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Turn Back the Clock
Zambrano & Co. Play Like Their Old Selves
Jeff Curry/US PRESSWIRE
Once upon a time, yesterday's match-up between Chris Carpenter and Carlos Zambrano was a battle of aces. But then Big Z went big crazy, and everything has gone down from there. But Zambrano almost looked like his old self yesterday, giving up just two earned runs. Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee also recaptured past glory, as both hit solo home runs. Lou Piniella had Carlos Marmol get five outs for the save to seal the 3-2 victory, only the Cubs' third in 17 games. Ahh yes, this is what it feels like to win....
ESPN Chicago: Cubs' Carlos Zambrano ends Cardinals' four-game... [+ video]
Chicago Breaking Sports: Cubs hold off Cardinals 3-2 at Busch Stadium
Chicago Sun-Times: Cubs score a win for the goodbyes
Daily Herald: Zambrano wins for 1st time since banishment
MLB: Ramirez, Lee power Cubs past Cardinals [+ video]
Back in the Cut
Zambrano Wins with Cut Fastball
When most pitchers struggle, they try to simplify things. Not Big Z. Yesterday, he brought a cutter back into his stable of pitches. That gave him four solid pitches, and to us, diversifying his repertoire is a bigger sign of maturity than taking any anger-management class. "Zambrano pitched more like a savvy veteran Greg Maddux rather than the overamped, underachieving pitcher he has been for more than two years," ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine said. And hell, we don't care if brings back the eephus pitch as long as he keeps winning.
ESPN Chicago: Zambano puts cut fastball back in rotation
ESPN Chicago: Zambrano looks new and improved
Chicago Cubs Online: What the Z? Cubs beat Carpenter and the Cards
Cardinal Sin
Is the Cubs/Cards Rivalry Good or Bad?
Most baseball experts call the Cubs/Cardinals rivalry "one of the greatest in sports." And Counting begs to differ: The blog doesn't like the whining (from both sides) and they especially don't like it when FOX works the broadcasts. "Baseball on FOX is stupid," the blog eloquently says. Yeah, we don't like the announcers or graphics, either. But something about an afternoon game between the two legendary franchises keeps them glued to the set: "It feels like the Olympics. Or a Rocky movie." Oh no, now that song is in our heads....
And Counting: Just something about Cubs, Cardinals on a Saturday
Bad for Business
Terrible Season Hits Rooftops Hard
This miserable season hasn't just broken hearts, it's put a serious dent in the pocketbooks of rooftop owners around Wrigley. When people stop going to games, rooftop owners can't pay their $31,865 mortgages. (Wow.) That's why you've seen half-price rooftop offers on Groupon. If things get bad enough, the Cubs could buy these troubled buildings. One theory has the Cubs turning the rooftops into luxury suites, as the current incarnation of Wrigley Field can't hold more skyboxes. Is Wrigleyville going to turn into Rickettsland?
Chicago Tribune: Wrigley rooftop owners on shaky financial ground
Waxpaperbeercup: Ricketts eyes rooftops?
Start Me Up
A Look at Next Year's Rotation
At one point, the Cubs' starting pitching was a huge strength: Carlos Silva was a Cy Young candidate (seriously), Ted Lilly was holding his own, and Ryan Dempster was solid. Well, Silva has heart problems, Lilly is gone, and only Dempster has remained consistent. Meanwhile, before yesterday's game Cubs pitchers had gone 2-8 with a 6.24 ERA since Lilly headed west. Who will start next year? The Sun-Times says Dempster, Tom Gorzelanny, and then... who knows? Casey Coleman or Jeff Samardzija? That beer vendor in section 431?
Chicago Sun-Times: '11 rotation a big mystery for Cubs
Carlos Silva will throw a rehab start in the minors before returning to the rotation after his heart procedure... Former Cub Ted Lilly won last night, making him 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA since being traded to the Dodgers... Milton Bradley is going to have knee surgery, which will likely end his season.
"I hate the Cardinals more than Ozzie Guillen hates
Jay Mariotti."
-Carl Gietl
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