Thoughts on the Chicago Cubs and other topics in baseball. E-mail Tom at: tomsmithcubs@ hotmail.com

 
VINCE LLOYD 1917-2003: Vince Lloyd died last week at the age of 86. Vince may not be remembered by Cubs fans the way Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray are but Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau formed a great broadcasting team. Vince may not have had a velvet voice but it did not matter. Vince knew how to broadcast baseball. Vince combined that with his distinctive voice which drew you into the ballgame and made you want to listen to what was happening. After Vince told you what happened, Lou would tell you what was going to happen next (or what should happen next). Together their broadcasts were magnificent even if the Cubs' play was not.
Like so many Cubs fans, I grew up listening to Vince do the Cubs on the radio. Listening to Vince and Lou in car on the way home from school is a great memory that they gave me and millions of other midwesterners for which I am eternally grateful.
Much was said about was a warm, friendly man he was. He certainly was.
Twice I saw Vince in person but never met him. Once in 1978 or 1979 after leaving Wrigley Field, my father noticed Vince was driving the car behind us. Vince was talking with some young people in the car next to his about the Cubs. The good guy persona was no act. The second time was in San Diego after a Cubs-Padres game in 1995. Harry was no longer making road trips and Thom Brennaman was off doing an NFL game for FOX network television; so Vince filled in for two games. I wish I had had the chance to tell him how much I enjoyed his broadcasts. I am sure he knew that millions of us loved to listen to him and are saddened by his passing.


AND THEN THERE WERE NONE: With the passing of Vince Lloyd, it marks the end of era for Cubs fans. Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd, and Lou Boudreau were Cubs broadcasting for almost forty years. They were who you listened to every day for six months of the year. Year after year. They may not be here anymore but they will live on in our minds as we remember their broadcasting styles on play-by-play and the occassional story or two they would tell. Thanks gentlemen.
posted by Thomas at 1:01 PM

 
THURSDAY'S GAME VS. ATLANTA: For awhile this game looked ok, as the Cubs had a 3-2 lead over the Braves but you knew it was too good to be true as Shawn Estes eventually gave up 6 runs then the Cubs bullpen took over and Farnsworth and Alfonseca were awful. Braves pull out a 13-3 victory over the Cubs.

MEL ROJAS AWARD 1: The Mel Rojas Award for poor relief pitching by a Cubs reliever to Kyle Farnsworth. Farnsworth pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up 2 hits, 2 walks, and 5 runs (3 earned).

MEL ROJAS AWARD 2: The Mel Rojas Award for poor relief pitching by a Cubs reliever to (shocker) Antonio Alfonseca. Alfonseca pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up 4 hits (1 homerun) and 2 earned runs.
posted by Thomas at 11:59 AM

 
WEDNESDAY'S GAME VS. FLORIDA: Kerry Wood pitched a great game on Wednesday, pitching a complete game and giving up one run. Florida scored in the fourth, the Cubs tied it in the fifth. Sammy Sosa and Jose Hernandez had two-run homeruns in the bottom of the eighth to give the Cubs all they needed to win 5-1.
posted by Thomas at 11:10 AM

 
PATTERSON'S KNEE: As we all know by now, Corey Patterson is out for the year with a torn ACL. This is devastating for the Cubs. Patterson had broken out this year, showing that he was worth the hype he had gotten over the years. Tom Goodwin will get a lot of playing time in center for now. The Cubs are going to see if David Kelton can play center by moving him there in Iowa.


posted by Thomas at 10:58 AM

 
MONDAY'S GAME VS. FLORIDA: When Matt Clement gave a run in first, then two in the second, one had to think, "Bad Clement has shown up tonight". Clement straighted himself out and the Cubs came to life to win 6-3.
posted by Thomas at 10:53 AM

 
SUNDAY'S GAME VS. ST. LOUIS: Mark Prior was at times dominant on Sunday but at others was very human. Prior stuggled in the top of the second inning, giving up three runs. The Cubs offense was MIA (what else is new) against Woody Williams on Sunday. The bottom of the eighth had what little action existed for the Cubs on Sunday. The Cubs scored a run; but in addition to that small feat, Corey Patterson sprained his knee and a rain delay delayed the game for over 50 minutes. In the end the Cubs lost 4-1.

CHIPMUNK: St. Louis brought pitcher Cal Eldred into the game in the bottom of the eighth but before he could pitch, the rain started which caused the rain delay. When the game resumed, Eldred was taken out. Chip went on and on wondering why Eldred did not have to face one batter since Eldred had been announced. I was sitting at home talking to my television saying, "Because a pitcher does not have face a batter if a rain delay occurs!" Finally Chip was informed of the rule and informed the viewers of it.
posted by Thomas at 5:05 PM

 
SATURDAY'S GAME VS. ST. LOUIS: When St. Louis led 5-0 at the end of the top of the second inning, chances are most Cubs fans (including me) assumed we were in for another thumping by the Cardinals. Well we were wrong. Somehow Shawn Estes corrected himself and offense battled back to tie the game 5-5. Then in the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs pulled out the victory when Moises Alou got an infield hit with the bases loaded which Edgar Renteria could not handle and the Cubs won 6-5.
posted by Thomas at 4:50 PM