Cubs vs Marlins 2003 - NLCS Game 6 (8th inning highlights)

[@quiveirojason]

as a Marlin's fan back in 03, I remember crying because it all seemed over in the 8th, boy how that quickly changed. this game holds as a special moment in my life.

[@Ram44]

It was brutal going through it. A nightmare. We still had Game 7 (and we had the lead in Game 7) but weren't good enough to hold on. They were an 88 win team that went from last to first, no one expected them to get to the NLCS, let alone be up 3-0 in the 8th with 5 outs to the pennant. So for that, I cut them some slack. Man I hope the 2015 team puts this memory to bed.

[@funisnumberone1]

I'm a Sox Fan too and loved watching this. I only wish you'd have left in the Bartman play, which you are correct was NOT the reason they lost. Thank you Alex Gonzalez for keeping the choke alive on the North Side!

[@leephelps5935]

I'm a reds fan but this one game I will never forget I recorded this game on my VCR that night and I took that VCR tape I had the game recorded on and transferred it to a blank DVD sometimes to this day I watch that game over and over ill never forget this game lol

[@jasonrichards9431]

Very good points. WGN's Steve Stone noticed Prior's shaky command in the 7th; by the 8th, Stone was practically screaming at Dusty Baker to wake up. And, Baker blew a chance to stall, not going out to settle Prior down after the Bartman play. Prior stated his biggest regret was hanging an 0-2 curve to Pudge, but that's what tired pitchers do. Alex Gonzalez knew Prior was gassed & probably remembered Derek Lee homering off a tired Prior, 8th inning of Game 2, so he squeezed his glove too soon on Cabrera's roller, trying for an inning ending DP on a ball he knew wasn't hit hard enough. As for Kyle (million $ arm, ten-cent brain) Farnsworth, he faced the Marlins best hitters 3 times by then, and the Marlins had caught up to him. I'd have pulled Prior after 7 & used Game 4 starter Matt Clement in the 8th, since that was his side session day. But, there's no guarantee that strategy works; if it doesn't, I'm forever known as the idiot who pulled Prior after 7 shutout innings, just 6 outs away from the World Series.

[@fallen4life080]

That was Thom Brenneman calling the game, not Stone. But anyway I agree. I wrote something similar in my description. Lee had been struggling all series however was getting better as the series progressed. he was fouling pitches off better and getting "harder outs". and like you said one of his hits was a lucky shot homer off of prior (he had one other hit as well). also Alex was never going to turn a double play, even All Levine said it in the video. Cabrera was speedy back then. it was just going to second to get one out. who knows why Gonzalez bobbled it. he was #2 in the NL in defense. I would've kept prior in for the 8th as well HOWEVER, I would've had two guys warming in the bullpen for sure regardless of how well he threw in the 8th. when prior allowed the Juan Pierre double I would've gone out to check on him and form a plan due to the middle of the order coming up. I honestly wouldve left him in.... however upon the wild pitch I would've pulled him 100%. the problem was the Cubs had a garbage bullpen that year. The 10th worse bullpen or and it was even worse in the playoffs. The Marlins that year were like the Kansas City totals of last year or the Cardinals of 2011.....if you gave them a one of double....they were 100% going to score. they were like roaches....they wouldn't die. when you mix in a bad bullpen + a team that takes advantage of every mistake the Cubs were destined to lose.

[@jasonrichards9431]

I lived in Chicago & listened to WGN radio, TV muted. Cub bullpen was bad, but the only decent available reliever was Urbina, who the Marlins acquired in June. So many teams were in contention, that nobody was giving up good pitchers.

