Farewell, Mad Dog!

I have loved Greg Maddux for a very long time.

He signed with the Chicago Cubs on June 19, 1984, just a year after I graduated from high school (June 19 is my mom’ s birthday, too!).

He played for the Cubs into the 1990s. I could not bear to see him go to the Braves after seven seasons in Chicago (how could they let him get away?!), but I rooted for him when he played for Hotlanta, just the same. And when he returned to Chicago, playing once again for The Good Guys (instead of those nasty South-Siders), my heart skipped a beat. Or several.

Though I seriously wondered why on earth any ballplayer would want to return to the Windy City. NOT because it is not a good city; in fact, it is one of The Best cities in the United States. But because it is not a city in which you want to play if you dream of actually winning ballgames.

(Unless you play for those nasty South-Siders, of course ... and even then, it had been a while ... and I have a feeling it will be another while ... and still, they will probably win at least a couple more World Series championships before the Cubs even get a whiff of the pennant, let alone an appearance in The Big Dance.)

Maddux is on his way to Los Angeles. Not-so-secretly, I hoped the Cardinals would get him, mostly so I might have a few more chances to see him pitch, live, before he finally hangs up his cleats for good. And also because I believe he really could have helped them ... and his presence on their team would have given me a chance, once and for all, to root openly for the dreaded Redbirds. At least when he was on the hill.

I got to see him pitch, in person, last season. And win the game, one of 327 career victories to go with his four Cy Young Awards and 15 Gold Gloves.

And I saw him (on TV) get the win Saturday as part of an eventual four-game sweep of the Cardinals. First time since 1972. The year I became a Cubs fan.

Mad Dog left the field to a standing ovation at Wrigley Field. He waved his cap to the fans; he probably knew he would not be a part of the team once the 2006 trading deadline arrived.

So long, Greg. You are a great ballplayer!

: )