy, and he didn't act as if I was taking food out of a baby's mouth just because I haggled a 40$ asking price down to 30$.  So, if you don't have a ticket, Cleo's you're man.  You don't get an expensive gold tooth in this business if you're not good at what you do.  And Cleo is excellent.  

Heading through the turnstiles, there is always that brief moment when you think you just bought a counterfeit seat.  I've bought many counterfeit products in the past, but don't learn my lesson.  I've bought powdered sugar for 120$, oregano for 50$, and a bag of mushrooms, that it took an hour of looking at my hands, to realize were also counterfeit, at a Grateful Dead show in Tampa in 1995.  But this ticket was real, and a great seat!  Thanks Cleo!

My only issue with this seat was the obstructed view caused by the ivory headed man in front of me.  Cleo couldn't have foreseen that though, and I didn't blame him.  

What a ballgame!  The Cubs roughed up Lance Lynn early, and by the end of the 4th inning, the Cubs had a 6-1 lead.  Garza, in likely his last start as a Cub, was pretty damn good, pitching 6 2/3 and giving up 2, while Soriano and Valbuena both hit homeruns. They'd need all of it, as the Cardinals fought back in the last three innings, putting the tying run on base in the 8th, and the go ahead run on base in the 9th.  Cubs/Cardinals games are highly charged events, and with the blankets of red covering large swaths of the seating bowl, the Crimson colored fans made their presence known throughout the game. The stadium was packed for the forst time this year, and it was electric!

Seated next to me throughout the game, were two very nice Cardinal's fans from the Champagne/Urbana area named TJ and Katrina.  Katrina was quite inebriated upon our first meeting, but TJ supplied her with food until she proclaimed herself sober enough to watch by about the 5th inning.  The Trayvon Martin verdict came in "not guilty"during the 7th, and we all had a frank discussion about race, segregation, opportunity, and the fear that violence might erupt in Chicago tonight.  Well...not sure what would make it particularly different than any other bloody Summer Saturday in Chicago, but none of us certainly hoped to find out either.  They were thoughtful about the verdict and what it meant.  These are Card's fans from Illinois, not Missouri.  I'm now certain it makes a difference as to your level of social and political progressiveness.  And it has since Missouri was admitted as a slave state in 1820.

TJ is a nice guy and a huge fan, and it was a pleasure to sit next to him to get the lowdown on what's going on with the Cards, and how he felt about each player.  It was refreshing to hear him say, "Oh...Descalso's up...easy out".  Because to me, there is no such thing when the Cubs face the Cards.  All the Cardinal's hitters seem dangerous.  And have seemed that way since Keith Hernandez was playing 1st base...BTW....if you haven't seen this Keith Hernandez mockumentary....you just should...it's awesome...

Take me Out to the Ballgame was sung masterfully out of tune by Dutchie Carey, as last night was the anniversary of the untimely death of our beloved Harry at the the age of 84.

And of course, the most exciting part of the game was the last out, and the traditional singing of Steve Goodman's "Go Cubs Go!".

Cubs Win!  Cubs Win! Holy Cow!

So great game.  Great fans.  I drank Pepsi instead of beer.  And when it was all said and done, as I smoked a celebratory cigarette outside the main gates, I was approached by a young couple, holding 2 Harry Carey statues (yesterday's giveaway) who asked me to take their picture on their iphone.  I said, "and it'll only cost you just one Harry Carey statue".  I was kidding of course, but after the photo session, the guy said, "here you go", and handed me one of them.  I couldn't believe my luck!  I introduced myself, and thanked them profusely.  This generosity after a Cubs win, had my heart full of Chicago baseball pride.  What lovely humans!  So, a big shout out to Zach and Meta!  You guys are the best!!!

Gonna do it again today!  

It's a matchup of All Stars.  Wainwright, who we beat in St. Louis, vs. Wood.  This is the ESPN Sunday night game, so I look forward to all of my Twitter followers and followees complaining about the announcers, such as they did last night with Fox's Cardinal's biased Buck and McCarver.  I'll make a suggestion to either come down to Wrigley on those nights, or listen to Pat and Keith.  I hate the national announcers...hate em....

Ok!!!! Play us out Accordion guy!

