Fan Boy
You may have noticed that I am spending a lot less time writing about this year's baseball playoffs. Rest assured I am watching.
Last night's NLCS Game 6 featured one of the more dramatic meltdowns I've ever seen. But let's get one thing perfectly clear: Mr. Cubs Fan, who tried to catch a foul ball, Did Not Cost The Cubs The Pennant All By Himself.
Here's my Blame Rundown -
Goat #1 is Alex Gonzalez, for misplaying a grounder that should have been an inning-ending double play.
Goat #2 is Dusty Baker, first for leaving Prior out there after Pierre opened the inning with a double, and having nobody in the bullpen ready when trouble started, second for calling for intentional walks to two guys who eventually came around to score. (I will say this - if the intentional walks worked - that is, if the Cubs had gotten out of the inning - then I would give Dusty credit. Since they didn't, he gets blame.)
Oh, and before I forget - Dusty also gets yesterday's Sour Grapes Award for blaming the fan in his postgame press conference.
Goat #3 is Fan Boy. People need somebody to blame, and he'll be it, today, tomorrow, and forever, entering into the Pantheon of Cubs Goats. He didn't allow 8 runs in an inning all by himself, but he's a convenient target. My question is, how quickly can they get him in the federal witness relocation program?
UPDATE: Here's a great quote from Moises Alou, regarding the Cub's "Billy Goat Curse"
''I'm not a Cubs fan; I'm a Cubs player,'' Alou said. "I don't believe in that crap.''
You go, Moises.
I agree 98% that Cubs fans have nothing to gripe about. The Goat was NOT reaching over the field. Alou was reaching OUT of the field of play.
The other 2% of me thinks there should have been a fan interference call... but then again Alou was reaching OUT of the field of play.
I've seen the replay several times and to me it looks like the ball is definitely glove bound when it is deflected.
Tough call. Tough break. Poor Cubbies.
The ball was in the stands, so there is no fan interference. Technically, the play has to be in the field for there to be interference - if he had reached over the wall and blocked him, that would qualify. Coming soon to Wrigley Field - nobody gets to sit in the front row anywhere...
I feel bad for that guy - if the Cubs had won last night, he would be on Letterman this week, and probably doing signings with Moises Alou this offseason. Now he's going to have to change his name and move to Afghanistan.