BY SCOTT LAUBER CHICAGO -- Morning, all. Another positively gorgeous day here, and since I have a few minutes before the Phillies' clubhouse begins buzzing, a few words about Wrigley Field:
This is my third trip to the friendly confines, and each time, I like it even more. I'm pretty discerning when it comes to stadiums. When I was a kid, my dad always took me to Yankee Stadium. I went to college in Boston and lived across Kenmore Square from Fenway Park back when you didn't have to sell your first-born to get Red Sox tickets (it was only 10 years ago). And while I'm still partial to those ballparks, Wrigley is cut from the same mold. To come here is to feel baseball history. This is where Babe Ruth called his shot in the 1932 World Series. It's where Ernie Banks belted his 500th career homer in 1970. And it's where a fan named Steve Bartman became famous (infamous?) in 2003.
One of the coolest things in sports happens here in the seventh inning. A celebrity (think Vince Vaughn or Bill Murray) or well-known sports personality leads the crowd, usually a sellout, in a rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." It's a nod to the late, legendary broadcaster Harry Caray, who used to lean out of his booth and serenade the crowd.
Another cool feature is a sign on the Lakeview Baseball Club, which sits across Sheffield Avenue on the right-field side. The sign reads "Eamus Catuli!" ("Let's Go Cubs," in Latin) and is flanked by a counter showing the Cubs' legacy of futility. Currently, the counter reads "AC006299." AC stands for "Anno Catuli," or "In the Year of The Cubs." The first two digits (00) represent the number of years since the Cubs' last division title (2007). The next two digits (62) indicate the number of years since the Cubs' last World Series appearance (1945). And the final two digits (99) represent the number of years since the Cubs' last World Series championship (1908).On that note, I talked to Phillies pitchers Scott Eyre and Jamie Moyer yesterday about what it's like to play for this franchise. Moyer broke in with the Cubs way back in 1986. Eyre just left the organization three weeks ago when he was traded to the Phillies.
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J.C. Romero may get scolded by his mother, a Pentecostal preacher from Puerto Rico, for screaming some not-so-nice words in Spanish after he struck out the side to bail Brett Myers and the Phillies out of a jam in the eighth inning of yesterday's 5-2 victory. But, as Romero said, "Everyone in the clubhouse knew how much we needed to win that game." So, Gladys Romero will just have to understand.
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The Mets' blew a late lead last night in Florida, so the Phils are back to one game out of first place in the NL East. Big game today (so big, in fact, that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has stopped by to catch the game between political conventions).
Breaking news: Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano has been scratched from the start because of a "dead arm." Lefty Sean Marshall will start in his place. Possible break for the Phillies? Marshall has a 13.50 ERA in five career appearances (two starts) against the Phils.
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Within the Phillies notebook, Matt Stairs talks about partying with Rocky Balboa, and Pat Gillick discusses Kris Benson, other possible trades and September call-ups.
Back later with more. For now, enjoy the game, and enjoy your Sunday.
1 comment:
I'll take all the breaks that we can get through the rest of the season. Zambrano going down is great for us because he kills the Phillies and everyone else! With the Mets bullpen emploding again one can only hope and pray that the have begun their September swoon. Go PHillies
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