Are you brave enough to hope?
(Daniel here, paying a visit. Don't worry, I'll clean up after myself.)
Just an innocent little picture, with an innocent little name.
The funniest thing is, the first thing I noticed when making a curiousity click onto the Cubs' MLB site was the 0-0 record to the right of the picture of the Cubs' probable starting pitcher for their Thursday game vs. the Nationals. After that, I saw the ERA of -.-- next to it (which was strangely hilarious, for some reason...why can the record be zero-and-zero, but the ERA has to be dash-point-dash-dash? Can't that just be zeroes, too? Isn't that easier?...what was I talking about?).
My mind led me down the proper path after that fruitless tangent, what with me having an abnormal amount of perception on Wednesdays. I surmised this must mean this was this pitcher's first appearance of this season, although whether this was because this pitcher was injured or in the minors I did not know. I used the word "this" like, six times in that last sentence. Sorry.
Then, I looked over at the picture. Then, I looked at the name just above that 0-0 record and that -.-- ERA. Back to the picture. Back to the name. Back to the picture. Over to the fridge for an A&W Cream Soda. Then, back to the name. Back to the picture. Swig of creamy soda goodness. Picture. Name.
I'm a very focused, persistent individual when I wanna be.
But after triple-checking my 2nd triple-check, I confirmed it. Yep. Kerry Wood, alright. Well, I'll be deep fried and served with an apple in my mouth.
...okay, skip the cooking thing, but you gotta realize -- I knew Wood had been put on the DL, but didn't know when he'd be back. I clicked on the Cubs site for just the purpose of finding out how close he was to being back, and shaboomvavoomkabang! there he was. Yeah, it wasn't just any bam! or simple pow!, it was all of those explosion-y noises rolled into one MEGA-KABLOOIE. And it had purty colors 'n it, too.
After a moment of contemplation on the meaning of this, I wondered about Mark Prior. Prior's and Wood's respective fates seem tied together for some reason -- noticing the story about Wood's first start in 2006 was posted a mere hour and change before the story about Prior's first rehab start could contribute to that, but I just can't shake the feeling that if one of those two were to finally get right, the other would follow suit.
Laced into Wood coming back and Prior hopefully not too far behind (and apparently Wade Miller right behind Prior) is the fact that the Cubs are not out of it yet. They've stopped their freefall, and coinciding with that has been some poor play on the part of the Astros (did the Giants just take their lunch money in Houston, or what?) and the Reds (swept by the Phillies, lost 2 of 3 so far to the Pirates, and two tough series against the Tigers and Brewers staring them in the face).
Sure, it's doubtful they catch, say, the Cardinals, but remember the A's start last season...they were 17-32 on May 29th (a .347 winning percentage), and ended up at 88-74 (a .543 winning percentage). They were 13.5 games out at that point, which was 12 calendar days and 10 games ahead of where the Cubs are now. And the Cubs' current .436 winning percentage is a much better place from which to mount a comeback.
(By the way, nevermind that the A's ended up seven games back of the Angels after being tied for the division lead as late as September 15th. The story was meant to inspire, dammit.)
So, it's been bad, no doubt. But getting those arms back plus Derrick Lee ought to inspire some sort of hope for those who bleed Cubbie blue, shouldn't it?
Just an innocent little picture, with an innocent little name.
The funniest thing is, the first thing I noticed when making a curiousity click onto the Cubs' MLB site was the 0-0 record to the right of the picture of the Cubs' probable starting pitcher for their Thursday game vs. the Nationals. After that, I saw the ERA of -.-- next to it (which was strangely hilarious, for some reason...why can the record be zero-and-zero, but the ERA has to be dash-point-dash-dash? Can't that just be zeroes, too? Isn't that easier?...what was I talking about?).
My mind led me down the proper path after that fruitless tangent, what with me having an abnormal amount of perception on Wednesdays. I surmised this must mean this was this pitcher's first appearance of this season, although whether this was because this pitcher was injured or in the minors I did not know. I used the word "this" like, six times in that last sentence. Sorry.
Then, I looked over at the picture. Then, I looked at the name just above that 0-0 record and that -.-- ERA. Back to the picture. Back to the name. Back to the picture. Over to the fridge for an A&W Cream Soda. Then, back to the name. Back to the picture. Swig of creamy soda goodness. Picture. Name.
I'm a very focused, persistent individual when I wanna be.
But after triple-checking my 2nd triple-check, I confirmed it. Yep. Kerry Wood, alright. Well, I'll be deep fried and served with an apple in my mouth.
...okay, skip the cooking thing, but you gotta realize -- I knew Wood had been put on the DL, but didn't know when he'd be back. I clicked on the Cubs site for just the purpose of finding out how close he was to being back, and shaboomvavoomkabang! there he was. Yeah, it wasn't just any bam! or simple pow!, it was all of those explosion-y noises rolled into one MEGA-KABLOOIE. And it had purty colors 'n it, too.
After a moment of contemplation on the meaning of this, I wondered about Mark Prior. Prior's and Wood's respective fates seem tied together for some reason -- noticing the story about Wood's first start in 2006 was posted a mere hour and change before the story about Prior's first rehab start could contribute to that, but I just can't shake the feeling that if one of those two were to finally get right, the other would follow suit.
Laced into Wood coming back and Prior hopefully not too far behind (and apparently Wade Miller right behind Prior) is the fact that the Cubs are not out of it yet. They've stopped their freefall, and coinciding with that has been some poor play on the part of the Astros (did the Giants just take their lunch money in Houston, or what?) and the Reds (swept by the Phillies, lost 2 of 3 so far to the Pirates, and two tough series against the Tigers and Brewers staring them in the face).
Sure, it's doubtful they catch, say, the Cardinals, but remember the A's start last season...they were 17-32 on May 29th (a .347 winning percentage), and ended up at 88-74 (a .543 winning percentage). They were 13.5 games out at that point, which was 12 calendar days and 10 games ahead of where the Cubs are now. And the Cubs' current .436 winning percentage is a much better place from which to mount a comeback.
(By the way, nevermind that the A's ended up seven games back of the Angels after being tied for the division lead as late as September 15th. The story was meant to inspire, dammit.)
So, it's been bad, no doubt. But getting those arms back plus Derrick Lee ought to inspire some sort of hope for those who bleed Cubbie blue, shouldn't it?
posted by Daniel at
12:02 AM
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