So I was driving my car, hanging my arm out the window, heading over to my parents’ house, to help them put in the air conditioner. No matter how bad the Cubs are, no matter how low the morale is right now, there is one thing that I ALWAYS enjoy; listening to Pat & Ron on the radio. I’m telling you man… just great; they seem even better now. Maybe it’s because I’m not a big fan of our TV play by play guy; maybe it’s because the Cubs suck, and they’re still doing their thing… true professionals. I happen to be listening to the 4th inning specifically on Wednesday afternoon, when the Cubs broke it open.
At the center of this big inning, was a long AB by Frank Schwindel. Hey, I like Frank; frankly, I will support anybody in a Cubs uniform. Even if I’m not a big fan of an individual, I’m rooting for the Cubs regardless, so that means I need to root for them; it works the same for all my teams. I know they call him “Frank the Tank”… obvious, good nickname for a guy named Frank. Me? I call him “The Plumber”. I just feel like his name sounds like it; I feel like that could be an alternate career for him, maybe sooner than later. He’s been struggling so far this season. He almost broke out of it in a big way on Tuesday night in San Diego when he hit a 2 out, bases loaded, fly ball to the wall, that would have been a go-ahead grand slam. On Wednesday afternoon, Frankie put in one of those great ABs, where there’s foul ball after foul ball after foul ball. As the battle continued, the guys said, and I agree, the advantage goes to the hitter. I think back to a Rizzo AB against the Cardinals in Wrigley… something like an 18 pitch AB that ended with one in the seats. This line drive by Schwindel didn’t quite make it to the seats, but it bounced off the top of the center field wall, driving in 2 runs, giving the Cubs the lead; bravo Plumber!
Yeah, the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead; the Padres hit 2 solo homers that tied it up, but… the Cubs offense wasn’t done, and when Alfonso Rivas (I kind of like him) hit one back up the middle into center field with the bases loaded, the Cubs had their 2 run lead back; this time it held. This meant that the Cubs won a series for the first time since their opening series, back at Wrigley against the Brewers, a little more than a month ago. At 11-19, the Cubs aren’t exactly killing it, but… just like a win is a win, and will be celebrated, a series win is a series win; act accordingly!
The Cubs will stay out west, actually heading back a little east, to play 3 in Arizona vs the Diamondbacks next. How’s Arizona doing? 17-15 in a really tough division. Do the Cubs dare win another series? Hoping I find myself in the car during some of it, so I could hear Pat & Ron soothe my mind, win, lose, or otherwise… Go Cubs!
Leave a Reply