What others are saying about the Cubs

Excerpt from Jack Magruder of the East Valley Tribune in Scottsdale, AZ. (www.eastvalleytribune.com):

"PHOENIX - The last time Chicago righthander Carlos Zambrano pitched here, he was ejected.

This time, his own manager pulled the plug, a move that proved just as fatal.. ."

Excerpt from Jim Capel at www.ESPN.com:

-- "There is a school of thought that you can't hold anything back in the postseason, that you have to go all out to win each game at hand rather than look ahead. There is another school of thought that a manager who has won one World Series (with the Reds in 1990) and managed three teams into the postseason (Reds, Mariners and Cubs) just might know a little bit more about his team than a bunch of guys who shop for their clothes at TJ Maxx. -- "

Excerpt from Greg Hansen of the Arizona Star in Tucson, AZ. (www.azstarnet.com):

"PHOENIX - This playoff series is all about the Cubs and the century of failure that accompanies them.

It will be about the Cubs if they win, and it will be about the Cubs if they lose.

Especially if they lose.

The Diamondbacks are here the way Apollo Creed showed up in all those Rocky movies. Someone has to play The Other Guy..."

Except from Nick Piecoro's blog for the Arizona Republic in Phoenix (www.azcentral.com):

"Talk about your all-time backfires.

I was reminded of that classic Happy Gilmore line four pitches into the bottom of the seventh, as an already-buzzing press box was trying to figure out Cubs manager Lou Piniella's head-scratching decision to remove Carlos Zambrano from the game after only 85 pitches.

I was also reminded of all those stories I read about how great of a job Piniella had done this season for the Cubs, and how some folks thought he was going to outsmart the Diamondbacks' own Bob Melvin...

For us media types, this series couldn't have gotten off to a better start. Instant intrigue. Easy storyline..."