coming from behind to win...

Game 37: Cubs 4, Mets 5
24-13 for the season

... is a thrilling thing to witness, particularly when it happens in the bottom of the 9th at home.

of course, it's not good that the Cubs were able to take and hold the lead for most of the game, but it was sweet to watch Chicago punished for insulting Carlos Delgado by choosing to pitch to him over Carlos Beltran. Delgado didn't do it with power or hitting-- he did it with a great at-bat, making Cubs reliever Michael Weurtz throw 10 pitches, get tired, and walk home the winning run.

this is a locus at which some ball fans part ways with other ball fans. there are those fans who feel at least a little let down by Delgado's failure to hit a heroic walk-off grand slam homer when presented with the opportunity. then there are the other kind of fan, who sees the talent inherent in working a pitcher the way Carlos did at the end of the 9th and recognizes that talent as equally impressive/important as one's ability to hit homers. it was a truly professional at-bat and it did the job just as well as a walk-off homer would have done-- but even a little better, because if he'd hit a homer, Chicago could chalk it up to his bat finally warming up. instead, he worked Weurtz over, and made the opposing pitcher walk in the winning run for the home team.

I was in the car driving home from teaching as the bottom of the 8th ended, and though my practice is to go into the firehouse to say hi to the others there when I pick LHJ up after work, I called when I got there and said I was outside but not leaving the radio-- the game was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 9th, two on, two out, Beltran at the plate. he was in the car quickly then, putting the car in gear to drive home just as the Cubs decided to finish Beltran's at-bat by intentionally walking him and taking their chances with Deglado. we drove home through Delgado's at-bat, parking just as the 8th pitch of the at-bat was coming across the plate. "Make them pay, Carlos," I muttered under my breath. "Make them pay for that insult."

he did. it was beautiful, made better by Howie Rose calling it.

here's an interesting question-- if you're Lou Piniella, and your bullpen has been giving you pretty consistent trouble, why do you go to your bullpen in the 6th inning against a lineup like the ones the Mets send up when you're ahead in the game, but only by 2 runs? my dad told me that Piniella said something I really agree with about the way pitching has changed in major league baseball in the last 10 years or so-- "it seems like you're just looking for the guy who will lose it for you." this makes me even more confused by the call in this game, but not sorry-- after all, I'm sure their going to the bullpen early aided in the win.