[@themilwaukeebrewerswillnev7545]

Crusty could have pulled prior after the pudge base hit and still probably been okay. It’s unfathomable that he left him in for 2 more hitters after that. In reality most managers would have pulled him after the wild pitch walk. It was clear he was out of gas. It’s completely inexcusable to leave him in to face lee in that situation. Lee had success in game 2 off of him. This is why crusty baker, despite having numerous talented teams, has never, and never will win a World Series

[@HundredJono]

I come back to watch this inning every once in a while and I swear there was some weird mojo going on in this game

[@fallen4life080]

I loved everything you said, most of it was in my description too! however just to clarify things on Alou, i watched a Dominican (Spanish) interview on Tv once, he said he "flipped" out to try and win over the umpire. He figured if he made it seem like he had a play, the Ump would take his side. He NEVER thought it would feed energy into the crowd. Also his teammates didnt care for his reaction, They interviewed Aramis too, he said he was ready for the next pitch right afterwards, didnt care.

[@MeneTekelUpharsin]

Prior gave up back to back hits in the 8th inning, it was common sense to take him out but Dusty had his mind set that he was going to lose the game and make sure Prior's arm fell off.

[@carchecha]

Lmao

[@famguy218]

I'm a die-hard Cubs fan; I always have been and I always will be. If the Cubs really were a World Series team that year, they would've gotten those last 5 outs. I don't blame Barman at all; knowing my luck I would've done the same thing. Also, Thom Brennaman has seen the craziest shit as a commentator!

[@fuccckckkkkckkck]

finally a cub fan that isn't someone that wants bartmans head... i hope he goes to the first game that the cubs go into the world series.... heck make him throw the first pitch

[@tonyparra8459]

I'm a Dodger fan, and I also go for the Cubs, because I hate the Cardinals.

[@fuccckckkkkckkck]

Hey tony atleast kershaw won an mvp that is extremely impressive.

[@deletedaccount7974]

Cubs fan too if only we had mark prior. I blame dusty😪

[@plantmandanny]

Miguel Cabrera and his 3000th hit reminded me of this game. What a half inning. The error was the real dagger.

[@hectorlopez1069]

This was when he was in his prime.

[@fallen4life080]

"The seams were already coming loose" Thats the best statement that sums it up. the Bartman play happened at the wrong time (early near the collapse) which made it seem like he was the cause, essentially he was framed. Im actually gonna make another video summing up the commentary by the broadcasters in this game. Its eerie but its like they KNEW something like this would happen, they kept talking about the 1984 collapse.

[@fallen4life080]

Totally agree, dude! however in a spanish interview in the Dominican republic Moises Alou states (and somehow i believe him) he only acted like that to win over the umpire. he said in Spanish if i can remember correctly, " i figured if i made it seem like i had a good shot at the ball, the umpire might have agreed and called the guy (the batter, castillo) out" i think he even states something how he's a little aware of how his actions coincidentally fueled the crowd to hate bartman.

[@fallen4life080]

I dont know if you read my earlier comment, but Alou said on a dominican interview that he tried to "sell" the umpire the call (the way catchers sell strikes). He said if he made it seem like he had a chance on the ball, the umpire would agree and call fan interference. but he NEVER intended to get mad at Bartman. He admitted he couldve had the ball but he also said he went in there at his own risk. Alou's a good guy, dont blame him.

[@drums4metal]

Dusty Baker in NLCS Game 6, Grady Little in ALCS Game 7, same mistake of putting a huge burden on a pitcher who has thrown 100+ pitches in a game and knowing that the other team is determined of batting their souls out. So unfair for the players, getting that far just to lose in such a way,

[@JLong33]

just the fact that this game was on the exact same date as the cubs winning their last world series is what really gets me.

[@Mitchp93]

How about 20 year old Cabrera! Little Beast!

[@hectorlopez1069]

He would become one of the stars in MLB in the near future.

[@jayvasquez6711]

Second happiest day of my life watching the cubs choke as they always have. The happiest day of coarse is watching my white sox winning in 2005. GO SOX

[@fallen4life080]

(2 comments) As a 13 year old sox fan back there, i respected the Cubs and wanted to see Chicago win something. And you said it well "Watching the collapse was surreal". hit after hit after hit, then a 3 run double, it all happened in 8 minutes! like watching an animal get torn apart by a lion. i was mad (not at bartman) that was the CUBS' GAME!

