NLCS Game 6

Good evening Cub fans,

I am a sentimental human being. Our life is filled with moments, and some we treasure more than others. At this point, I have been blessed to experience the following:

1.) Met the love of my life in undergrad
2.) Married the love of my life
3.) Purchased our first home together
4.) Find out AT WRIGLEY DURING THE SEVENTH INNING STRETCH that we are expecting our first child. And it is a little boy.

That last one has changed how I view the world. I am so excited to be a Dad. I have a lot of nerves, but I cannot wait to share my love of baseball with him as he grows up.

All that stuff aside, tonight could be a different type of special. Tonight, the team that I have invested my time, spirit, money, and heart may do something that they have not done in 71 years. I feel so spoiled. I have only had to suffer 27 years, while fans I met have waited for this day.

We were so close in '03. So. Stinking. Close. I don't need to go into the nitty gritty details, for anyone who may be reading this knows exactly what I am talking about.

So that brings me back to the start. I have decided to try to write down some of my thoughts as this game goes by. How I am feeling. How I am processing. I think in the future, I can look back at this and smile if it ends up being a special.

First pitch, coming up. Kershaw vs Hendricks. The Best v.s. The Professor.

Here. We. Go.

To my beautiful son

To my son,

I write to you right now from the sofa of your mom and dad's first home, soaking in an event your dear ole' dad has looked forward to his entire (but comparatively shorter than most) life. I hope someday you will get to experience the pure joy I am experiencing right now.

When your mom took me to Wrigley in May and told me you were on your way, I was speechless. See, what you will learn is that you are now a Cub fan. You are born into a fraternity of fans of one of the most lovable losers. Well, until tonight. But we will get to that later.

Your Great-Grandma Madeleine was a big part of my upbringing. I was with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa a lot growing up. There was one constant when I was in their house: the Chicago Cubs. I remember watching these games on TV with them and falling in love with their undying commitment to the proceedings. This love was carried over into your Grandma Chris and Grandpa Jack's house. The Cubs were a mainstay in their lives. I needed to know what this game was. This beautiful sport was called baseball.

I was hooked. Books. Strategy. Papers. Baseball Cards. Baseball Toys. Gloves. Baseball Video games. My life was forever changed. I had become hooked to this group on the Northside; the same team other Yonker/Wirtz/Ragauskis members have before.

What you don't know, and will now never know, is that the Cubs were notorious losers. Baseball's greatest prize is The Commissioner's Trophy:

See how beautiful this is? Well the Chicago Cubs had not won this trophy in a long time. A HISTORIC long time. 108 years. There has never been a longer championship drought in the history OF ALL SPORTS.

But the burden didn't stop there for us Cub fans. The Cubs turned letting their few chances at glory slip away into a painful art form.

1.) The Goat

2.) The Black Cat of '69

3.) The Collapse of '84

4.) The Bartman Game (I don't believe in this one...)

If you fall in love with this team; with this game, I will tell you all about these. 

In fall of 2011, the Chicago Cubs hired Theo Epstein. Theo was the GM for the Boston Red Sox when they broke their almost as painfully long curse in 2004 (85 years). I was excited. That is an understatement. I was ecstatic. Having at that point devoted most of my 22 years on this earth to following baseball, I understood at that time that Theo would be something special. The way he ran his team in Boston was truly different at the time. He built a sustainable farm system that would replenish a talented Major League team for continued success. The Cubs had never had this philosophy (At least sustained). 

2012 through 2014 were tough years. 90 plus losses hurt, but the drafts and acquisition of talent through trades had me believe in a special future. As other Cub fans abandoned ship, I dove in. In 2013, I completed a life long dream and became a Season Ticket Holder. As you will know as we become closer while you grow, Cub tickets are hard to come by. When I was 10-years old I put myself on the Waitlist. At that time, the wait was 20-30 years. I figured I would get called at some point later in life. Unfortunately, the early years of the Epstein era caused many of these championship starved fans to abandon ship. I was called 10 years earlier than I wanted. I knew at this time that if I did not jump in now, it would never happen. 

When I met your mom, I knew she was special. She was my blind date to a formal when I was in college. I fell in love with her when she sang "Go Cubs Go" with me while the '05 White Sox Anthem "Don't Stop Believing" was played by the DJ. It was very easy to get her on board with getting the tickets. 

