The Forgotten Trip

Of the teams in the National League, I have gone the longest without seeing the St. Louis Cardinals in person. I've only seen them once at Citi Field, back in 2009.

For some reason, however, it seems like the team I have hardly ever seen is the Chicago Cubs. I know I was there twice in April of 2010 when the Cubs were in town (this kicked off a 9-1 homestand and featured the Major League Debut of Ike Davis), but I seem to have forgotten these games. I was under the impression that I hadn't seen them since the final week at Shea Stadium.

Part of the reason is that I think it's been at least six seasons since I remember seeing the Mets play the Cubs in Chicago. I guess it's the vicissitudes of scheduling, but every time the Mets have been in Chicago, I seem to be busy and not able to see any of the games. And some years, they blow in for a 2 game series and play one night and then the next afternoon and get out of dodge. Point is, I seem to have blocked out the Mets and Cubs playing each other at all pretty much ever since 2008. This includes games that I might have heard on the radio in my office, because I don't remember those either. I just watched some highlights of today's game, and I had no idea that all this advertising had popped up all over Wrigley Field. What's up with the soda cans on the outfield wall and the Citibank logos, and the rogue Toyota sign? When did this happen?

So I'd been out late on Monday and Tuesday nights and I didn't get home until after the game had ended, which is just as well given the way things turned out. But, today, I was in my office, and I had some downtime (at least for a few minutes) and I turned the game on in the radio. It was 1-1 at some point, and I had to take care of something outside my office, and when I came back, Daniel Murphy had homered and it was 4-1. Some time later, I had to step out again, and when I came back, Daniel Murphy had homered again. You know where this is going. I get called out, Scott Hairston hits a grand slam, and the rout was on. 17 runs and yet another sorely needed, losing streak snapping victory, which seems to be something the Mets have specialized in this season. Helpful, when you're in danger of being swept by the miserable Cubs before heading out to play the Dodgers.

But it seems I'm not the only one who forgets the Mets playing in Chicago. I was talking to a colleague during the evening, and he said to me, "We've got a lot of problems," in reference to the Mets. I told him that they scored 17 runs today. He could only laugh, dumbfounded. "That's the kind of season it's been," he said.