[@basketcase3496]

I was in 1st grade when this happened and I remember watching this game at home. Sadly, it's one of my first memories of being a Cubs fan. Hopefully we'll get a chance to win again.

[@GoShwkk]

U guys will win in 2016 witch is in 3 years from now mark my words

[@scifyry]

Classic Marlins right there :)

[@michaelterrell2108]

Instead of blaming Steve Bartman for this choke job, blame the Cubs for not closing this game out.

[@razkable]

from 2001-2005 the mlb had 5 different teams win...arizona in 2001 won going against the ny yankees who were Americas team! after 9/11 when everyone wanted them the best team and three time defending champions to win it all again against inexperienced arizona.... they lost unlikely .....the 2002 la angels won out of nowhere......the red sox were also...CURSED! yet won the next year in 2004....and then the young chicago white sox of all people won in 2005....lol face it the 2003 cubs had it and blew it lol no such thing as curses.....the marlins made their own luck by hitting the ball in the perfect spots....diamondbacks angels marlins red sox white sox talk about an unlikely 5 teams to win titles in consecutive years lol....cubs should have joined that list....

[@andrewbova5887]

The way they treated Steve Bartman's family and he (spitting on him, throwing trash, food, beer at him, threatening his life and his family's lives, and more) I have no respect whatsoever for the chicago scrubs fans of Northern Illinois and of this world. Simply put, they are demons walking around the Earth who sodomize each other, are arrogant and proud, steal, lie, cheat, sleep with your wives and husbands... they are evil scumbags who have a special place reserved for them in Hell.

[@adolfhitler6699]

whenever I'm feeling blue I watch this to perk me up

[@johnnygunzfilmbuff7821]

Reading the description, I agree how this game went wrong for the Cubs wasn't just Bartman it was a combo of different things. If they had kept the game a one run ball game there could have been a chance and Mike Mordecai bases clearing double that killed and ruined the Cubs, chances of tying the ball game and winning it in extra innings. Next time take Prior out with a pitch count high and don't bring in Farnsworth to pitch to a batter who may not be a home run hitter but can still hit the fast balls well.

[@MrSilkySweat]

You can't tell me that the 8 runs that followed were completely unrelated to the play. It happened. Alou's reaction shook up the entire ballpark. The team panicked (for a brief moment), and the Marlins sensed that, and jumped all over them. Baseball is as much a mental game as much as a physical game. And for that brief moment, the Cubs couldn't mentally handle it. I don't know why that's so hard to admit.

[@fallen4life080]

Yup you're right, even more weird if you watch this entire game, its like the broadcasters foreshadowed the 8th inning, earlier in the game they kept talking about how the cubs blew the 1984 nlcs with an error & gave up 5 runs. At 3:35 you even hear Al leiter say Mordecai is a good fastball hitter right before Farnsworth throws a 95mph fastball.

[@deiradinn]

Love your description man. As a Cardinals fans I don't hate the Cubs but the fans can be outright cruel.

[@Brian211978]

You're right. Completely right. Not going to deny that. However, IF Alou caught the ball (never mind Bartman) when the second out happen, it would have been 3-3 and who knows what would have happened...

[@870Rem12gauge]

8 runs in one inning. In the playoffs, home town. Legendary Bartman Ball. Marlins win, take on the Yanks, break them in 6 games on smart pitching and hitting....Champs!

[@nd-mr7om]

Should of had a reliever start the inning, no question about it. You can't tell the future of course but prior had pitched plenty to that point and putting someone in with a team already rallying just makes it worse

[@Richard__Cranium]

Yeah I definitely agree 100% with that. That's an element that sucks about team sports: everyone looks to one certain play or one certain individual to blame a loss on. I'm not a Cubs fan but I can understand where the hate towards Bartman comes from. It's not fair by any means to put the burden they have on him but when you've been "cursed" for over 100 years, it gets to the point where you just wait for things like this to happen and when it does, can't help but point the finger I guess.

