Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site noscvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!amd!dual!zehntel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!noscvax!douglas From: douglas@noscvax.UUCP (Douglas S. Dickerson) Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball Subject: Padres-Cubs (4&5) Message-ID: <644@noscvax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 8-Oct-84 17:52:11 EDT Article-I.D.: noscvax.644 Posted: Mon Oct 8 17:52:11 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 11-Oct-84 01:16:58 EDT Distribution: na Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center Lines: 34 Somehow, my wife and I managed to be two of the 58,000+ screaming Padre and Cub fans at Game 4 of the N.L. playoffs. More than 48 hours later, I still haven't fully recovered my voice. It was one sporting event that was *more* than a game. The baseball was *so* good and the level of intensity *so* high, it seemed transcendent. The most amazing thing to me was Garvey's ability to perform under pressure. Game 5 was incredible in a different way. Down 3-0 with only 12 outs left against the best pitcher in baseball is about as "against the wall" as one can get. Yet the crowd, perhaps sensing it was "do or die" time, rose to their feet when Wiggins led off the bottom of the sixth, and the rest is history. As a Tiger fan, I have to agree with Sparky that the Tigers match up better with the Cubs than the Padres. Left-handed pitching has given the Bengals relative trouble this year. The Cubs, like the Tigers, have one southpaw pitcher; San Diego has four, three who can start. Given Show's post-season performance so far, if I were Dick Williams, I'd seriously consider starting Dravecky in Game 4, rather than Show. I'm still rather confident the Tigers will prevail. In fact, I would be surprised if it went seven games. Unknown is the effect of the emotional high that the Padres and the city of San Diego have experienced the last five days. The Tigers have a pattern of playing well on the road and of gaining early leads. This might take the crowd out of the game. On the other hand, the performance of San Diego's middle relievers was *awesome*. Lefferts, Dravecky and Hawkins might be the difference against the Bengal's rotation of Morris, Petry and Wilcox if the latter group cannot go 6-7 innings. Doug Dickerson douglas@nosc sdcsvax!noscvax!douglas