Are we mathematically eliminated yet?
If we are, no one told the Chicago Cubs. Or Dave Sappelt.
HOUSTON — With the Cubs out of playoff contention, September baseball gives players like Dave Sappelt a chance to make their case to be a part of the team’s future.
Recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sept. 1 when rosters expanded, the 25-year-old Sappelt came through in the clutch for the Cubs on Monday at Minute Maid Park, driving in three runs and scoring another in the Cubs’ 4-1 victory over the Astros.
Sappelt, an outfielder, was acquired in a trade with the Reds last December and played in 133 games with Iowa before getting a shot.
So how many games back in the Wild Card are we?
I didnt’ realize that Brett Jackson was out of the lineup (which shows how closely I’ve been paying attention), but he’s due to re-enter the lineup soon:
HOUSTON — Center fielder Brett Jackson, out since Friday after he bruised his right knee crashing into the outfield wall in Pittsburgh, could be back in the Cubs’ lineup as early as Tuesday.
Manager Dale Sveum said the team would monitor how Jackson swung the bat before Monday’s game. With left-hander Dallas Keuchel on the mound on Monday, Jackson wasn’t likely to start even if fully healthy. The 24-year-old has made three starts against left-handed pitching since coming up from Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 5.
As long as the phrase “radical reconstructive surgery” wasn’t used in reference to his face, I’m good.
Finally, I would be remiss this morning if I didn’t share this little gem that Jonathan Eig from Chicago Side was good enough to send my way. It’s entitled “50 Shades of Epstein.”
Those golden brown eyes. God, I’ll never forget them. I felt like they were piercing the depths of my heart and my soul and that, for the first time in all of my 29 years, I was being seen for who I really was and who I could be in some distant future when I am more fully who I am.
And I was just like, Oh wow. Holy crap!
He was wearing a crisp blue button-down shirt with a grey pullover that seemed knitted solely to highlight the strength of his arms. His grey trousers hung off his slim hips in a way that made my heart leap into my throat. He rolled a baseball in the palm of his left hand.
“Ummmm…,” I stammered. Flustered, I dropped my purse and the contents went skittering across the marble floor.
I went to squat on the floor to gather my things, but he beat me to it, kneeled and rose with an armful that included super strength tampons, no less than nine lipsticks, and my book club’s September selection, a tattered copy of a novel named Fifty Shades of Grey.
Oh my God. All of the blood rushed to my face. Mortified, I bit my lip.
A shiver of ardor seemed to run through him, and he extended a strong, firm, and yet hauntingly fragile handshake. “Hi, I’m Theo.”
You’re all welcome.
Cubs and Astros again tonight at 7:05 pm CT.
Gordon Wittenmyer today tried to make the ridiculous case that if Alfonso Soriano was on a better team, he’d be an MVP candidate.
Um…wrong.
Not even close.
The only way Soriano would be an MVP candidate is if the Cubs were playing in the Pacific Coast League.
Re:” 50 Shades of Epstein”-I was forwarded that and laughed myself sick last night. Though I bet in the reaches of some fanfic website there lurks a story or 2 about Mr. Epstein…
I can’t help but notice that Mark hasn’t been around since I posted the “50 Shades of Epstein” thing.
He had to take a cold shower
He’s still looking at that picture of the National rookies dressed up for rookie hazing…
I have no idea who’s even on this team anymore. I’m feeling guilty so I decided to pop in and see what the news is (the Trib has all but stopped reporting on the Cubs) and I see our season has been reduced to fan fiction excerpts. I should probably feel worse than I do about that.
Just when I thought I was done with 50 Shades. You go and do this to me.
Originally posted to wrong thread:
With last night’s win, the Cubs are down to a 25.09% chance of losing 100 or more games, according to my new spreadsheet overlords.
I’ve said this before…
As strange as this sounds, it is actually really difficult to lose 100 games.
Having said that, the Astros make it look pretty easy.
I only need to win 20 of the 21 games left to collect my $200. Yeah Baby!
GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!
My grandson needs a new pair of shoes!
Someone please explain to me why ESPN is featuring the Yankees-Red Sox game tomorrow instead of the the Cubs-Astros game. WTF! Who’s the fricken genius who worked out that TV schedule?
An Outrage!!!
They are running commercials on ESPN stating that they have 2 nights of pennant race games on. Maybe they think the Red Sox still have a chance…
I’m going to be out playing trivia tonight. Can someone else do the game thread? Johnny? Carl?
So you won’t be around for the game? I see. So it will be like every other night then.
I can whip up something unless Carl wants at it.
Boooo.
Boooo to me or to Doc?
She’d never boo you.
And I’m not even sure why she’s booing me…she’s the one that’s never here during a game.
You make a good point.