[@fallen4life080]

I agree with "argyjr" The digital enhancements to that play show alou havinga good read and jump on the ball, and the ball was going to land EXACTLY on the edge of the railing. by definition hitting the rail it is considered a FOUL BALL. AND even though alou had a play, the fact that it was a fould ball meant he went in there at his own risk. So alou had no right to complain. The tough part is that it landed right on the edge, its 50/50, but the tie goes to bartman, he was inthe right.

[@leem2828]

Ok even as a diehard Cubs fan, I agree with you Omar, Bartman is NOT to blame for this meltdown... the only problem i have with this video is the comment about "good fastball hitter".....It was NOT the wrong pitch to throw in that situation. The BASES ARE LOADED....Farnsworth was struggling with his command of the breaking so he HAS to throw as strike in that situation or risk running it to a 3-ball count. Got to challenge the guy and hope he hits at someone. Video is accurate, but that quote

[@asics1149]

truer words have never been spoken (or commented). Players are supposed to be more mentally tough and not let a fan effect how they play. Don't get me wrong, this was an unreal Cubs team, but they cracked. If Gonzo, who led the league in fielding that year, gets that groundball, they're out of the inning and go to the world series. Such a shame, I was rooting for them so much that year

[@fallen4life080]

No youre not the only one, i even mentioned it in my description First was the double, then it was the long arduous at-bat vs Castillo, Prior said in Sports Illustrated that that at bat took whatever little he had left in the tank out of him.... the bartman play took place on the second to last pitch vs castillo essentially it was all a coincidence, if a chandelier is hanging by a thread and about to fall, and i open a window, did i make it fall by letting in a gust of wind 10 meters away? No!

[@fallen4life080]

I semi-agree with you :), he did NOT deserve any of the hate, he needs to forgive the city not the other way around.... however i dont think its "just a game" baseball is a passion, a career/job for the players, and simply a way of life. Its like looking at the Mona Lisa and saying its just an oil painting. many fans had their heart and soul in that game but sadly they let their emotions get the best of them and they took it out on poor steve

[@fallen4life080]

WELL SAID! Dusty is one of the main reasons (if you read my description) i blame. Hes an old school manager and doesnt pay attention to stats. Prior was young & needed an occasional rest, in fact i blame dusty for ruining Prior's career. Kerry wood pitched well in the first inning of game 7 But Cabrera hit a ball at the ankle for a HR. nobody wouldve hit that ball. the Marlins were just hitting everything.

[@fallen4life080]

You're right, Eric Karros said it himself on 30 for 30, that after the "incident" he didnt give a crap, to him it was just a normal bases loaded situation. Hes a pro, he was used to it. And Gonzalez was 2nd in the NL in fielding, read my description and youll see weird coincidences, like how Gonzalez made an error roughly every 2 weeks, (he made 10 all year) and believe it or not he was "due" to make an error soon.

[@damonrobinson9661]

I'm not sure if an earlier pitching change settles the Cubs down or make them panic even more. IMO, it was the 0-2 pitches that Pryor made that cost them.

[@jakemoline4529]

It's upsetting to see how dark some people can turn over something small like that. You should never receive death threats and be forced to go into hiding for attempting to catch a foul ball

[@fallen4life080]

Actually in the 30/30 interview and in many other spanish interviews he said he had the ball. They even did some CGI to eliminate the crowd and it looked like the ball was going into his glove. but he went in there at his own risk so we cant be mad

[@mangangamio]

It's a scar that still is open, but I know that moment is near when Cubs says: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! GO CUBS GO,,,NOW AND FOREVER

[@fallen4life080]

Me too! you guys signed Dontrelle Willis & a couple good prospects, i think it may be at least another year before you guys are contenders, but i like how you're rebuilding! Something interesting always happens when the Cubs are in the playoffs haha, but any way Go Sox (no hate) :-p

[@Chumpster1981]

I'll always remember the hearing in the bar while I was in the bathroom , the cubs are 5 outs from going to the World Series and then heard that woah! And I just saw replays of Bartman. Did he change it all? No but it certainly changed after that. Always sticks in my head. Shit we had it then!

