6 Days Left: MARMOL!!!!!

6 Days Left

1 game up in division, .5 games up in wild card

Last night, the Padres entered the 9th inning trailing the Cubs 1-0.

Cubs closer Carlos Marmol took the mound and promptly struck out the first 2 hitters.

But these are the Padres, the luckiest, most ridiculous team in baseball history. They don't just lose. They mount Padre-Rallies.

Yorvit Torrealba, not the fastest guy in the majors named Yorvit, beat out an infield single.

Chase Headley got hit by a pitch, except he didn't, except they said he did.

Tony Gwynn Jr., he of the .204 batting average, drew a walk.

Bases Loaded.

I wasn't watching any of this, which is why my heart is still functioning.

But the folks at McCovey Chronicles, the Giants blog, were watching and kept a live blog going.

Here's the summary:

First two outs recorded: Yes, Marmol. You are awesome. Finish them off, you awesome Marmol.

Infield single: (Nervous laughter) Of course the Padres would get an infield single. Hahaha. Please God, Marmol, don't blow this.

Phantom Hit-Batter: (anger) You've got to be kidding me, that didn't even hit him. What the hell, ump? C'mon Marmol, DO THIS.

Walk to .204 hitter: (sheer terror) Strikes, Marmol! Throw strikes! What the hell is wrong with you?

Actual quote: "Marmol!! Why do you hate me?"

And: "Transcript of pitching conference: 'Thow strikes, dumbass!'"

And, of course: "Cubs baseball....torture."

But Carlos Marmol, it turns out, is the greatest human being ever and the second greatest Cubs' pitcher named Carlos who pitched yesterday. Some random Padre fllied out to left and while the Cubs' left fielder declined to use two hands to catch the ball, he did in fact catch it. Cubs 1, Padres 0.

And now, an ode to the GREAT CHICAGO CUBS, Winners of the 1908 World Championship!

Yay! Yay Cubs! Yay! Hey, where are all the black and brown people? Oh, whatever. Yay Cubs!

Seriously, I love the Cubs. Love them. Love everything about them. Their drunk fans stubbornly selling out every game despite the 95 losses. Their cute little WGN network that shows Cubs games, the Golden Girls, and Matlock. Their pinstripey uniforms. Everything. I just love the Cubs.

And that Carlos Marmol. Wow.

Yes!

----

Enough about Carlos Marmol, and how awesome he is. Meanwhile, the Braves beat the Marlins' AAA affiliate (the Ft. Lauderdale Old Jews?) 2-1, and moved .5 games behind us for the wild card. But at least the Rockies lost to the Dodgers (oh, NOW you show up!), which means any day now, I can stop thinking about the Rockies. Any day now. Like today, would be nice.

On the home front, the talk is now centered on the rotation...apparently I'm not the only one who threatened Bruce Bochy's mama's jam. The other suggestion is Lincecum Wednesday so he could pitch sunday if needed or Monday in a one-game playoff if needed. So the options are;

1) Sanchez, Bumgarner, Timmy, Zito, Cain, Sanchez

2) Sanchez, Timmy, Bumgarner, Zito, Cain, Sanchez

3) Sanchez, Bumgarner, Zito, Timmy, Cain Sanchez

But McCovey Chronicles dismissed all 3 ideas and came up with option 4

4) Cain, Cain, Lincecum, Cain, Cain, Lincecum

Bochy won't make a decision until after tonight, although most people think he'll go with options 1 or 2.

It's a 6-game season, and we have a 1-game lead.

Think good thoughts. Think good thoughts.

Thinkgoodthoguhtsthinkgogodthings.

MARMOL!

Today's Poll Question

What is the real name of the Marlins' AAA affiliate?

A) The West Palm Beach Wittle Fishies

B) The Coral Springs Chads

C) The Lake OkeeChokee Humidity

D) I don't know, but apparently they aren't as good as a demoralized, injury-plagued, scared Braves team. Dang.