i am pulling for the Cubs in Game 7. i know you're thinking, "Why does a Pittsburgher care about the Cubs?" Well, considering there are four ex-Pirates on the team let's just say i'm actually rooting for a team in the playoffs 11 years after the last game of the 1993 NLCS.
What happened in the 1993 NLCS? i'll tell you. Instead of losing the game in the 8th like the Cubs did last night, the Pirates lost it in the bottom of the ninth.
They carried a 2-0 lead going in to the bottom of the ninth. Starting pitcher Doug Drabek gave up a hit, then Jose Lind erred to allow David Justice to get a hit. Drabek then walked former Pirate Sid Bream to load the bases. Drabek was replaced by Stan Belinda, who got the first out to Ron Gant on a popup that scored a run. He then threw a walk to reload the bases, then a popup for the second out. So with two outs and Justice on third and Bream on second,
no-name outfielder Orlando Cabrera stepped to the plate, and what happened is permanently burned into my memory. The hit to left fielder Barry Bonds... Justice scoring... Bream rounding third as Bonds loads and fires, bypassing the cutoff man with a dribbling excuse for a throw to Mike LaVallierre... Braves win 3-2, and the Pirates have sucked donkey balls since.
So... i hope ex-Pirates Randall Simon, Kenny Lofton, Moises Alou and Aramis Ramirez help the Cubs to a World Series. i've been waiting 11 years to see the Pirates in the World Series. Four would be better than none. And if the Red Sox would meet them, it would be five. (Wakefield)