[@Knardswag]

I agree, my problem is that the loss was blamed on him. For one thing, to blame a loss on one play is ignorant. You play 9 innings, make the most of them. However, I would wager that the error by Gonzalez was more destructive to the game. Plus, Bartman was just doing what any fan would have done, yet he became the reason they loss. There were almost 6 other people reaching out for the ball, and he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bartman didn't deserve the hate he got.

[@nomibe2911]

Pudge was a beast for the Marlins in that postseason.

[@razkable]

it turns out...he was juicing.....steroids just like sosa lol

[@fallen4life080]

its on my computer, My uncle and I recorded it in 2003 on VHS when i was living in the US, sometime after i moved back home i think my cousin converted it to an FLV file ( i dont know how) and sent it to me on flash drive :) but as you can see the quality has degraded over the reformatting.

[@fallen4life080]

Dude, as Zhangthegreat said UNDERSTAND my description, i didnt include it because all the other clips i in this video are more important than bartman AND because people troll too much about how it was his fault. ive made my point. If you want i can include that in a seperate video

[@Blackhawk89]

The 3 big plays in this inning we're obviously the Bartman play, the Gonzalez bobble, and the Derek Lee double. Although, nobody ever really talks about Sammy Sosa missing the cutoff man off the Conine flyout. Watch it at 3:09. If he throws to the cutoff man or at least second base, the runner going from first to second is out and the inning is over. Going into the bottom of the eighth, it would've been 4-3. The Cubs would've had 2 more at bats to try to muster 1 run to tie the game. Just think about that.

[@MrEljefe0000]

Blackhawk89 the only big play was the grounder to gonzalez that he muffed that right there is what made the cubs lose not the fan but that error

[@SomeGuyWhoPlaysGames333]

He threw to the plate which was the only reason the runner chose to advance.

[@chucknorris7688]

oh man this is so fun to watch

[@ChicagoFan32]

I can cry watching this.

[@shoukatsukai]

That description: 5 things that kill a Club's Postseason

[@MrSilkySweat]

You know something? You're absolutely right! The '03 Cubs had the true heart and soul of champions. It's only by blind luck and a tired arm that they lost. ??????

[@hennylo68]

Why did this comment get removed for so many negative views? Must be a bunch of Cubs fans who don't like to hear the truth. You're absolutely right, Moises reaction was so excessive coming from one of the veteran leaders on the team. So a routine play that happens all the time happened in late innings of the playoffs. Pick yourself up and help your team end the inning.But you're right The Yankees would have swept them anyway.

[@dougsanchez06]

And what's also trippy In a way is in this video is when the Fox announcer says "on this very day 1908 the cubs clinched their second world series" that was just right before the meltdown happened.

[@ThePaperSun]

Your annotations were hilarious for Mordecai's at-bat.

[@fallen4life080]

Haha well i was quoting the broadcasters, they kind of foreshadowed the entire inning with what they were saying. they said they were "surprised farnsworth was on the mound to face mordecai, who loved the fastball, and thats all farnsworth was good at"...... the cubs brought it on themselves. If i can upload the entire inning i suggest you really listen to what the broadcasters were saying. The Cubs were going to fall apart from the start.

[@ThePaperSun]

Omar Morales Luna Sure seemed like they were.

[@dzanier]

He can't call the batter out: the ball was not in the field of play anymore, that is fair territory. Despite the fact that Alou almost certainly would've made the play, it's not something that falls under the umpire's judgement. That's what the rule book says. I feel bad for the guy too.

[@jaykdub926]

god damn this team was loaded.. miguel cabrera, juan pierre, luis castillo and josh beckett, a.j. burnett, dontrelle willis pitching

[@salvaje20]

Both of the 2003 collapses (Cubs and Red Sox) were very similar. Both teams were up by three runs in the 8th inning with one out. Both teams gave up one out doubles to blow the game.

