Armageddon Is Hereby Postponed!

(photo by M. Spencer Green/AP)

"Who would have thought that at the beginning of spring training or the season? I'm sure there were a lot of people thinking maybe .500 baseball. We have guys who are ready to win. We've already exceeded expectations so far and we're going to continue to do so."

--Eric Byrnes

For how long, I don't know. But the fact that the Chicago Cubs will not win the World Series this year is evidence that the gods -- the baseball gods, at least -- are not quite ready to conclude business on this planet.

The Arizona Diamondbacks completed their sweep of the Cubbies, 5-1 at Wrigley Field today. Maybe now, folks will get to know who are Diamondbacks are.

Are they really so improbable? The Snakes took four of six from the Cubs during the regular season. Haven't we always believed that good pitching stops good hitting? The middle of the Cubs order could do no damage against the D'Backs hurlers in the three-game playoff. Isn't strong defense a characteristic of winning teams? The D'Backs turned four double plays today, stopping Cub threats before things could get out of hand.

And they almost got out of hand today with Livan Hernandez on the mound. He walked the bases loaded as prelude to the 3rd DP. It is amazing that the Cubs scored only one run with Hernandez yielding 5 hits and issuing 5 free passes while striking out only two.

I watched the game with a sense of forboding while at work, half-expecting the roof--or the sky, Wrigley's an outdoor venue-- to cave in as the Cubs kept getting men on base. As I've said before, Livo's "don't throw a strike until you have to" style is an acquired taste, and I haven't acquired it. But he has a rep as a big-game pitcher and he has a World Series ring to show for it. Today, he lived up to that reputation (with the help of his infielders).

The big bats were awake in the Arizona dugout. Lead-off hitter Chris Young belted the first pitch he saw into the seats. And Eric Byrnes finally hit one out in the 6th, his first homer since September 4th; Whew! I had begun to think he'd forgotten how. And Stephen Drew hit his second homer of the series, the nail in the Cubbies' coffin, in the 9th inning.

But they were all solo shots. The D'Backs also scored runs with small ball and hustle, as they have throughout the year. Eric Byrnes nearly grounded into an inning-ending double play his third time up. Nearly. His hustle plus Mark DeRosa's slight hesitation in getting rid of the ball at second base was enough for Eric to beat out the throw. Barely. But it allowed Miguel Montero, who had gotten aboard by walk, to score from third. The announcers later did a short dugout interview with manager Bob Melvin who said that hustle was part of the team's play and that it begins with Eric Byrnes, who runs out everything from the first day of spring training.

Of course, there are things to pick on. Particularly the fact that the Diamondbacks left ten runners on base. They can't afford that sort of thing in the next round. The light-hitting Snakes have gotten as far as they have by getting TIMELY hits. They squandered a lot of chances today. Byrnesie himself was charged with 4 LOB and he himself was left on third twice. Miguel Montero was charged with 5 LOB. If it hadn't been for those double plays, the stranded runners would have spelled trouble rather than mere aggravation.

Eric Byrnes met the definition of True Elation today: two hits and 2 RBI. Plus he stole second. I hope that this gets him going for the next round. His only other hit was that RBI triple in Game 2. The team needs more productivity from the leader of the offense. I had a gut feeling that he was going to start slow. But if my guts are on target, he'll get better and better. Yes, I'm expecting the Snakes in the World Series.

But for now, let me just spend the next four days catching up with the rest of my life. And enjoying what has just happened.

Congrats, Diamondbacks!

ByrnesBlogger1

P.S. My Byrnes/Diamondbacks jersey arrived yesterday and I was wearing it at work today. No dress code for a radio broadcast tech and sometime journalist who does phone interviews for her stories. Though I must say, this jersey is nicer than most of the stuff I wear.