Chicago Cubs: A Story Of 108 Years And 108 Outs

By now, the whole planet knows that the Chicago Cubs will be in a World Series for the first time in 108 years. But did you know that to win everything, they need to record 108 outs (4 wins X 27 outs = 108 Cute, huh?) But when I realized that driving to the grocery store this morning, it got me to thinking……..

108 is a lot of outs. But it doesn’t matter how you get them. They can all be screaming line drives. Or, one of them can come right after the other team has put a crooked number up on the scoreboard. In fact, they can come in any number or combinations of ways, but the only thing that counts is that you get them before the other team does.

108 years is a lot of years too. 1908 was the year Henry Ford launched the Model T, the Wright Brothers proved to the world that they had mastered the art of flight, Teddy Roosevelt decided to send American naval warships around the globe, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series (a feat they have never yet repeated), and six automobiles set out on an incredible 20,000 mile race from New York City to Paris via the frozen Bering Strait. (Jim Rasenberger, “1908 America”)

It’s All About Momentum And Game One

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Suffice to say it was a long long time ago. But by Tuesday night at 8:07 pm, nothing will matter except getting that first out, or for that matter the first strike. And then the second out and so on until a pattern is developed and you begin to realize that the 73rd out was easier to get than that first out because you have some momentum going.

And in a short series, that’s the name of the game.Just look at what happened last night when Kyle Kendricks got the Dodgers out in the top of the first and the Cubs came back to put two on the board against Clayton Kershaw, the visibly disturbed starter and last hope for the Dodgers. Didn’t those next 24 outs come pretty easily for the Cubs?

And that’s why Game 1 Tuesday night is so important for both the Cubs and Indians. Because if you get the first one, all you have to do is play .500 baseball the rest of the Series and you’ve got yourself a World Championship.

The Weather Will Be A Factor With Temps In The Low 40’s

And if you’re the road team like the Cubs are and you take that first one, then things get really sweet. But first things first. How about the weather in Cleveland? Predictably, it’s going to be a bit chilly with the nighttime temperature dropping to 41., which raises the argument again for playing these games on a neutral site. But for this year, it is what it is.

Even so, pitchers especially go by the feel of the baseball in their hand. And when you are trying to break off a 90mph slider and you need that all important spin on the ball (think Corey Kluber), things can get a little difficult. On the other hand, someone like a Jon Lester when throws 90 percent two and four seam fastballs, is not likely to be as affected.

But that’s where the fans enter the picture. Because 40,000 screaming people can generate a lot of heat and excitement. And for the players who are trying to block the noise out so they can get in that “zone” they talk about, it means they’ll be able to block out the cold as well.

Next: Why the Indians will win it all

So while 108 is the magic number, it’s going to be about which team can stay and play in the moment. Of course, they wouldn’t be where they are if they couldn’t do that, so what it really reduces itself to is which team is going to “break” first. Any guesses on that?

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