[@MrSilkySweat]

If you're saying 8 runs in a span of two outs is completely coincidence, and not performance-based, then you're de-legitimizing the entire sport!

[@loganlukasik8270]

Bartman wouldn't have been in a factor in Alex Gonzalez fielded a routine double play ball. World Series 03 champs then.

[@godbacks09]

I remember watching the game and thinking the Cubs had the game won, so I left to take a shower right as they were starting the top of the 8th, with the Cubs leading 3-0. When I got out of the shower and checked the TV like 10 minutes later, it was already 8-3 Marlins, and I was like "What the hell happened!"

[@singingindark12]

I agree... I think Alex Gonzalez's error was much more crucial than the Bartman's interruption..

[@fallen4life080]

Ok, look im a baseball fan before im a Sox (team) fan i listen to stats before i ever get fanatical. And honestly the Cubs had an 88 win season and BARELY won their divison. So i agree they werent the most likely candidate to go to the world series, HOWEVER, they beat the 105 win Atlanta Braves in the NLDS and they had a 3-1 game lead against a 92 win Marlins club. So in a way, they deserved to go to the WS but at the same time they didnt have the best team in the world. (read comment #2)

[@fallen4life080]

How did he do it, didnt you read my description or watch the video 1,) Pierre doubled down the line with the heart of the order coming up 2.) Prior was at 110 pitches! for a rookie 3.) He had a full count to castillo BEFORE bartman 4.) Prior was going to walk castillo anyway. 5.) even if you remove bartman the walk wouldve happened and he still wouldve hung an 0-2 curveball to Rodriguez. Getting it now?

[@hadmiar8]

when you see that error by Gonzalez you know the Cubs are cursed. Gonzales was one of the best NL shortstops n 2003.

[@hadmiar8]

I dont believe in curses. I was basically saying you know the Cubs suck.

[@razkable]

or he was bound to make an error after being the best shortstop defensively all year and it just happened to occur right there....on a routine ground ball that bounced a little strange and he just took his eye off the ball looking for a double play instead of just get the automatic 1 out and it caused him to mess up lol...ironically rushing to get the double play caused him to get neither....if he focused and went slower he would have gotten the first easy out and then still get the double play ......end of inning...tied at 5.....

[@Richard__Cranium]

Same as if saying had Bartman not reached out we wouldn't even be talking about Bartman. There's millions of "What ifs". Fact of matter is Bartman reached out and interfered at a pivotal moment of the game. Didn't lose the series for the Cubs but definitely didn't help either.

[@frankrizzo51]

The one play is Gonzalez dropping a double play ball that was right in his glove. What they did to Bartman was criminal.

[@ChR1sXXVI]

I remember this shit live! Cubs did it to themselves, Marlins were obviously the best second half team in baseball that year.

[@ZhangtheGreat]

No. That was a foul ball that went into the stands, a ball that Moises Alou had to reach up to have a chance at catching, a ball that he overreacted to when he didn't catch it. It's not as important as Dusty's decision to keep Prior in or Gonzo's error; THOSE kept the Marlins alive, not some foul ball into the stands.

[@fallen4life080]

3...D-lee coincidentally caught up with a pitch inside in the 8th inning, it was bound to happen. 4. if you listen at 3:35 they say "good fastball hitter" refering to mordecai at the plate, Farnsworth threw a 95mph fastball down the middle. Whether they "choke" or not, things happen by coincidence. When the Nationals were 2 outs away from advancing last year, they gave up 4 runs to the cardinals despite having a good season the cardinals also gave up a 3-1 game lead to SF. did they choke too?

[@JoetheVMan]

I'm not a Cubs fan but I feel that there would've been no realistic way for Alou to make the catch. Bartman was just doing what any baseball fan tries to do; catch a foul ball. Definitely not his fault for the Cubs losing to the Marlins.

