Patience

Every year, all summer long I root for my beloved Cubbies to make it to the playoffs. I follow almost every pitch (more so now that I have a DVR) and am excited or heart broken in true Cubbie fan fashion game by freaking game. When they do make the playoffs, I am one excited son of a bitch. I brag and yap and buy a new cap and walk around my neighborhood watching the preperations. Signs go up, bars get specials (Lots of Sopporo this year), and Wrileyville buzzes.

Then, the day arrives. It is the day of game 1. And I get a sinking, sad feeling. A nervousness that we will once again be the talk of SportsCenter with our futility. I don't want to hear anymore talk of goddamn goats, cats, lizards, or whatever the hell will happen that year to get us. I remember Arizona, Atlanta, and those damned Marlins. And I don't like it.

This series, I think, comes down to tonight. Yes, that is a little extreme but hear me out. Lowe is a fantastic pitcher. I don't buy the awesome numbers of the past month due largely to who the Dodgers were playing. But to lose game one will give us that dreaded, familiar feeling in the gut. And we all know how Cubs fans react to that. I mention Game 7 in 2003.

Tonight, the key to the game is patience. Wait for your pitch against this crafty sinkerballer and hope the strike zone is a touch on the small side. No matter what I say, Soriano will swing at Lowe's first pitch. And he will swing hard. But I maintain that making him throw a lot of pitches and relaxing in that batter's box will win us this game.

I expect low scoring games and great pitching. Tonight is the best of the best: Dempster and Lowe. Being a short series we may just see these guys go at it twice. Both times at Wrigley. I expect good things from both Ramirez'.

I do think the Cubs will win in four but I do not think it will have seemed like a 3-1 series. It will seem like a 6-4 series. I think Zambrano will be OK and I believe in Harden. Now I am only predicting this game because I cannot concentrate on anything else right now so I will go in dpeth and be roundly mocked later.

Game 1: Cubs win 3-2. They will be losing 1-0 mostthe game and in the seventh or so the bats will come alive for 3 quick runs. Wood will give up a run before nailing it down.

Game 2: Cubs win 7-5. Zambrano looks awesom. Awesome! for 6 innings. Luckily, this is the bats game and the Cubs squeak it out. Marmol gets the win.

Game 3: 2-0 Dodgers. Ouch. The sky is falling. No one can hit a ball and things look bad up North. But not too bad with a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: 3-1 Cubs. Dodgers leave 9 on base and will have had ample chances but we only are walking Manny by now and he will not kill us.

Final: 3-1 Cubs.

Enjoy and do not expect me to answer the phone for a while tonight.