No, Thank YOU!

At the end of every game, the PA Announcer says "Thanks for coming" or words to that effect. Well, after last night's experience, I just wanna say "Thank You" back to all the people who made it oh, so enjoyable to be in the stands!

Thank you Frank Robinson!
You showed your strengths and weaknesses in this game. Unfortunately, as is typically your wont, the latter outweighed the former.

You showed your aggresiveness in the sixth, going for the jugular when the game seemed on the line. It didn't work. But, generally when Carlos Baerga's at the plate, it's not going to anyway.

Then, with Esteban Loaiza struggling through the previous three innings and somewhere around 110 pitches (I lost count), you let him hit for himself in the bottom of the 7th? Then, to make matters worse, you remove him to start the top of the 8th, anyway? That's the classic definition of a WTF Frank Senior Moment. Yes, the bench was short, but you still had Tony Blanco and Brian Schneider. And don't give me the crap about needing to save your catcher for emergencies. That's a cop-out excuse, and I can only remember that backfiring once in all the years I've been watching baseball.


Thank you Luis Ayala!
Your return to your torch-tastic pitching helped warm the stadium with the energy of 15,000 Cubs fans. It sure was a delight seeing them cheer when Aramis Ramirez' homer went over the wall in centerfield, the first ball to go out there, if I'm not mistaken.

You faced four batters, and only got one out. And that they handed to you via a sacrifice. Well, I'm handing you a Lame Duck.


Thank you Gary Bennett!
You didn't pass any balls as per your wont. But, you did make an astonishingly bad play on a broken-up squeeze play. Somehow you managed to have Vinny Castilla's head-high throw doink off your glove to allow the run to score.

Bright Side? How often do you see two runners caught stealing home in the same game? (Assist to Nick Johnson and Henry Mateo on a separate broken squeeze play)


Thank you Chad Cordero!
You were given a chance to keep the game close, and instead, you made one of the single dumbest plays I've ever seen. With two on and two out Cory Patterson hit a slow roller up the first baseline. Instead of eating it, like you should have, you scooped it with your glove and fired it to first base like you were playing jai lai. But, you didn't bother to notice that Nick Johnson wasn't at the bag because he was trying to make a play on the ball too. Poor Jamey Carroll was running over, but was still a stride or two from the bag. It's not like it would've mattered because he wouldn't have caught it unless he was Jon Rauch tall. (And even then, Rauch would have to be standing on some boxes and crates)


Thank you Jeff Hammonds!
You robbed Ryan Church of two more at bats with your general suckiness and molasses-speed bat. Although you did provide a humorous highlight when Cubs' manager Dusty Baker mistook you for a major league hitter and brought in a righty to face you, which Frank just countered by PHing for you. (What's better Dusty? Jeff versus a lefty or Church versus a righty? Keep in mind that this isn't 1992.)


Thank you Nats Ticket Office!
When I went down to the stadium on Tuesday to get tickets for the game, I was assured there weren't any seats in the upper deck. Instead, you sold me row 16 of the 300 level. Yet, from my seat, I could see into the outfield, where there were plenty of empty yellow seats. Unless there were mutliple bus crashes of Cubs fans en route to the game (a boy can only hope), there were tickets available. Why you forced me to pay $25 for what turned out to be shitty seats (because I couldn't see the scoreboard, and there weren't any PA speakers available), when I asked for other tickets that were available, I don't know. I do know that that's garbage.

On a side note, it's hard to keep score when you can't hear who's batting. I had to fill in a lot of blank spots this morning.


Thank you AHole Self-Involved Hipsters!
Thanks for coming in a group of 20 and having one or more of you standing up constantly during play in my already-obstructed view seats. Was it really necessary for each of you, when first coming to the park, to walk down the line with a personalized greeting for each person? Was it really necessary for you to stand up mid-pitch every freakin batter? I hate jerks like that. No, every one doesn't have to be involved in the game as I am. And socializing is certainly acceptable, but be respectful of those arround you who do give a shit as to what's going on the field.

After about the sixth inning, they were pretty well sloshed. One of the guys (complete with sweater draped around his neck) stood up and said he needed another beer. My gf leaned over to me and said what he really needed was some testosterone. I wasn't going to argue.


Thank you Blanket-Wearing Kid!
Thanks for standing up intermittenly on your seat, holding your arms out and wearing your blanket like a cape. That was helpful.



Frustration sucks.

Homestand Goal:
5-2
Current Record:
0-1