But he also famously took the Cubs to within five outs of the World Series in 2003, and then turned around and won more games in 2004, but missed the playoffs. He became the first Cubs manager to bring the Cubs back-to-back winning seasons since Leo Durocher in 1971-2.

In any case, I have mixed feelings about Dusty’s tenure with the Cubs. On one hand, I think he did great things for the Cubs. He brought excitement and cultivated a lot of young players who are now important parts of the Cubs or other teams. I never questioned his resolve to win, either.

But what I liked least about his reign, unlike most fans, is that he oversaw what happened on the field to cause demand for tickets to go through the roof. Even in 2003, it was easy for me to go to any game I wanted. Sure the Cubs were a good draw, but you could get tickets to most any game (some required more planning than others), and even the popular games weren’t sold out the first weekend they were on sale.

Now people line up twice if they want tickets on the first day of sales: first to get a wristband and second to convert that wristband to tickets. Naturally, with such extreme demand, ticket prices have skyrocketed. And now, if I want to go to a game, I have to plan carefully. Yes, several losing seasons cooled demand, but it is still a way more popular ticket than it used to be. And prices keep on going up, more and more advertising is inside the park, even within the playing field, and the culture of Cubs fans feels a bit different, a bit more business-like.

If Dusty hadn’t taken the team so close to the promised land in 2003, the commercialization of Wrigley probably wouldn’t be where it is at today. I don’t really begrudge Dusty for anything, but I am left saying…

…thanks, and no thanks, Dusty.

Theriot to DeRosa to Lee may not roll off the tongue like Tinkers to Evers to Chance, and Harry would mangle Kosuke Fukudome every time, but all I can say is…

Go Cubs Go!

Anyhow, the latest edition linked to a Slate article by Neal Pollack, who visited the Dodger Stadium All-You-Can-Eat Pavillion. And while I won’t spoil the end, I’ll say that it is worth reading to the end.

“Tonight,” I [Pollack] wrote in my notebook, “represents everything that’s wrong with America. Then again, this is one of the most multicultural experiences of my life. All branches of the human family are slowly poisoning themselves happily, together, communal. I’m privileged to be witnessing the mass suicide of a species.”

This post may not be about Asia (we are in Vietnam; visited Saigon, now beachside in Nah Trang), but it does remind me of a very good reason we are here.

Not that I’m completely igoring the fact that the Cubs are again starting ’slow’ and have too many players injured…

I would still argue that the Cubs’ woes are not the fault of Dusty. Or, perhaps more accurately, I don’t think he deserves as much blame as he’s getting. But baseball people work, well, like baseball people. And baseball people have to fire somebody, and that somebody is the manager. And maybe a fresh face will do the clubhouse some good. I doubt the results will be worse, just like I have no doubt that Dusty will manage again, and be successful doing so.

In any case, for the first time since way back in ‘04, the baseball postseason lacks a Chicago team. Perhaps more noticeably, the postseason also is missing a team from Atlanta or a team from Boston. In fact, both of those teams finished third in their divisions. But still, there aren’t too many surprises among the teams remaining, even though neither team from last year’s World Series even made the playoffs.

The biggest surprise in baseball this year is definitely the Detroit Tigers. Although they were expected to improve over last year’s team, nobody had them beating the White Sox, Indians or Twins. And until the last day of the season, they nearly beat all of those teams. Most people didn’t have the Twins winning the division, preferring the Sox or Indians, but seeing the Twins in the playoffs isn’t shocking, either.

It’s probably more surprising to people that two AL Central teams are in the playoffs, a nice change of pace from the seemingly annual NY/Boston duo. Seeing the Yankees come out of the East is not news. Seeing Oakland out of the West isn’t a big surprise, although the Angels were expected to have put up more of a fight than they did.

On the NL side pretty much everybody expected the Mets to win the East, which they did rather easily. The Cardinals aren’t surprising anybody with their Central win, but they haven’t looked that good, which is more surprising. It seems that the NL Central, baseball’s biggest division, had enough talent that they beat up on each other, and since each team had weaknesses, nobody emerged a 90 game winner.

It was a horserace out west, with the Padres earning the division win by a tie-break over the Dodgers. Most people probably didn’t expect the wild card to come from the west, but I’m personally glad Houston’s not in, so I’m not complaining.

In the AL I think the A’s and Yankees will be facing off in a tough ALCS. I don’t see Detroit hanging on against the mighty Yankee lineup, even though the Yankee pitchers are beatable. Similarly, I don’t see the Twins hanging on against the A’s. Sure, the Twinkies may send Johan Santana to the mound twice in five games, and they may win both those games, but they’re not winning the other three. The A’s pitching is solid and they can score runs. This will be Oakland’s first trip past the division series after numerous efforts earlier this decade.