[@fallen4life080]

Dude, read my description, it was all chance and bad managing 1. Prior was out of gas: threw a wild pitch AND hung an 0-2 curve 2. Gonzalez made an error on a ball that took a quick bad hop. 3. D-Lee was getting closer & closer to hitting a pitch inside (the announcers said it themselves) he was hitting .120 cause he couldnt hit anything in on the hands, but earlier in the game they said he was getting "dangerously close" to catching up with one. (continued in second comment)

[@TBDark1]

I think people should more blame Alex Gonzalez. It would have been an inning ending double play, plus that was one of his best fielding year, .984%

[@FrameMaine]

Great video. It was nice to see the highlights without a foul ball being one of them. Why blame a guy in the stands? The players are professionals who are paid a lot of money to not collapse when one thing goes wrong. They're supposed to hold it together. Instead, a man's life is practically ruined because people would rather believe in magical curses than believe the idea that the 2003 Chicago Cubs were not invulnerable baseball gods.

[@MovieFinatic]

This is horrifying...I'm not even a Cubs fan but my god...

[@ThePurdue]

it is so hard for me to watch this as a cubs fan..

[@MrSilkySweat]

8 runs in a span of two outs is not an accident. It's a choke-job....and a massive one at that! After one lousy foul ball, the team panicked, lost their composure, lost their cool, and completely lost their concentration. And the Marlins knew it, and jumped all over them. Are you saying teams that choke somehow still deserve to win?

[@holcomb20121]

where did you obtain the full game at?

[@insanetrain33]

Everybody blames Bartman for some reason. Gonzalez should have fielded that potential double play ball. Baker should have pulled Prior. Alou admitted later that he couldn't have made the catch anyway.

[@fallen4life080]

Haha exactly what i thought, but remember its Dusty's fault, he brought in Farnsworth to face a guy that loves to hit pitchers LIKE FARSNWORTH. Dusty doesnt believe in stats or scouting reports, he claims "if you're a good pitcher, you can get anyone out". Thats only true to a point.

[@LeotheOrangeCat]

I watched the video. There was a clear shift in momentum, but I didn't see what caused it. Very strange.

[@insanetrain33]

LeotheOrangeCat Prior was tired, but Dusty Baker being the poor postseason manager that he is left him in. The Marlins got a couple of hits and momentum began to shift, but I don't think it was until Gonzalez's error that the momentum shifted fully over to Florida.

[@razkable]

pitchers tend to get tired after 6 innings..no humans arm is meant to pitch 110+ times at 90+MPH inn less than 3 hours lol....thats what switched the momentum....and the cubs didnt have a good closer...

[@anthonyreed4212]

The sure handed Gonzo boots an easy double play ball. That was the true WTF moment for me.

[@EXIx2]

I can't believe it's been 10 years already.

[@scottb3034]

Last I checked a foul ball was a baseball play. It is the result of hitting a pitched ball into foul territory. Furthermore, outs are also an objective of baseball and Alou had the chance to play that for an out. Leaving it out is ignoring its relevance on the game. It had an intangible effect Whether one likes it or not, it should have been included as it is a part of this 8th inning, plus it is a baseball play, not a brawl or fan running out on the field. Fan interference call in MLB's rules.

[@StretchAvo]

All the people that hate on cub fans for treating batman the way they did obviously don't understand because they're not cub fans. They don't understand what it's like to be that close to leaving all the troubles behind. I'm not saying it's batman's fault by any stretch, but don't hate on cub fans because you don't know what it's like!

[@fallen4life080]

I agree, wrong place at wrong time, and it couldve been anyone. but on a side note, if do believe (my opinion) is that if the Cubs never hyped their "lovable loser/curse" image, they wouldnt have been so quick to point fingers at ONE person, like how Boston did to Buckner in 1986. The White Sox never complained, but i understand its sports, it means a lot to fans. hopefully we just learn to control ourselves.