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2015 Cubs Off Day Blues

The Cubs have managed to win the last 3 series!  There's something I haven't said all year.  Fortunately, there was a lull in the schedule, and we faced 3 teams worse than the Chicago Cubs.  The Astros, Brewers, and Mariners.  We now sit 10 games under .500, 1 game away from the halfway point, and with the trade deadline looming, and key players expected to depart Chicago for prospects and cash, the future doesn't look so bright.  Or does it?  Oh yeah....2015....

Except for one game against the WhiteSox, the Cubs don't face a single bad team this month, until Milwaukee comes in for 4 the last 3 days of July (double header).  With Sweeney and DeJesus on the shelf, Marmol off the team, and the rest of the offensive regulars underperforming, what will stop the Cubs from scuffling the rest of the way?  The bullpen, except Kevin Gregg, already looks shot, and we're not even half way through the season!  Kevin Gregg will be gone soon anyway, and then who will close?  Russel?  Then who's the lefty?  Fujikawa's getting the Tommy John.  And with Garza and Feldman on the trading block, who will start?  Who will be the long reliever when Carlos Villanueva comes back to the rotation?  Soooo many questions.  No answers.  Oh yeah....2015....

Recently, Theo Epstein has come out in recent support of Sveum and his management skills, saying we've put an imperfect team on the field, and it's not his fault.  Then whose fault is it boy wonder?  Oh yeah...yours! Your big free agent signing has been a bust so far in Edwin Jackson.  And even though Schierholtz and Sweeney, fill in signings, have performed well, the core of the team in Castro, Barney and Rizzo has underperformed.  What exactly are you building Theo?  Besides a scoreboard and a hotel.  You do realize that in 2015, all bets are off, and those fans who drank the Kool Aid you fed them a year ago, will be demanding a championship, or at least a decent playoff run.  You have a window of opportunity here in Chicago, and it's closing fast Theo.  In 2015....

I am impatient by nature, and I'm not going to pretend putting a winning baseball team together is an easy task.  But so far....meh....I don't see too many glimmers of hope except for starting pitching, and as always, you're an injury away from a huge roster hole.  Especially after trading away any pitching depth and experience we might have.  And Cubs fans have had it!  Wrigley is a great place to see a ball game, but people have stopped showing up because there's nothing to really watch.  There is not a single Cubs hitter who strikes fear in the hearts of the other team.  Not one.  In 1987, at least the last place Cubs had Dawson and Sandberg.  Who do we have now?  A bunch of kids.  And if they don't develop, it's your ass Theo, it really is.  In 2015.

Who will these Cubs be in 2 years?  Will Castro be a .300 hitter?  Will Rizzo hit 40 homers?  Will Darwin Barney bat .270 AND win a Gold Glove?  Will Samardskjbfkeb have 20 wins?  Will Jorger Soler win rookie of the year? All this has to at least come close to happening, in order for the Cubs to make a run at it in 2015.  Everything, and everyone else is a question mark.  Well....Enjoy the second half!  I know I will.....in 2015.....

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I Must Be in the Front Row!

Some of you may be too young to remember, but in the 80's, there was a Miller Lite commercial featuring Bob Uecker where he gets booted from his seat for acting rowdy.  When security comes to get him, and tells him he's in the wrong seat, Uecker says, "I must be in the front row...". Of course, he ends up in nose bleed seats, and the last shot of him is in the last row of the stadium screaming, "He missed the tag!"  It's hilarious, and unfortunately, I couldn't find a Youtube of it as all the links were broken due to copyright infringement...boo-urns...

Unlike Uecker, yours truly, Son Ranto did sit in the first row yesterday.  For the first time since a 16 inning game against the Atlanta Braves in 1987, I successfully snuck down the the First Row of box seats.  Right behind the Brewers Ball Boy.  I had a little help from my Brother in law, and his neighbor Paul, who actually had tickets in the section.  We did the old, ticket exchange every time someone got up.  I personally paid 10$ for a scalped ticket right in front of the Stadium.  Not bad seats for 10$ eh?

