Florida Marlins in the world series

[sinton66]

Defeated Cubs in the game tonight to advance.

[Bandera YaYa]

Those poor Cubs......I should have sent them some YaYa mojo potion .....might have helped.

[pirate4state]

Pudge & the Marlins going to the big dance!! I'm very sad that the Cubs are not gonna get their chance, but the Marlins just out hit them. Plain & Simple!! Great game, great team & I hope they take it all.

[jason]

Ivan Rodriguez...NLCS MVP...congrats to him...

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

Well, being a Texas Ranger fan, i'm happy for Pudge that he's getting the chance to play in the World Series.....

But imagine how that poor guy feels that interfered with Alou's catch in foul territory in game 6. Every Cubs fan in the NATION is going to blame him for the Cubs's meltdown. I read an article about him earlier in the day, and apparently, he didn't show up for work this morning......wouldn't be surprised if he's found dead in his home from committing suicide....poor guy, I would NOT wish that on even my WORST enemy....

[TarponFanInNorthTexas]

Here's the article I was referring to....

Wednesday, October 15, 2003


ESPN.com news services
You're a Cubs fan and you're out of sorts. Cubs left fielder Moises Alou was about to catch Luis Castillo's foul fly for a crucial out during the pivotal eighth inning of Tuesday night's Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.

Then this spectator down the left-field line reached out from his seat and got his hand on the ball before Alou could. Still alive, Castillo walked and the Marlins, who entered the top of the eighth down 3-0 to Cubs ace Mark Prior, scored eight runs in the inning to win 8-3 and force a Game 7.

You should know that this spectator is also a Cubs fan, a diehard Cubs fan, according to those who know him, a good guy and an outstanding youth baseball coach. Just another anonymous guy until the Chicago Sun-Times named him in Wednesday's editions.

Now everybody in Chicago knows that he's Steve Bartman, 26, of Northbrook, Ill., and that he works at Hewitt Associates, an international consulting firm in Lincolnshire, Ill. And, now they know that because of the notoriety of his inadvertent act, he did not report to work Wednesday morning.

Last seen, as the Marlins ralllied, security guards were escorting Bartman out of the park. He threw a jacket over his face for protection, but not before other fans hurled beers at him.

"You cost us the World Series!" one fan yelled at him. Some chanted "Kill him!"

Friends and a neighbor defended Bartman, saying what he did when the foul ball came his way was a natural reaction.

"He's a huge Cubs fan," said a man who responded to "Mr. Bartman" when queried by the newspaper. "I'm sure I taught him well. I taught him to catch foul balls when they come near him."

The man declined to continue speaking to the Sun-Times and would not confirm what relation he is to Steve Bartman.

A neighbor, Ron Cohen, and others said Bartman graduated from Notre Dame and now coaches the Renegades, an elite youth baseball team in Niles, Ill. Bartman was wearing a Renegades T-shirt for Game 6, which helped Cohen recognize him from television replays.

Cohen, 63, told the Sun-Times he was watching the game on TV with his son, who grew up with "Stevie," when they realized it was Bartman who was then catching the ire of Alou.

"I really was just surprised," said Cohen, who told the paper he called Bartman's mother. "I think it's just a natural tendency. Everybody reaches. I'm not trying to defend him, but I think it's just a natural tendency. He may not have seen Alou coming."

Cohen described Bartman as a "baseball fanatic."

"He's a good kid, a wonderful son, never in any trouble," Cohen told the Sun-Times. "I don't think he should be blamed at all. People reach for balls. This just happened to be a little more critical. If Florida didn't score all the runs, you wouldn't be standing here."

Cohen's description of Bartman was echoed by a parent whose son played baseball for the Renegades last year.

"He was a fine guy. He was a good baseball coach to my son," Roger Shimanovsky, 41, said. "Believe me, I'm sure nobody feels worse about this than him."

Outside Wrigley Field after Tuesday's game, Cubs fans were trying to digest what had happened to their beloved team. The Cubs last reached the World Series in 1945 and haven't won a title since 1908.

"I'm so depressed. I'm going to cry," 21-year-old Heather Swanson said.

"If Alou had been able to catch that one ball ... I really thought they were going to do it," said Joanne Dexheimer, 47.

[KTownBalla]

That was a great game...i was hopin to see a Bottom of the 9th...2 outs...bases loaded type of thing so see the cubs break the curse...but that's okies...glad pudge won MVP, and finally gets to play in the World Series...he deserves it.

[reptard7isCRAZY]

I can't believe the Cubs blew a 3-1 lead with Prior and Wood still pitching. Cubs played a good game, all besides Wood, he chocked like i have never seen him choke before. I know they are rioting in Chicago right now. . .

[diboll_fan]

I'M Glad They Won

[slpybear the bullfan]

Dusty Baker said it all when he said... We pitched our two aces, Prior and Wood, and the beat us. If they do that they deserve to win.

Great point..

[crzyjournalist03]

Well, now that there's no hope for a Cubs-Sox dream series, LET'S GO MARLINS! Hope Pudge gets MVP of the Series, then decides he misses Texas come time for free agency this fall!