Top 10 Baseball games I ever attended: #4

September 4, 1988: Reds vs. Cubs

T1: Quinones K, Winningham BB(CS), Sabo K
B1: Dascenzo 5-3, Sandberg 2B, Roomes L5, Dawson P4
(Reds 0, Cubs 0)

So, this was in our first month in Chicago. Dolberry probably didn't hate Chicago at this point, but he very well might have. I lost my wallet at the very first baseball game I ever attended in the Windy City. By "lost" ... I mean I went to the game w/ my wallet and returned w/o it. I do not recall putting it down anywhere, but Dolberry could not accept the fact that it may have been stolen. Needless to say, that game did not make the Top 10.

T2: E. Davis 4-3, O'Neill 6-3, Esasky K
B2: Law L5, Berryhill 6-3, Trillo 6-3
(Reds 0, Cubs 0)

Dolberry has probably covered in sufficient detail all my issues w/ Chicago in past posts, so will let that deceased equine rest in peace for today. I think whereever I lived at that point in my life would have been a letdown from St. Louis where I had a group of great friends and real life was just the flimsiest of rumors. The great things about Chicago (pizza, softball, the running path by Lake Michigan, summer, & Wrigley Field) are truly magnificient, though.

T3: Reed 1B, Oester 1B, Jackson 1B, Quinones 1B, Winningham K, Sabo 5-3, Davis 1B, O'Neill 4-3.
B3: Salazar 6-3, Schiraldi K, Dascenzo 1B, Sandberg FC
(Reds 4, Cubs 0)

Hey, I got my 7 cent book from Amazon in the mail the other day, Tom Browning's Tales from the Reds Dugout by (surprise) Tom Browning. As a special bonus, the book was signed by Browning. Very cool. It's an excellent book ... very simple ... PG-13 though ... reads like you were sitting on a flight w/ Browning and he was just telling you stories ... in chronological order. Browning comes across as amazingly humble for someone who: pitched a perfect game, made the All-Star team, was a 20-game winner and played a pivotal role on a World Series championship team. Seemed like more then the accomplishments, he valued his friendships in and around baseball. That was cool, too.

T4: Esasky P5, Reed K, Oester P4
B4: Roomes 6-3, Dawson K, Law F8
(Reds 4, Cubs 0)

Of the teams that have been around for the last 42 years (aka The Era of Dolberry), the two with the fewest 20-game winners over that stretch are the Pirates and the Reds. Jim Merritt went 20-12 in 1970, Tom Browning went 20-9 in 1985, and Danny Jackson came into this early-September game looking to become #3 sitting at 19 wins and only 6 losses.

T5: Jackson 2B, Quinones Sac, Winningham 1B(SB), Sabo BB, Davis E6, O'Neill 3B, Esasky 1B, Reed 1B, Oester K, Jackson 1B, Quinones HR, Winningham 1B, Sabo K.
B5: Berryhill P3, Grace 3U, Salazar F9
(Reds 13, Cubs 0)

OK, I'll ruin the suspense. Danny Jackson does manage to hold onto this 13 run lead and become the Reds 3rd 20-game pitcher in the Era of Dolberry. I think Volquez or Cueto could get 20 sometime over the next 2-3 years if the offense can be improved to at least league average. Edinson came the closest since 1995 w/ his 17 victories last year. Three weeks from right now, Dolberry will be sitting in Ed Smith Stadium w/ some of his bestest buds ... soaking up the sun ... eating some hot dogs ... & trying to talk himself into the concept the Reds could maybe contend this year.

T6: Snider K, O'Neill BB, Esasky L5(DP)
B6: Webster F7, Dascenzo 1B, Sandberg 6-4-3
(Reds 13, Cubs 0)

For once, the Reds come into the season w/ a rotation that's relatively sound. I think Volquez and Cueto should both be able to make 30 some starts w/ ERA's around 3.75 (which is pretty good in the bandbox that is GABP). Harang will hopefully bounce back from his injury-plagued 2008 ... I think he will ... and again become a Top 10 pitcher. Arroyo can eat up innings w/o being a disaster most of the time. It'd be nice if Homer Bailey could come into spring w/ his teenage fastball and stuff, but if not the Reds have some depth to discover a #5 pitcher.

T7: Reed 6-3, Oester F9, Jackson E7, Quinones 1B, Winningham 4-3
B7: Roomes 1B, Dar. Jackson F8, Law 6-4-3
(Reds 13, Cubs 0)

This year's Reds lineup will probably struggle to put up enough runs, though ... even in GABP. (All the Adam Dunn haters will miss his 40 HRs and .390 OBP but won't admit it.) Jay Bruce should emerge as top MLB outfielder (something like .275 w/ 30 HR) and hopefully Votto can repeat what he did last year. The two wildcards for me and the ones most crucial to the Reds success are: Double E (who needs to have his breakout year) and Willy Tavares (who needs to get on base at .370 -.380 clip). The 2B, SS, C, and 3OF spots will likely feature subpar performance offensively. I don't expect much from the bullpen, but they shouldn't be as bad as two years ago. The manager is a nice guy ... and we'll charitably leave his job assessment at that.

T8: M Brown F7, Snider K, O'Neill BB, Esasky 1B, Reed F8
B8: Wrona 5-3, Grace 4-3, Salazar K
(Reds 13, Cubs 0)

They never did get Danny Jackson out in this game. He came into the game hitting .122 but went 4 for 5. He got his 20th win w/ a 6-hit, no walk shutout. It was the single best individual performance I've ever seen. The fact that the Reds routed the Cubs 17 to zip was quite enjoyable as well.

T9: Oester 1B, Jackson 1B, Quinones BB, Winningham BB, Brown FC, Snider FC, O'Neill 2B, Esasky F8
B9: Dascenzo 1B, Sandberg 6-4-3, Roomes 6-3

Final: Reds 17, Cubs 0