Once the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004 after a LONG hiatus, every baseball fan turned their attention to the Chicago Cubs. When will the Cubs win the Series? Well, the Cubs are one step closer to ending their drought after clinching the National League Central over the weekend.

1908 was the last year the Cubbies were champions of baseball. Cubs fans hope 2008 can be just as magical.

Unfortunately for Cubs fans, history has not been kind to their team. There has been the curse of the billy goat, the black cat and Steve Bartman. But many Cubs fans think this is the year. It’s their time and their season. Fans in Chicago know that the Cubs have the talent and the pitching staff to win. Yet, it’s actually the Cubs that seem to beat themselves.

Soon we will find out what is in store for those fans on the North side of Chicago.

Image: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Cubs fans are optimistic

It’s all about those glasses. These aren’t rose-colored glasses or Drew Carey glasses. They are just plain old Joe Maddon glasses. But these glasses have a story. They (and Maddon, I guess) have led Tampa Bay to the top spot in the American League East – ahead of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Before we get into this story of the Rays and their amazing run this season, I have to say that Maddon’s glasses are very similar to Lisa Loeb’s.

Now back to baseball. Tampa Bay has a magic number! Sure, this organization is used to having a number associated with their team, but it’s usually an elimination number and that usually popped up back in June or July. But this team, this season has a magic number and that number is 10. The Rays are that much closer to their first ever appearance in the playoffs. And the organization should thank the glasses. Not just any glasses, but the Joe Maddon’s glasses.

Maddon is a no-doubter for manager of the year in AL. Heck, give him an ESPY. Maybe he should get the Clemente Award too. Sure, he’s not eligible since that award is for players that have a positive influence on the community, but look what Maddon has done! His team is bringing fans to Tropicana Field. That’s not an easy thing to do in Florida.

Tampa Bay has been a surprise this season because of several reasons, but mainly because they are young and a small-market club. The Rays are without a player that is a household name in most areas of the country. This team isn’t flashy. They don’t overpower you. But what they do well is play hard – all game. They also have had outstanding pitching and timely hitting to bring them all the way to this point – which is 90 wins and sitting at the top of the AL East standings.

This young team, managed by Maddon, is sure to be party crashers when the 2008 postseason rolls around in a couple of weeks. And it’s all because of those glasses.

Image: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Joe Maddon and his glasses lead Tampa Bay to playoffs

Just before the Brewers game against the Chicago Cubs aired, ex-manager Ned Yost came out with some comments about what went down in Melvin’s office. Yost said, “I hadn’t even sat down on the couch and Doug [Melvin] said, ‘We’re going to make a change.”

I don’t think there is ever an easy way to fire someone, but let the guy sit down. With the Brewers loss on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field (not to mention five consecutive losses), Milwaukee is now chasing the National League Wild Card spot, along with the Houston Astros.

Post from: EveryJoe

They Said It: Ned Yost

MLB has already started running their ad campaigns with various commercials, like the one below, that features someone sitting at a computer as you hear their thoughts out loud and see various words typed across the screen as if they were typing a blog post. MLB will call on some of its own players to star in these commercials, including Torii Hunter, Carlos Pena and Kosuke Fukudome, among others. I’m looking forward to seeing more of these commercials, and maybe it will keep me from turning the channel when Cook’s likeness was shown on TV last season.

In other baseball related news, the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network has announced that they will broadcast more Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals games in HD next season. Oh boy! It’s hard to watch these two teams play at times in regular definition or in person, why do we need Hi-Def to see them play?

The network announced that it will carry “as many as 200″ broadcasts in HD. I would guess that would depend on just how well the Orioles or Nationals are doing next season, but I would guess MASN viewers may be only seeing the minimum of one game a week in HD. Which games will those be? You know… when the Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees visit Camden Yards or when the New York Mets or Philadelphia Phillies visit the D.C. area.

Post from: EveryJoe

Blogging the postseason and HD in Mid-Atlantic states

In case you haven’t noticed, the best pennant chase in Major League Baseball is not happening in the American League East. It’s actually happening in the AL Central, where the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins are fighting for the top spot.

Coming into today’s games, the White Sox hold a slim one-half game lead over the second place Twins. However, it took 12th inning heroics by the Kansas City Royals to knock the Twins from the top spot on Sunday.

Sure, the AL East has big names like the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees (who are both losing to the Tampa Bay Rays). And the National League East seems to have a good fight between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. But, the Twins and White Sox are both defying the odds. This wasn’t supposed to be the story this season. It was the Detroit Tigers’ year to win the division. Not so fast!

Chicago opened the season at 28/1 odds of winning the AL pennant. Minnesota faced 15/1 odds. Both trailed Detroit at 6/1 odds. However, it’s the White Sox and Twins that are the stories this season, with unproven lineups and pitching rotations.

The two clubs have just one three-game series left against each other, which will take place September 23, 24, and 25 at the Metrodome. We’ll have to wait and see how this chase finishes.

Think you know who will win the AL Central? Make your voice be heard with a comment or by voting in the poll (located in the right sidebar).

Photo of Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

The Race: American League Central