It was a great place to watch the Cubs beat the Brewers 7-2 for the series win anyway.  The only surprises in the game, besides the Cubs scoring 7 runs, was that Matt Garza, who usually swings the bat terribly, had 2 hits!  And his trade baitability, increased 10 fold because of a 7 inning, 7 strikeout appearance.  With Garza's contract up this year, and his proneness to injury, I actually hope he's gone by tonight.  It's a damned shame too, because it would be nice to have Garza as a Cub for the next few years.  I think he's a great pitcher when he's healthy.  Possibly we can resign him in the off season.  He fits in well in Chicago.  

Another notable achievement from yesterday was 2 hits from my man, Starlin Castro.  Now, I've been hard on Starlin this year, but since his benching on Tuesday, he has gone 2-5 in the next two games.  Could this be the turn around we're all waiting for?  Let's hope.  Because if the Cubs are going to complete their World Series plans in 2015, Starlin's going to have to be a part of it.  Too bad Dale didn't bench Castro two weeks ago, when almost every fan in the stands said that's what needed to happen.

Another notable achievement from the game, was Dioner Navarro's 7th home run, a line drive, 3 run shot to right.  He has to be the best hitting back up catcher in the majors. with 7 home runs and 17 RBI's in only 89 at bats over 36 games.  The offensive production out of the Catcher's spot has been impressive, along with Castillo.  The defense, not so much, but as a Cubs' fan in 2013, I'll take what I can get.... 

Like Front Row Seats!!!! 

Check out how close I was to the Sausage Races!

Go Hot Dog!!!!

Hot Dog Wins!!!!

The Sausages exited up my row!!! I'm awesome!!!

Just a quick note if you plan on gambling on the Sausage races, which I did the previous evening, winning a dollar off the Rally Banana.  The Brewers Ballboy told me that there's a broken piece in the Chorizo costume, and it's also the most top heavy.  Chorizo hardly ever wins.  Do you think the Brewers are racist?  Making the latino sausage slowest?  Probably....

Yes.  The front row is definitely the way to watch the Cubs win Matt Garza's last start in pinstripes.  I suggest you all try it sometime.  

Well, it's time to start falling asleep in fron of the TV while watching the game again.  Cubs are in Seattle tonight.  I really wish I could go, but alas, I cannot afford it.  We got Travis Wood 5-6, 2.85 vs Hisashi Iwakuma 7-3, 2.26.  I know nothing about the Mariners except for that they have virtually the same record as the Cubs, and none of their starters are batting over .300, and Aaron Harang, who the Cubs face Saturday, is on their team now.  The good news is, we don't have to face King Felix Hernandez!

Well, I won't be at another game until the Cubs come home 7/5.  In the meantime...

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Cubs Beat Astros. Excited yet?

The wind was howling out to left field after a 3 hour thunderstorm delay, which I waited out in my apartment ,playing guitar and eating hot dogs.  The rain stopped, rode my bike under the El tracks as to avoid the cars that were all managing to spray me as they drove by on Montrose.  I grabbed the single seater next to the left wall in terrace reserved.  But as the players warmed up, the wind died, and my reason for sitting there, to catch a wind blown foul ball, died with it.  

My reason for going to this game was that I thought the Cubs would win, which they did 3-1.  But as I moved around the ballpark, watching the game from a new seat every time I bought a Becks Saphire, I still found myself disappointed at the Cubs lack of effort, execution, and focus.  Well, not everybody....I'll start with the positives...

Darwin Barney was a triple away from the cycle.  Which means yes, he hit a home run!

I like the catchers new Ford shinguard...

Anthony Rizzo went 2-4, and also hit a dinger...

Wow!  The pitcher has a Ford backpack!

And Matt Garza pitched pretty darn great.  8 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 8 ks....

But Garza is also the perfect transition to talking about what's wrong with this Cubs team.  

Why can't Garza throw the ball to first base?  I mean, go see a hypnotist or something in the off season!  

Why is Matt Garza picking up a baseball one of the scariest things that can happen in the major leagues.  He's got the yips bad.  I can see in my minds eye, in the 7th game of the 2015 World Series, Garza throwing a ball away in the top of the 7th, leading to a huge rally, and we all sob through Take Me Out to the Ball Game.  Seriously Matt...hypnotist!  

Here's someone else who needs a hypnotist.  Starlin freaking Castro.  

