The Cubs are officially eliminated from the post season now, having lost their third in a row to the Arizona Diamonbacks. I certainly didn’t expect the Cubs to go all the way, but I didn’t expect them to go out in three games. That was really a sad showing. I feel bad for Cubs fans tonight, and that’s coming from a Reds fan.

With regard to Piniella’s decision to pull Carlos “the Moose” Zambrano from game 1 after 85 pitches with the game tied, I have to wonder whether that still seems like a good decision now that he doesn’t need to be fresh for game 4.

In other news, the Rockies are looking to subject the Phillies to the same fate. The CTS just told me that the Rockies starter was 2 years old when the Phillies’ starter broke the majors. If the Rockies win tonight, will major league managers everywhere suddenly come to appreciate the value of youth, even in the face of experience? Yeah, probably not.

I wasn’t satisfied that I’d worked through all of my end-of-season Reds issues during the Eighth Inning Show during the game this afternoon, so I kept the Crack Technical Staff up way past his bedtime to review posts from the 2007 season and discuss the team for almost an hour. It was therapeutic.

On the podcast we discuss:

• How the postseason is shaking out, including a former Red’s contribution.
• Who we’ll root for as the playoffs progress, assuming we’re still paying attention by then.
• The differences in performance and expectations for several of the Reds players. Some disappointed, such as David Ross and Bronson Arroyo; others surprised, such as Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn.
• The management of the team over the course of the season. No podcast would be complete without a little bitching about the management.
• How bleak and un-fun the content on Red Hot Mama was all season long, and whether the team will be more enjoyable to follow next season.

And, so much more. Plus, I throw in several instances of the word “shit” and its derivatives, so this episode will get the “Explicit” rating.

Episode 78: Season Wrap-Up (39.8MB, 57:58)

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The whole Hot Mama family attended the titanic struggle today between the playoff-bound Cubs and the playoff-bereft Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The game didn’t mean a lot, contention-wise, but it was a beautiful day for it and it was nice to see Cub fans sitting quietly as they watched the Reds score eight.

It wasn’t just the Reds who scored the eight, either, but the Reds back-ups. Injuries have decimated the roster and the lack of importance has made it hard to really risk anyone out there. The name with the most Reds experience on the line-up was Edwin Encarnación. It just feels like a spring training game when EdE is the veteran leadership.

We were sitting in the lovely Riverfront Club today, and it was our first time in this exclusive locale. Except for the vague feeling that I wasn’t really welcome to leave the club once I’d arrived, I thought it was fantastic. Possibly my favorite place in the ballpark.

In the eighth inning, the Crack Technical Staff and I turned on the recorder to talk a little about the game and the season for a few minutes before our son’s desperate need for a lemon chill became our top priority. It was OK, though, because we got our thoughts together for a more organized, much longer podcast later in the night.

Episode 77: The Eighth Inning Show (11.4MB, 16:35)

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The whole family made it out to Cincinnati on Friday to take advantage of one of the games Reds Heads members could get into for free using the ticket vouchers they got with their $20 membership. And, as is our tradition, the Crack Technical Staff and I turned on the digital recorder in the eighth inning to record our thoughts on the game.

The game had not gotten truly ugly by the eighth, but we had plenty to complain about nevertheless. I can’t remember whether we mention the difficulty getting ketchup and mustard (we had to walk three sections away to find a partially functioning dispenser) or the all-Cub-Scout section where we were sitting (we were frequently showered with peanut shells being discarded, Reds Hall of Fame ballots being thrown in the air, and water from one of those fan sprayer things), but I know we complained about the choice of relievers, recent comments from Bob Castellini, and the team’s chances of contending in what remains of the season.

Episode 71: The Eighth Inning Show (12.5MB, 18:12)

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Today on the podcast, the Crack Technical Staff and I share our jubilation over the Reds’ win this afternoon, focusing specifically on Aaron Harang, Adam Dunn, and Farney. We also get in the finer points about the uniforms, the new Mr. Redlegs mascot, and Carlos Zambrano’s propensity for losing his cool at least one inning per game.Episode 52: Opening Day is a Reds Win (19.6 MB, 28:39)

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