Cubs
play like they have no worries
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[October 08, 2016]
By Tom Musick, The Sports Xchange
CHICAGO -- Somebody forgot to tell the
Chicago Cubs that they are supposed to feel stressed.
Where is the fear of failure? Where is the dread? What about the
chewed fingernails and frayed nerves?
After all, the Cubs are the odds-on favorite to win the World
Series. The franchise has not won a title since 1908. Nursing homes
around the city are filled with white-haired fans who never have
witnessed a World Series winner.
Yet the Cubs are playing loose and having fun as if it's a sunny day
in May.
The latest proof arrived Friday night as the Cubs outlasted the San
Francisco Giants for a 1-0 win in Game 1 of the National League
Division Series.
The game was scoreless in the eighth inning when Javier Baez
strolled to the plate, considered laying down a bunt -- he admitted
as much afterward -- and instead launched a towering home run toward
left-center field for the only run.
Talk about staying calm under pressure.
"Obviously, everybody gets really excited," Baez said with a smile.
Imagine the excitement level Saturday night as the Cubs go for a
commanding 2-0 series lead. Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks will
oppose Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who spent six-plus
seasons on the North Side.
Heading into the series, the Giants seemed like the team that would
feel the most confident and relaxed. Manager Bruce Bochy's club had
won 20 of its past 25 postseason games and 11 playoff series in a
row. That matched the all-time record set by the New York Yankees,
who won 11 series in a row from 1998 to 2001.
Chicago's playoff history was, shall we say, less decorated.
No matter. Cubs players were happy and laughing even before the
first pitch of the game.
During pregame introductions, the Cubs lined the field. The team's
public-address announcer mistakenly introduced right-handed relief
pitcher Pedro Strop as Jake Buchanan, Strop's teammate in the
bullpen. Strop smiled wide and wagged a finger, Dikembe
Mutombo-style, as John Lackey cracked up next to him.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Oct/08/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_062409.png)
Moments later, Cubs infielder Munenori Kawasaki was introduced. He
winked and blew kisses at the camera.
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Left-hander Jon Lester said he started feeling excited -- not
nervous -- on his way to Wrigley Field.
"Fun atmosphere from really just driving in this afternoon, coming
to the ballpark and seeing all the people on (Clark Street) and all
that stuff," Lester said. "That was my first playoff game with the
Cubs at home, so that was pretty cool.
"That's what makes it fun for us as players. You show up, you grind
it out, it's a long season, and these fans have been there since day
one. It's been unbelievable to grow with them as we have gone
through this journey the last two years. The atmosphere tonight was
unbelievable from the time I stepped on the field until the end of
the game."
As the game progressed, tension built in the stands. Lester and
Cueto were locked in a pitchers' duel.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Oct/08/images/ads/current/christian_village_sda_031616.png)
Baez said he was undeterred by Cueto's dominance on the mound.
"The game of baseball is 27 outs," Baez said. "Because we haven't
scored a run in the eighth doesn't mean you're going to give up.
You're just going to keep working and working until we got a runner
or the win."
Incredibly, the past six games between the Cubs and Giants have been
decided by one run each.
You know what that means, right?
More pressure-filled moments are ahead. But don't expect either team
to be intimidated by the big stage.
"Two good teams," Bochy said. "Two good teams with good pitching
that play well on defense. That's normally what you see when you
have two teams with good pitching going at it -- low-scoring games,
one-run ballgames. And I expect it to be the same from this point
on.
"(On Saturday), we're going to face another good one. And you
scratch and claw for runs, and hopefully we find a way to win these
games."
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