Dear Starlin, I understand you're frustrated, but now your just coming off like some kind of entitled baby jerk.  It's obvious to all of us that you are not a scrapper, a down and dirty, tough as nails player.  You're a pretty boy, and you're not dealing with the first big slump of your career with any grace or dignity.  Here's a little peek into Castro's day.

The Strike Out, leading to the.....

Fake bat break, leading to the...

Throwing error....leading to the...

The called third strike, leading to the...

The Sulk....leading to....

A Double!  Lost in the Ivy!!! Leading to....

Scott Hairston picked off First, leading to...

Castro trying to steal home!!!! Leading too...

Umm...why exactly didn't you slide?  

Probably because he doesn't want to get his pants dirty.  

I understand that players go through slumps, and that its frustrating, bu the lack of fire in Castro's belly really annoys the crap outta me.  You're getting millions of dollars to play a kids game, and Castro is in many respects still a kid.  A baby if you will.  I wish Lou Piniella was still the manager, cause he would have already torn him a new one.  Castro is coddled by the Cubs because if he goes bust, the whole future of the Cubs is kinda bust.  It's obvious that the Cubs have begun building around Rizzo, Castro and Samakjebfkebkbfior.  If 1/3 of that equation isn't working, that leaves the Cubs with a huge hole.  Sure we have Baez in the minors, but who know's about him.  He's never been up to the the Big Show.  

Well, yesterday was one game against the second worst team in the majors...and the Cubs won!

I didn't get to stay til the end of the game unfortunately as I had a CigarBQ to attend.  Free booze, BBQ, and Cigars.  Might I suggest you eat at Three Aces.  Chef Matt Troost, 2 time champ of bacon fest was killing it with the Quail last night!

But at the game, the atmosphere, the sounds, the smells of Wrigley were just as magical as always....

I'll be back today to watch Travis Wood, 5-6, 2.74 face Bud Norris, 5-7, 3.64.  Woods been a tough luck loser, along with much of the starting staff.  

But if we see more of this...(Scott Hairston's dinger)

And less of this....(Barney tagged in a "strike em out throw em out DP"

We just might sweep these terrible Astros....

Go Cubbies!!!!

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Marla Collins, remember?

Cubby Broom Time in NYC!

What kind of broom should we sweep the Mets with today?  

This Old Tymey one?  Or This Broom would be fun to sweep with!  Not!!

But I'm partial to sweeping the Mets with Orlando Broom.

Whichever broom we pick, it'll be nice to finally sweep a 3 game road series.  

Now about yesterdays game....Cubs Win!  5-2!!  But...and this is a huuuuge but, the Cubs, individually speaking, left 35 men on base.  35!!!!  Starlin Castro left 9 on himself!  Though he did drive in two with a bases loaded double in the 8th.  He also struck out 3 times, thus the 9 left on base.  Wouldn't it be great if it was exciting to see Castro come up with the bases loaded?  Like it was when Aramis Ramirez or Derek Lee?  Ahh... the many faces of Starlin Castro's Strikeouts....

"The Pout"

"The Bat Break Fake Out"

"The Mic Drop"

Oh, Starlin...will you ever hit again?

The Cubs were 3-18 with runners in scoring position, so basically the final score should have been 12-2.  So great, Cubs win!  But it just didn't quite feel right.  Good thing Scott Feldman was killing it yesterday, 7 innings, 2 hits, 1 run.  The thing that gets me, is as soon as a guy is doing really well, everyone on Twitter wants to trade him for some prospects.  Do you know how many prospects end up being busts?  At least 50% of them.  Probably more.  Also, don't factor out the intangible element of playing together as a team, and just simply knowing one another over a period of time.  If you have constant roster shakeups, and trade away all your players that are having decent years, you're ensuring a lot more losses after August, and a furthering of the Cubs losing culture.  So, don't trade Feldman, or Garza.  We have a great pitching staff, and you know that at least one of them is going to get injured  and be out for the rest of the year.  Y'all ready for Brooks Raley again?  

This game also saw a crazy play in the 9th, where the Cubs almost got triple played, except for the Mets ineptitude at turning it.  The centerfielder Lagares caught the ball, but it was ruled a trap.

The Cubs runners froze, Lagares then threw to second. The umpire ruled "Safe", but there was a force out from first, so the umpire was wrong.  Again. 

