mir·a·cle [mir-uh-kuhl]
an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
əPaul Sullivan points out correctly that just three teams have won Division Series after going down 0-2: the '01 Yanks (beat Oakland); the '03 Red Sox (beat Oakland); and the '95 Mariners (over the Yankees).
Nonetheless, I think that these Cubs are sufficiently talented that they could come back in this series if their big hitters will simply hit, their money pitchers pitch, and if everyone wearing Cubbie blue would quit coming unglued at the first pop-up they hit with men in scoring position or the first gopher ball they throw to an Arizona hitter.
I think the Diamondbacks are beatable; what I'm wondering about just now is if the Cubs have the composure to defeat them.
Ted Lilly's hissy fit, which I wrote about earlier today at The Cub Reporter, was a textbook example of the art form. ("I've never seen a pitcher throw a glove like that on the mound," Cub manager Lou Piniella said.) It also had to let the Arizona bench know that there was Cub blood in the water. Same thing with all of the bat-flinging. Could A-Ram possibly have a bat-flinging incentive written into that big, new contract?
In any case, it's time to knock off the histrionics and show some focus.
Rich Hill goes Saturday night; the reasonably rested Zambrano will go Sunday afternoon if there is still a series to play.
Please, no tantrums.
I hope I have ongoing Cub baseball to write about on Monday.