Fast forward to this season. The 2016 Cubs were the team picked by almost every national media outlet to win it all. This season started with an injury, moved to a no-hitter and ended with 103 wins. 

The playoffs were stressful, but the boys in blue made it to the World Series for the first time in 71 YEARS. I realize when you read this later in life, that this will seem ridiculous. It is important you understand where you came from. 

Tonight, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. They did it. I cried and I cried and I cried. I have cheered, cried, obsessed, followed, worshiped, and believed in this team since I was small. The Cubs were the first to teach me about loyalty. The Cubs taught me that some things in life are worth waiting for. I waited for your mom. I am still waiting to meet you. Since the Cubs haven't won since 1908, it is hard not to think about who hasn't seen this. I feel spoiled to be 27 years young and get to witness this history without waiting as long as others. I think of your late Great-Grandfather Frank would have loved to see this. Your Great-Great Grandmother Harriet. And so so so so many more. I am sorry to keep reinforcing this, but you are so blessed to be born into a family of Cub fans after the biggest burden in their history has been lifted. 

When I found out that you were coming into our life, I joked with your mom that we would wait to see if the Cubs won the World Series until we decided what we would call you. It was a funny thought at first, given its unlikeliness. Then the NLDS happened with a miracle comeback. The Cubs went down 2-1 in the NLCS only to storm back and win their first NL pennant in 71 years (I know I have said this repeatedly, so I hope the respect of the situation is sinking in.) 

After an unbelievable Game 7, the Chicago Cubs are your World Champions. For this reason, you will be named after 3 great individuals. 

So my beautiful son, Kyle Anthony Frank Ragauskis, I hope you instill the qualities of the amazing individuals you are named after. 

1.) Kyle - Kyle Hendricks had an unbelievable 2016 campaign. Without the benefit of an overpowering fastball like his elite counterparts, Kyle lead the Majors with a 2.13 ERA. He used his Ivy League intelligence to out think batters with his repertoire. May you inherit his drive for education and excellence. 

2.) Anthony - Anthony Rizzo is the heartbeat of the Chicago Cubs. His back to back 30 HR/100 RBI seasons take a back seat to his incredible charity work and good demeanor. May you inherit the compassion he has for others while understanding the power of positive leadership. 

3.) Frank - Your Great-Grandfather was a fun-loving, incredible man. What an honor it is for you to carry his name. 

I can't wait to share all these things with you. Someday, we can read this together. Until that day comes, I want you to know that I love you more than words and I am excited for the world you come into. 

Love always, 

Your Dad

Never Turn off a game...

Yesterday was just a normal day. I was happy that my North Side boys were playing on ESPN, for that would give me ample time to complete the chores/tasks I had on my plate for the day. I may be a little old fashioned, but there is nothing better than a contending Cubs team getting some National TV spotlight. (Side Note: How great is Jessica Mendoza???)

Let's be honest: not the picture perfect start to the game. I was excited for the untapped potential that could have been in Matusz' tank, having delusional fever dreams of a quasi-Arrieta like turnaround (Befor you judge me; I did say delusional).  There was a short time where Matusz was a great left handed bullpen option for the Orioles. Not last night. The breaking ball was flat at times, and a straight 4 seam fastball was finding too much of the zone. 

I know there are a lot of Cubs fans who wonder why Matusz pitched at all. In a long season, amassing healthy arms is not a bad idea. Being able to call up a guy from time to time to give an extra day to the staff is a nice luxury. (Ironically, that game ended up taxing the bullpen...)

Three 2-run Homeruns. Three. By the third. It looked quite bleak. The Cubs offense was on pace to leave another small village on the base paths (Bob Uecker, Major League). I started my usual self-negotiating, pleading to the baseball gods for a chance at a comeback. 

Then 2-runs on walks. Then another.

6-3. I began to day dream of a defining -moment win, lining up the pieces in my brain on how that would happen. 

Usually it goes something like this:

Ok who's up?

Dexter.

So if he get's on, then we have KB.

I would love a KB bomb, but then we are chasing 1 still.

WAIT. KB can get on for Rizzo. 

The usual suspects end up in these conversations/elvaluations, because, well, they are 2 legitimate NL MVP candidates and it would make the most sense that they would have a say in this game.

Instead, I got to witness:

1.) Travis Wood pitch

2.) Travis Wood play LF (And make a great catch)

3.) Travis Wood come back in to pitch.

