Okay. Here goes.

Dodgers 7. Cubs 2.

I didn't get to see the whole game. I tuned in on the radio in the 5th inning, apparently right after LA first baseman James Loney hit a grand slam to put the Cubs down 4 to 2. I thought, lots of time. But then I realized that the Cubs just weren't hitting.

They've gone through several stretches this year where the bats went quiet, and more toward the end of the year. Usually the results in these stretches were less than stellar. They've lived and died with their starting pitching, and when the bats are quiet and the pitcher stinks up the joint, as Ryan Dempster apparently did last night with 7 walks, the odds aren't good for them.

I could NOT for the life of me figure out Lou's batting order. Okay, most of it was adequate and expected, but come on! Fukudome batting 2nd? I was actually good with playing him in RF because he's so good defensively, but for gosh sakes, bat him 8th!

But tonight, I wouldn't have him in the lineup. I'd put DeRosa in right if his calf will allow it (or Reed Johnson if his calf won't) and put Fontenot at second. You need DeRosa's bat in the lineup, and hopefully it can be as a right fielder. I would NOT put Felix Pie as a starter in RF. The Cubs need bats.

Zambrano is an ace, and tonight, we need him to pitch like one. He needs to keep the Cubs in this game whether their bats are quiet or not. Treat it like game 7 of the WS. All in. If the game is on the line in the 5th inning, tonight, save the game with Marmol! One criticism I've heard a lot today of last night is that Lou shouldn't have let Dempster face Loney the way he was pitching. I didn't see it so I'm not sure what his thinking was, but I have heard Lou say that sometimes you have to "save" the game in the 6th or 7th, and I suggest that he do that tonight. He's got two studs in the BP, and I'd bring Marmol in at the drop of a hat. Now is not the time to save his arm in case you need him in the 7th, or 8th.

And throw strikes! I heard Bruce Miles say on ESPN 1000 this morning that the home plate ump had an "interesting" strike zone last night. I agree. It looked to me like he was giving them the low strike and giving the pitchers (at least the Dodgers' pitchers) the outside edges. It did not look to me like the Cubs' pitchers were taking advantage of that.

And bats! Wake Up! This is it! Derrick Lee better start stroking the ball with a little authority. Soriano can NOT go 0-4 again, with key strikeouts. This guy is making 136M over the life of his 8 year contract, and he NEEDS to hit in this playoff series.

Nothing less than a trip to the World Series can be considered a success, in my view.

I don't know if I can even bring myself to watch this game tonight...but I will...and I should be home in time. I suppose it's either the game or the VP debate...game should win out, since nothing Sarah Palin could say would make me feel any better about her...