Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Lost in translation
In their opener yesterday the Cubs rallied from a 3-0 deficit on a Fukodome game tying 3 run homer in the 9th. Their bullpen faltered, however, and they lost 4-3 in extra innings. There is only so much you can learn from one game in a 162 game season, so I won't submit this one to analysis.
But baseball is a game more subject to superstition than other sports, and I will say that I found this particular anecdote to be a less than positive omen for the upcoming season:
When Kosuke Fukudome hit a three-run homer off Milwaukee closer Eric Gagne to tie the season opener in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday, fans all over Wrigley Field held up professionally made signs with English words on one side and Japanese on the other.
It was meant to be a two-sided version of the phrase "It's Gonna Happen." But something got lost in translation, and the Japanese side read: "It's An Accident."
5 Comments:
By 
TigerHawk, at
Tue Apr 01, 01:45:00 PM:
It would be incredibly cool if the Cubs could go all the way this year. The whole country would be pulling for them.
By 
, at
Tue Apr 01, 01:57:00 PM:
By SportsProf, at
Tue Apr 01, 04:12:00 PM:
It's possible for the Cubs, because the BoSox have won in Fenway, which is as much a hitter's park as is Wrigley. I don't think that Kerry Wood will be the answer at closer; Carlos Marmol has a gun and should be given a shot sooner or later. It could be that people are too optimistic about the lineup, but it has some outstanding bats in it. Bottom line is that they should take the division (if for no other reason than the competition is rather weak). Still, Mets and Rockies (at least) appear to be better, and Dbacks, Dodgers, Phillies, Braves and Reds will be in the hunt.
As for the World Series, well, the A.L. overall is better than the N.L., and there are a host of teams that, at least, on paper, are better than the Cubs. Still, it's fun to see the Cubs in contention, and it would be cool to see them win the whole thing.
By JSF, at
Tue Apr 01, 05:06:00 PM:
I am not sure Cubs fans can HANDLE a championship. Much of what makes the Cubs the Cubs is the role of lovable loser. The Red Sox were never really looked at as such. They were just looked at as also-rans behind the Yankees.
By Charlottesvillain, at
Wed Apr 02, 09:27:00 AM:
Speaking only for myself, I think I can handle a championship. And, frankly, I don't think a championship would in any way detract from the appeal of the franchise. If, after winning a world series Cubs fans desert the team in droves, I'll post my mea culpa.
