Thoughts on Game 2, and a look around the blogs

• Don't underestimate Carlos Zambrano.  He's an emotional guy, and has pitched big games for the Cubs before. Bad as he's been over the last couple months, I'm sure the Astros thought they had an opening, too, before Big Z no hit them on September 14. 
• After Andre Ethier struck out on ball four with the bases loaded to end the third, the light officially seemed to go on and stay on for Dodgers hitters.  Don't. Chase.  Obviously, guys are going to get fooled and swing at bad pitches- this is the Major Leagues, and hitting ain't easy.  But should the combustible Zambrano come out throwing hard but erratic pitches, the Dodgers can't do him any favors. 
• The Dodgers vs. Zambrano this year, and over his career.  Chad Billinsgley vs. Chicago this year, and over his career.  Not sure that qualifies as a "thought," but it's handy information.
• With the day off Friday, should Billingsley look shaky early on (I'm not talking about one or two quick runs, but Ryan Dempster, who else wants a walk? shaky) Joe Torre shouldn't hesitate to use his pen.  The performances have been there for most of the year, and the relievers are capable of coming through if needed.  You think Lou Piniella wishes he'd pulled the trigger on Dempster a hitter or two earlier?
• It was nice to see Russell Martin rewarded with his homer late in the game Wednesday night.  Martin had made solid contact all night, and had nothing to show for it. 
• All indications are Piniella plans to keep Kosuke Fukodome in the lineup for lefty-righty balance and his defense (Fukodome's snare of a pop fly, negotiating the bullpen mound, was probably the best play of Game 1).  But while I love leather as much as the next guy- okay, that came out wrong- I agree with the legion of Cubs fans who believe Piniella is doing LA a favor by keeping him Fukodome in there, certainly by letting him bat second.  Right now, he's a black hole offensively.

Around the blogs:

Andrew, True Blue LA:

"...The last time the Dodgers had a lead in a playoff series, I was four, and I don't think I realized that players took their swings at home plate. 16 years later, I finally learned what a playoff win was like, but after that high died down I was left with the idea of Odalis Perez and Jeff Weaver shutting down one of the best offenses in recent memory to take the series. For the first time, I actually have hope in October, and I like it..."

Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness:

"...Fittingly, he had two starts against the Dodgers, and there’s no middle ground here. On May 28th in Chicago, he was masterful, allowing just one run and four hits over eight innings - although I must point out that the Dodger lineup that night included Juan Pierre, Luis Maza (remember him?) and Chin-Lung Hu, a far cry from their current replacements of Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, and Rafael Furcal. Yet just over a week later on June 7th in Los Angeles, Zambrano got absolutely shelled, allowing 13 hits and 7 runs in 6.2 innings - including homers to Russell Martin and Matt Kemp..."

Sons of Steve Garvey, A Game 1 Haiku:

James Loney grand slam
"In play, run(s)" freezes on screen
A torturous wait

Phil Gurnee, SportsHubLA.com:

For a younger generation of Dodger fans who have only the Jose Lima game to provide evidence that, historically, Dodgers can and do come up big in the postseason, they finally had a hero. Someone who could stand up with Rick Monday, Vic Davillio, Ron Cey, Dusty Baker, Steve Garvey, Bill Russel, Manny Mota,  and the countless other Dodgers of my generation who carried the team into the World Series four times between ‘74-’81. Postseason offensive heroics have been lost on this generation and they have every right to be cynical bastards, having grown accustomed to seeing the Dodgers bow meekly out of every October series in the last 20 years.

But not last night, not this year.

Rob, at Goat Riders of the Apocalypse (Note: Read the whole thing.  It's so delightfully pessimistic, you can't help but feel bad for the guy.):

"...We should be able to rely on our faith on past Postseason comebacks, like fans of normal teams.  They are able to say things like "Remember in 2004 when we were down 3 games to none, and down to our last out in the ninth inning?  Remember how we didn't lose faith, and won it in the end?"

I shall list for you below, now, in great and graphic detail, all the great Cubs teams who have come back from a first game loss in the postseason, along with the manager, starters, benchwarmers, all their wives' names, kids' names, place of birth, mothers' maiden names, and make and model of the primary car they were driving at the time of the series, and finally, I will display all this information in bright green font on a bright red background:

                                                         

Note: if you cannot see the above list at this time, please check your browser.  Perhaps your settings do not allow display of bright green fonts against bright red backgrounds.  Please contact your technical support if you are having trouble seeing this list of the great Cubs teams who have come from behind to win postseason series...

...in Cubs history, they have NEVER come back to win a postseason series. Ever.  Faith is based on precedents, and there are NO precedents to base faith on at this time.  If the Cubs ARE to come back to win this series, it will, in fact, be an unprecedented event, which provides another plank for Cubs Faith to stand on."

(Wow.)

Bleed Cubbie Blue:

"...So. What have the Cubs lost here? Not the series -- there's still time, although it's at a premium in a short series. The Dodgers swiped home-field advantage, essentially; the Cubs can steal it back by winning the next two games. I note that the best team in baseball, the Angels, also lost their first game at home to the Red Sox. Carlos Zambrano -- you've got to be on your game tonight. No histrionics, no stomping around, no bat-breaking, just your best stuff, like you had on September 14 in Milwaukee..."

BK