Once the A’s and Yanks square off, it will be hard to say. The A’s may have more holes, so if the Yankees pitchers show up and pitch the way their paid, it’s safe to say we’ll have our first Yankees World Series since 2003. But the starters are inconsistent and Mariano “Sure Thing” Rivera isn’t a certainty like he used to be, and the Yankees won’t beat up on the Oakland pitching very easily. So if the A’s score some runs, it will be a tight series. Look for this one to go 6 or 7 games. I’ll pick Oakland over the Yankees, just because maybe if I try hard enough I can will it to happen.

Back to the NL. In the St. Louis vs. San Diego series the advantage seems to lie squarely with the Padres. St. Louis’ pitching is extremely vulnerable, and San Diego’s potent pitching will take care of the not-as-dangerous-as-previous-years-but-still-talented Cardinal batting order. I mean, getting Pujols out isn’t a gimmee. But if nobody is on base, a solo shot isn’t such a bad thing. Plus, comparing closers, the Cardinals’ Isringhausen has 33 saves in 43 chances and an ERA north of 3.50. The Padres’ Trevor Hoffman set the career saves record, notching 46 saves in 51 opportunities, with an ERA around 2.15. Playing meaningful games to the end, St. Louis finished 3-7 while San Diego went 8-2. So bottom line? Even if the Cardinals manage a win or two, it will be an early exit for them this year.

The most exciting matchup of all, at least to me, will be Thursday night in prime time. Maddux vs. Glavine. Two of my baseball heroes (especially Maddux), facing off against each other (say wha?!?), sporting the wrong teams’ jerseys (especially Maddux!). That should be a great game. I hope Maddux wins 1-0. The series as a whole should favor the Mets. They’ve been able to rest up as the season wound down, and they’ve got probably the best lineup in the NL. But Pedro won’t be pitching and the Dodgers have played tough down the stretch (9-1 in the last 10), so it’s tough to count them out. I say this series goes 5, unless the Dogers can split in NY and finish ‘em off in L.A. But Beltran, Delgado and company will do their best to head to the NLCS. I’m pulling for the Dodgers (really just Maddux) so I’ll pick ‘em to win, but I’m not holding my breath.

So if I’m right and we have a San Diego – L.A. NLCS there will be about 12 people outside of California watching. But that’s ok, because it would be a heck of a good matchup. I’ll say the Dodgers pull it off in 6 and get to the World Series. But I’ll also hedge that big time and say that the NL playoff situation is about as up in the air as it gets, and nothing would surprise me. Any team could end up representing the NL.

Regardless of who makes it to the World Series the AL has the distinct advantage. It pains me so much to say that. In my scenario, we have Oakland – L.A., and the key will be to take advantage of the games with no DH, when the Big Hurt either sits or plays first base for Oakland. If L.A. can split in Oakland, they should be able to go home and win 2 of 3 – or maybe even put Oakland away. But more than likely it will go 6 or 7. And if the Oakland pitching holds up, they’ll shut the door on the Dodgers, win two at home to start, win one or two more in L.A. and clean up in game 6. On the bright side, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Big Hurt play in and win a World Series. Take that White Sox. So I’ll say Dodgers in 7, with an out-clause for Oakland in 6.

Of course, I’m out on a limb with these predictions. But I will add this. If San Diego makes the World Series, I’ll be curious to see how much Fox hypes up the whole “Trevor Hoffman blew the save in the All-Star game, giving home field advantage to the AL in the World Series” storyline. For that matter, if L.A. is in the Series, they may hype the same storyline!

Ugh.

So I’ll be crazy and say it. Dodgers win the World Series in 7 games. And how cool would it be for Maddux to get that game 7 win?

Cool enough that I’ll stay tuned to see what happens. Because no matter who’s in it, October baseball is still what we spend the whole summer waiting to see.

It started so innocently when the old Chicago Stadium, home of the Bulls and Blackhawks was replaced with the United Center.

The City leased the Chicago Skyway for $1.83 billion. And now the naming rights are available. After all, 1.8 billion doesn’t go as far as it used to.

And March 30th this year the Cubs announced that the famous bleachers at Wrigley Field would be named the Bud Light Bleachers. Right. OK. Apparently the extra revenue from the $40(!) new bleacher seats wasn’t enough.

A quiet name change comes from the Tweeter Center, née World Music Theater, now the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. That sure is special. You know. Let’s rock at the Bank!

Of course, rIAm’s “favorite” comes to mind… the State Street Fields. Err, Macy’s, come September 7th. I mean, that store is only a Chicago icon. What difference does the name make?

And now today I learn that one of the most prominent local brews, and one of the best, Goose Island Brewery plans to sell 35% of itself to Anheuser-Busch Inc. Because being a fantastic Chicago brewery and pub (with amazing fish ‘n chips, btw) isn’t good enough. Apparently Goose Island had Clydesdale envy.

So why not just sell naming rights to the city? Any takers? Wrigley City of Chicago? Chew on that one.

Todd Walker just drove him in, and reached base.

Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come this season.

Yesterday the White Sox won their opener 10-3, after unveiling their World Series Championship banners.

The Boys of Summer are back!