Giants vs. Cubs. It was the MLB.tv free game. The Cubs are not suffering for a lack of exposure, especially at Wrigley, this year. It’s almost like I’m still able to watch them on WGN America. I’m a Giants fan, but I was really more interested in hearing the dulcet tones of Jon Miller calling the game this time. I was glad for the choice of the TV and radio calls of the game, since Jon Miller gets passed between both.
It was a nippy night in Chicago at about 50 degrees with the stiff 20 mph wind chill. The stadium and bleachers were packed, as has been all year. There were plenty of Giants fans there. The game started with Denard Span leading off and having an animated conversation with Cubs’ catcher, David Ross. You have to wonder what they were talking about. Span would get on and Hunter Pence would drive him in with a two-run bleacher shot homer into the wind. The ball went out at 110 mph. Jeff Samardzija had a long bottom of the 1st, starting with a dozen pitch at-bat to Dexter Fowler. Nine batters come to the plate and three scored. 3-2 Cubs after one.
Miller started off an inning talking about Giants’ ticket plans. Season tickets are sold out, but there’s a $500 non-refundable deposit for the division series tickets. That seems optimistic, but it would certainly make you cheer harder. (For $500, I could get into the Westar Club all season with the El Paso Chihuahuas, or have a lifetime personal seat at the Aggies’ Presley-Askew Field, or have a section named after me at the Aggie softball field and a date with my favorite player, with a chaperon of course.) In the 2nd, Joe Panik got on via a hit by pitch and advanced to third on a very wild pitch. Samardzija sacrificed him in. In the 3rd, Buster Posey scored on a fielder’s choice. 4-3 Giants.
Samardzija somehow made it through four innings. The wind knocked down a couple of Cubs’s balls that would have cleared the fence. In the 7th, the Cubs loaded the bases, two of which were thanks to Hunter Strickland. I’m reliably informed that he’s a much better pitcher when I’m not watching. Sorry, Hunter. Even using four pitchers for the inning, thanks to September callup rules (which really need to be amended, talk about “pace of play” issues), a blooper by Addison Russell drove in two. Carl Edwards Jr. closed the game (no NASCAR jokes, too easy, and where’s Chapman?) and the Cubs won 5-4.
I’m not liking the Giants’ chances this year. As this game showed, the team has starting and relief pitching issues. Apart from the Hunter Pence, they also looked kind of lethargic on offense. I don’t like or think much of the Dodgers, but they’re winning more than the Giants, which isn’t very hard. It is really a pity that the Rockies don’t have just a little better pitching and Trevor Story in the lineup with David Dahl. This division could be had this year. Next year, the Dodgers and Giants will upgrade and it will be a lot harder.
The Texas Rangers were idle tonight. I checked out a couple of websites. I finally got to hear Eric Nadel’s call of Roughned Odor’s game-winning home run from Tuesday. I’d heard other people rave about it. Of course it was Hall of Fame quality. They’re having a Baseball 101 at the ballpark on Friday, The Joy of Scorekeeping. The picture shows some attractive young women keeping scorecards in their seats. Again, where are these women?
I meant to listen to the Chihuahuas’ broadcast, but missed the beginning, which was what I really wanted to hear. Unfortunately, I came in at the anthem, which in contrast to the others I’ve heard lately, made me go back to the Giants and Cubs. Unlike NFL spokesman, Colin Kapernick, I’d still stand for it, but I’d be tempted to stick my fingers in my ears.
I did tune back in later after the game. It ended up being a 5-1 loss to the Las Vegas 51’s. I did hear the play of game. A ball with extreme spin went way foul, but ended up fair and turned into an out. It seemed so foul, the batter didn’t even move out of the box. Tim Hagerty talked about it for about five minutes. He was amazed. Hey, Hunter Renfroe was named the PCL MVP, another Major award for the Chihuahuas.
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