Friday, February 06, 2009

Top 10 Baseball games I ever attended: #8

August 30, 1996: Braves vs. Cubs

T1: A. Jones 1-3, Mordecai 2B, Chipper 3-1, McGriff K
B1: McRae 1B, Bullett 1B, Grace 4-3, L. Gonzalez P4, Magadan 4-3
(Cubs 1, Braves 0)

If Dolberry was going to draw up his perfect day, there's a good chance it would involve sitting in the warm August Wrigley shade beside the beautiful KMD taking in a doubleheader of baseball.

T2: Klesko 3B, Dye 4-3, J. Lopez 2B, Lemke 4-3, Bielecki K
B2: Houston 6-3, Hernandez 1-3, Haney F7
(Braves 1, Cubs 1)

The Cubs had beaten Tom Glavine 3-2 on a game-winning single by Ryne Sandberg in the first game of the now-rare baseball BOGO. The first game took only 2:13. Dolberry has a lousy memory, but I can distinctly remember holding hands w/ tbKMD while sitting down the 1st base line on this late-summer Friday afternoon.

T3: A. Jones P4, Mordecai 6-3, Chipper K
B3: Bullinger K, McRae HR, Bullett K, Grace 1B, Gonzalez F7
(Cubs 2, Braves 1)

Talking about leadoff guys in yesterday's game, can anyone believe Andruw Jones used to be a leadoff man? In August 1996, he was a slender 19 year old and in his first month in the big leagues and was maybe the biggest prospect of all time. In January 2008, the Dodgers signed him to a two-year, 36 million deal and he responded by hitting .158 in over 200 ABs. In January 2009, the Dodgers released him (gently, presumably, given the tectonic situation in SoCal). One scout said of him, "He looked like he was at a church picnic and could not care less about what was going on." Too much success at the cake wheel it appears.

T4: McGriff E6, Klesko F9, Dye K, Lopez 1B, Lemke E6, Bielecki 1B, A. Jones 4-3
B4: Magadan F9, Houston 1B, Hernandez K, Haney 6-3
(Cubs 2, Braves 2)

The nice thing about old scorecards is all the little notations in the book, some about the game, some not. In this one, tbKMD wrote "tbKMD [heart] Dolberry". (She didn't really use our blog code names, but it was still sweet.)

T5: Mordecai 1B, Chipper 1B, McGriff 4-3, Klesko 6-3, Dye K
B5: Hubbard K, McRae F8, Bullett 1-3
(Braves 3, Cubs 2)

It's worth noting that APD was at this game as well, though his seats were the ultimate "obstructed view". At that time of his life, we called him "Lil' Chipper" after Chipper Jones who was one of my favorite players at the time. (I still like ol' Larry Wayne Jones ... he's a great player.) He was one of my favorites at the time because he was one of my first Rotisserie baseball "finds". A "find" is a guy you identify when he's young and you lock him in at a cheap price before the whole world knows about him. My new "find" for those who care is Pablo Sandoval of the Giants. Let's be thankful we're past childbearing years ... Lil' Pablo doesn't sound quite the same.

T6: Lopez 1B, Lemke 6-3, Bielecki K, A. Jones K
B6: Grace 4-3, Gonzalez 1B, Magadan 1B, Servais F9, Hernandez K
(Braves 3, Cubs 2)

Even if you don't like baseball ... (Be gone heathen!) one can still enjoy the food you can get at the ballpark. I usually keep it simple. In Wrigley, Dolberry usually got a brat (or two) and a soda. On a warm day, that'd usually be followed by ice cream in one of those collectible helmets. Mmmmmmmm .... ice cream helmets .

T7: Mordecai HR, Chipper 5-3, McGriff 1B, Klesko 6-4-3
B7: Haney BB, Kieschnieck 1B, McRae BB, Bullett K, Grace K, Gonzalez 3B, Magadan K.
(Cubs 5, Braves 4)

One of the best traditions about Wrigley Field was Harry Carey singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch. Whenever the Cubs were behind he'd close the song w/ a lusty entreaty ... "Let's Get Some Runs!!!". Luis Gonzalez obliged him here w/ the go-ahead, bases-juiced triple.

T8: Dye F9, Lopez K, Lemke 6-3
B8: Servais 1B, Hernandez Sac, Haney 6-3, Gomez 4-3
(Cubs 5, Braves 4)

In Dolberry's opinion (hey it's my blog), there may not be a more overrated position in all of sports than that of the closer in baseball. The Reds are paying Francisco Cordero 48 million just because he's pitched in the 9th inning of games before. Jared Burton would perform just as well for 1/10th the money. That said, the closers decided this game. Check out Bob Patterson (Cubs) vs. Mark Wohlers (Braves) in his prime.

T9: Pendleton 1B, A. Jones E6, Mordecai P2, Chipper 1B, McGriff BB, Grissom SF9, Dye K
B9: McRae K, Bullett K, Grace K!

Final: Braves 6, Cubs 5

3 comments:

Kyle said...

If you are questioning Papelbon's total skillage at pitching...

Pneumono... etc. said...

"It's Bobby Jenks time!"

Mom said...

Did you say you don't have a good memory? Huh?