4.) 5th run scored due to Wison Contreras beating out a routine Double Play.

5.) The tying run score on a 0-2, 2 out, Bottom 9th wild pitch!

6.) Rondon do his thing for 2 innings on a day he wasn't going to pitch

6.) Jason Heyward lead off double

7.) JON LESTER WALK OFF SQUEEZE?!?!?!

As we have learned, Joe Maddon is a maestro with a lineup card, and we watched a team that gives it there all for a man that instills belief and confidence into a team he can expertly maneuver. Last night was the glory of the NL, Joe's 5th Symphony. 

Notice, I didn't say it is his 9th. For I trust Joe will have his turn at this on the ultimate stage that could end the ultimate drought. 

Baseball is fun. Baseball is great. And baseball should never be turned off. 

 

State of the Cubbies - 5.10.16

I have been a Cubs fan my whole life (26 years and some change). I grew up during an era of the team in which I have seen more playoff births then most groups of die hards, but the learning curve of heartbreak was much quicker. '98, '03, '07,'08, and '15. Considering a ball club that has only seen 17 total playoff appearances in THEIR ENTIRE EXISTANCE, I should consider myself spoiled. 

I was in college for the Lou Pinella era. These two seasons were the height of my Cub delirium. I believed in curses, goats, Bartmans, etc. I took those playoff drubbings pretty hard. I started to feel hopeless. 

Then the ray of light that is the Theo Epstein era. Theo changed the way I looked at success and sustainability. While the Cardinals implored a model of player development and in-house solutions during the 2000's, I blindly was frustrated by the lack of "big splash' signings that were involving the North Siders. I had believed what the old regime wanted me to beleive: Success can be bought. 

I watched the Epstein era teams (pre-playoffs) with a new intensity. I was constantly looking for lightening in the bottle players to bring back exciting prospects to expedite the organizational growth that Theo/Jed sold like a beautiful dream. 

Last year was fun. I love the mantra that it was "a year early" since they came out of no where. The talent was there (or coming), but would they put it together?

Expectations could not be higher for this season. Everyone and their mother (Happy Mother's day to all the moms, btw) has picked this team to be a World Series contender. I have aged with the team and have found bliss in the "Try not to Suck" idea. 

Then they started like this. 24-6. Best start since 1907 (I believe a Chicago team won the World Series that year...). The hype train has turned into the hype bullet train. 

Starting Pitching - Lester, Hammel, Arrieta have 3 of the top 5 era's in the game. They are on a staff that has yet to have a starter to throw less than 5 innings this season. Jake has 1 no-hitter, and his command is not even close to what it was last year just yet. (Jake's walk rate per 9 is at 3, compared to 1.9 last season).

Offense - ON BASE. ON BASE. ON BASE. If you look up and down this line up, there are 1 or 2 batting averages that jump out as solid (Rizzo had a slow start due to lousy BABIP, Heyward has been hampered with a wrist injury). However, this team continues to take its walks. Hits can come in go in a game where failure happens to the greats 70% of the time, but approach stays constant. The drop in strike out rate so far in Russell and Bryant has been unreal. The Cubs were last in the majors last year, improving to a shocking degree. 

It is exciting to be on the North Side this year. Stay calm and enjoy the ride. As Joe Maddon would say "It's a beautiful thing, man."

Home Opener - An opener of my perspective

This is the view of my section. I am so excited to sitting in those green beauties once again (Well, 2 rows closer than last year 😍). 

I don't know if it is just me, but I am trying really hard not to overdue my excitement just yet. Lots of expectations, predictions,  etc. No, I am not selling out to some curse theory, hoax, hex, or such either. As I have gotten older, I have grown more in love with this game, while growing in understanding the nuances that make it go. With a grueling 162 game season ahead, so many things can happen. 

I love the early season storylines of who is good, who is bad. I had a a conversation this past Friday with a Cardinals fan who was POUNDING the panic button as his team stumbled in their opening series to the Pirates. Trevor Story is on pace to hit over 250 Home Runs. Currently, I am watching the "rebuilding" Reds no-hit our heroes in the bottom of the 5th. 

What I am trying to say, make sure to take some time to enjoy the present. Baseball is a beautiful game with nuances that take a detail mind to find. So let's enjoy this ride. Oh, and Go Cubs!