The TBS announcers described the Chicago crowd at the end of this game as "stunned."

Maybe they were, but this should not have come as a shock. A mild surprise at most.

Derek Lowe pitched very well down the stretch, and the Dodgers were a good team after getting Manny Ramirez.

This was a crucial game for the Dodgers. The Cubs' best pitcher, Carlos Zambrano, is on the mound in the second game. You'd have to favor him against Chad Billingsley. This was very close to a must-win game for the Dodgers.

Ryan Dempster was a journeyman pitcher for most of his tenure with the Cubs. He was great this year -- until Wednesday.

Seven walks proved to be Dempster's undoing. I couldn't tell whether he just wasn't sharp or if he wasn't challenging hitters.

He got away with it until the fifth, when James Loney hit a 3-2 pitch out of the ballpark. Manny Ramirez hit a solo shot in that inning, too -- and that one was way out.

Continue reading "Cubs chew on tough Wrigley loss"

You have to say the Phillies have been very impressive so far, especially after their playoff debacle of last year.

They're this year's version of the Rockies, going hot down the stretch and riding a couple of hot pitchers.

They've made short work of the Brewers, beating up on ace C.C. Sabathia.

The Phillies seem to have all the ingredients to go a long, long way. Two very good starters, Cole Hamels and Brett Meyers. A great stopper, Brad Lidge. And a formidable lineup that's filled with long-ball threats.

You need depth to win a lot of games during the year. The formula's quite different during the postseason. You need dominant players -- in particular, three great pitchers, two starters and a closer. That's especially true if your starters pitch late into the game. Hamels pitched eight innings in the 3-1 win in the first game.

Continue reading "Phillies looking great in playoffs"

The Dodgers look like the team that won more games than any other in the National League, not the Cubs.

It was Chad Billingsley, not Carlos Zambrano, who looked like the dominant pitcher who had a no-hitter at the end of the season.

But the Cubs appeared to be the same old Cubs.

On Wednesday the Cubs couldn't hit or pitch. On Thursday they couldn't field or hit.

It wasn't Zambrano who self-destructed -- it was the Cubs infield. And at the worst possible time.

In the second, the first two Dodgers got hits. Then Mark DeRosa messed up a potential double-play ball. Then Derrek Lee fumbled a ball hit right at him.

Russell Martin hit a bases-clearing double and the Dodgers were on their way. Four of the five runs scored in the second were unearned.

Continue reading "Cubs flub"

It was one of the kookiest games of all time.

Two punt returns for touchdowns, both by Reggie Bush. A blocked field-goal attempt that went right to Antoine Winfield, who ran it in for a TD. A back, Chester Taylor, throwing at TD pass for the Vikes. Tons of penalties and four turnovers by the Saints.

You could say the Vikings were lucky. That's true. You could say they didn't "deserve" to win.

I object to the use of that word. No one ever gets what they "deserve." The fact is that the Vikings were resilient and played well enough in some areas to win.

The Saints must feel as if they're cursed -- back in the old days when the team was the Aints. They showed flashes of brilliance yet self-destructed, ending with a missed field goal. They were unlucky, with a strange call on an apparent Adrian Peterson fumble and a missed facemask penalty.

Continue reading "Better lucky than good"

Let's face it: There is such a thing as luck. And the Vikings, after a rough beginning, are getting the benefit of some questionable referees' calls.

No one on the Minnesota sidelines can be proud of a 12-10 win over the winless Detroit Lions at the Metrodome. That's a game the Vikes should've won by three touchdowns.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

Every game Minnesota has played has gone down to the wire. How curious.

When you look at the statistics, the Vikings appeared to dominate the game. They had almost 400 yards total offense. Gus Frerotte had a good game, with nearly 300 yards passing. Adrian Peterson rushed for more than 100 yards.

But Peterson fumbled twice; Frerotte tossed an interception; and the Lions blocked a field goal.

A couple of borderline referees' calls helped decide this one, which is the definition of winning ugly. A call on the Lions at the end of the game gave the Vikings the ball in field-goal territory, and Ryan Longwell cashed in.

Continue reading "Vikings better than lucky than good, part 2"

It was a wild and crazy game, unlike past 7-3 contests in the old black-and-blue division.

The Vikings scored plenty of points, but lost two fumbles, threw four interceptions and gave up two special-teams TDs.

The special teams have been horrible for some time now. They nearly cost the Vikings the game against New Orleans. Maybe it's time to replace the special teams coordinator. There's been nothing special about the punt and kickoff teams.

Adrian Peterson rushed for more than 100 yards and scored two touchdowns, but it wasn't nearly enough. Gus Frerotte threw for 298 yards and a pair of scores, but those four picks were killers.

And the Bears offense passed at will. Kyle Orton's a pretty good quarterback, but the Vikings' pass defense was weak. They had no interceptions and just two sacks, both by Jared Allen.

Continue reading "Turnovers doom Vikings"