 The force is now off at third and home because of the out at second.  They threw home, thought there was an out there.  There wasn't.  Then threw to third where David Wright thought he had another force out.  He didn't.  Wellington Castillo was stupidly standing off the bag at third, so if Wright tags him, it's another out, but David Price whispered in his ear to get back on the base, which he did in the nick of time.  

Why in the hell would you be standing off a base?  Ever?  Just dumb.  

So, bases loaded, no outs, and the Cubs don't score.  I saw that happen in Pittsburgh in a 1-0 loss.  That also was terrible.  I hate it.  

However, Castillo did upend Jordany Valdespin, who has a great fashion designer name if the baseball thing doesn't work out. 

Good hard clean baseball!

Let the sweeping commence!  Matt Garza pitches today, and hopefully it goes better than last time when he got shelled by the Reds for 9, count em 9 runs!

And the Cubs hitters are up against Jeremy Hefner, who is 1-6 with a 4.11 ERA.  This idiot went to Oral Roberts University, so I think I probably hate him.  I hope the Cubbies send him to kingdom come!  Which this moron probably believes he's going to when he dies.  The fool!  At least he's a righty, so we don't have to watch Scott Hairston try and hit in Dale's crappy lefty lineup.  He's been better, but still pretty awful

Tomorrow, I head to St. Louis to watch the Cubbies in enemy territory!  I'm scared.  Won't you please use the amazon search bar at http://www.sonranto.com to help me with tickets, pepper spray, gas and beer?

Also, check out my article on Bleed Cubbie Blue!

Really appreciate it!  Go Cubbies!!

Awesome Fight in LA! Cubs Lose!

It really is not worth it to talk about last nights Cubs game, because it was the suckiest suck that ever sucked.  When I turned on the game in the top of the 6th, after returning from Dave and Busters, I thought I'd sit down to a nice 3-1 ballgame, and hangout with my Twitter friends, but alas.  Things changed and they changed fast.  The Reds scored 6, all charged to starter Matt Garza, who gave up, gulp, 9 runs total yesterday.  Despite the Cubs, ummm, 4 errors, all 9 runs were earned.  The Reds hit, damn, 4 home runs and 4 doubles.  And at the end of this game, the Cubs lost 9-2.  This is what happens when good teams play bad teams.  The bad teams get their, ouch, asses handed to them.  This game was nothing but a laugher.  Worst of all, Starlin Castro went 0-3, and is now batting, oh jeebus,  .240.

So, yeah, nothing about last nights Cubs game is worth talking about unless you're a Reds fan.  But....

Soooooo much more happened on the West Coast last night.  Awesome baseball fight!  It started in the 6th, when the Dodgers Puig was hit badly by the pitch.  I mean, this dude seems hurt.

An inning later, Dodger pitcher Zack Greinke was hit by a pitch!  Right in the face!

Then this happened.....

Pow!  Zap!  Bomph!!!

 Crack!  Bang!  Thwack!!!

Boom! Bop! Boing!!

I'm coming for you next ump!!! 

I will seriously stretch out your shirt!  Watch me! 

Break it up....break it...ahh...what the hell...fight! 

You smell!  No you do!   

 I know I'm short and bald, but I know Karate!

Eat Railing!

Ahhhh!!!! 

 You wanna see my shrunken balls?!

Fuggaitaboutit! 

The old butterfly shadow puppet....

Wanna see our pimp walk?

See, much better than talking about how Darwin Barney is batting .201, but for some reason is batting lead off, and Cody Ransom committed 3 of the cubs 4 errors, and Soriano strikes out, like, um, most of the time.  Yes.  The fight is more entertaining.

I'm going to Wrigley today, weather permitting, hopefully something like this awesome baseball fight will happen.  But I doubt it, the Cubs look dead.  Besides, Aroldis Chapman and Joey Votto  of the Reds could take like 5 Cubs each at a time.  We'd get beat in the game and the fight too....At least  Carlos Marmol would come in handy, he seems like he can fight.  

Anyway, the game's going to get rained out, but Mike Leake 5-3, 2.93 goes against Travis Wood, 5-4, 2.65.  These are two great hitting pitchers, and if we are going to win any games this series, it will likely be this one.  But alas, here come the rains....

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