[@xL3THALityx]

Thats crazy. 1. Juan pierre double. 2. Bartman Play 3. Wild Pitch/walk 4. Hit. Bartman Play cost the cubs a championship that year ;/

[@kelantus]

One of the best games ever!

[@Taser1-1]

"Back in my days the Marlins knew what winning was like" lol now is just something that they rarely experience.

[@deionsanders748]

I'm just saying that, just because you feel sorry for Bartman, doesn't mean the Cubs wouldn't have won if not for his decision to go for that ball. Everything that happened after that is a result of everything that happened before. If not for his actions, the game would have played out differently. There is no arguing that.

[@fallen4life080]

Agreed, i remember reading an article saying Pedro lost the mentality of pitching in the 8th inning cause he thought his night was over then Grady left him out there. i think baseball has changed a lot since then, managers a little more "anal" about their pitchers now, rookie pitchers are constantly being watched like Hawks for injury, Prior threw 236 innings that year! & averaged 136 pitches per game in his first year.

[@floridasweetguy68]

Jay, the Cub fans have to blame someone for the loss. Bartman's life has been ruined since that night. Give the guy a break. You would've gone after the ball as well and sold it for $100k.

[@simplygu]

In Game 2, the Cubs had an 11-0 lead after 5 innings yet Dusty Baker allowed Mark Prior to pitch into the 8th inning. Should he have saved him for his next start? After seeing this inning unfold... heck yeah! Also don't forget that the Cubs still had Game 7 they could have won with Kerry Wood the starting pitcher. They led 5-3 after 4 innings and eventually lost that game too. Thus, you can't blame Steve Bartman for any of this. The CUBS lost the series and have no one to blame but themselves.

[@dougsanchez06]

What's crazy is the red Sox suffered the same fate as the cubs did that year. The red Sox and cubs were both like 5 outs away from playing in the world series and at the time we would've seen one of those teams end there long world series title drout but it never happened the cubs and red Sox lost the championship series in similar fashion

[@razkable]

the sox have won 3 titles since then and came back from 0-3 against the yankees the next year and swept the world series....in 2004...cubs havent been to the nlcs since this occured....

[@themilwaukeebrewerswillnev7545]

The Red Sox lost on a walk off in game 7 of that ALCS. Cubs fans had to suffer longer, since the Sox won it all the next year and 2 more times since. But the Red Sox fans had to suffer way more heartbreak. I couldn’t imagine the cubs losing on a walk off home run to the cardinals in game 7 of the nlcs. Multiply that times 2 at least and that’s the amount of pain Red Sox fans endured that year LOL I will always respect true Red Sox fans

[@Cardinalsarelame]

Anyone who says the Bartman play had little effect has never played a game of baseball in their lives.

[@Macabre215]

Well in the moment, Moises blamed Bartman, but I think his attitude changed over the whole ordeal. He said he felt bad for Bartman the last couple of times I've seen him interviewed about it.

[@miguelsandoval1985]

I Think Secretly Bartman Not Only Wanted The Cubs Curse To Continue But Also Wanted The Marlins To Win The NLCS And The World Series (In 6 Games)

[@fallen4life080]

(comment 2) But it doesnt matter that the cubs didnt have the best team, they were PLAYING better than Atlanta and the Marlins up until game 5 of the NLCS. So its 50/50 Cubs were good and bad. they lost to a better team. and yes i do believe the 8th inning was a coincidence. it was bound to happen do i need to restate the facts again? (read the description)

[@ricardocasasola1069]

1. Gonzalez could still make an inning ending DP 2. Dusty Baker is infamous for leaving in pitchers too long/mismanaging the bullpen hence why he's always the Bridesmaid never the Bride 3. There was still a Game 7 at Wrigley the next night with a in his prime Kerry Wood on the mound Not Bartman's fault

[@deionsanders748]

I never said the Cubs would have won, I didn't say Alou would have caught it, I'm from St. Louis, so I am a Cardinals fan. It's a pity that people with poor intelligence think anyone who argues a point in sports is a biased fan.