Last night can summed up in one word "frustration". With the way Lackey had been pitching of late this one made me nervous before a pitch was thrown. Sometimes I hate being right. I've noticed that when this team is pressing at the plate in a game they'll often need one mistake by the pitcher to capitalize on to get them untracked. That mistake wasn't coming. Yes, the strike zone blew but it was one heck of a pitcher's duel until the 8th. These young Cubs had chances but not the kind of chances that get them going. The team had won 9 straight including an emotional 1 game playoff against Pittsburgh. None of us should really be surprised that they came out tight with the stands packed with the Cardinals' red clad, reptilian throngs. (I hate those people btw)
So many of you are seemingly resigned to going home assuming that today's game will be a loss. I assume nothing in playoff baseball. Have the results over the last two days in the other series gone according to plan? Look anyone that thought this was going to be easy and a sweep was coming on the side of the good guys was living in a fantasy. I've always thought they would split these first two and although last night would have made things easier it was not to be. They can win today folks. Hendricks has pitched well lately, the sphincters could very well be less tight today. If they aren't going to hit they aren't going to win but how many times have we seen that switch flipped this season? I'm not over the top optimistic nor am I jumping off of buildings. I'm not ready to make excuses for a young team nor have I lost sight of the fact that there has never been a team with 3 full time rookie starters in the playoffs before. I'm not going to say "relax, they've got this" nor am I putting an L up on the board before a pitch is thrown. We'll all be in front of that TV again tonight watching the game and no, it ain't over yet. Hell, the fat lady isn't even allowed in the ballpark until Monday at the earliest.
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