Bote’s Walk-Off Grand Slam is the Moment This Team Has Waited For
As David Bote walked up to the plate against Washington National’s reliever, Ryan Madson, I turned to my wife and said this could be interesting. Bote loves velocity, Madson averages 95+ on multiple pitches. Then Bote did this.
Ship it. ⛵️#EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/uZFLJ2WtOK
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 13, 2018
Not all moments are created equal. This moment was much bigger than just a single come-from-behind win.
There are certain moments within a baseball season that act like a launching pad. Sometimes those moments create a downward spiral, and others act as a wake-up call which catapults the team towards a stretch of success. David Bote’s walk-off grand slam is a moment that will catapult this team’s play.
Let’s unwrap the situation. The Chicago Cubs starter, Cole Hamels was dealing. On a night where he gave up a single hit and one run, Hamels was (and had been) stepping up to the moment. National TV, the Nationals, that lineup, and arguably the best pitcher in baseball – Max Scherzer. Max was typical Max. Giving up three hits, no runs, and 11 K’s.
There was one moment in the game that the Cubs put pressure on Max. In the seventh and two outs, the Cubs had guys on first and second. But Max shut it down, striking out Willson Contreras.
After that, it seemed that the Cubs offense would come up short. Then as the Nationals added two more runs in the ninth, this was looking very much like a Nationals win.
See, nothing was working for the Cubs offense, and it was one of those games where it seemed like they just didn’t show up. We’ve seen those games before, and it usually ends in a million social media posts on how awful this team is and how they aren’t long for a postseason run. Even that ninth inning wasn’t very promising, having scrappy at bats, most of them running to two strikes, coming down to their last strike in their last out with a pinch-hitting 25-year old rookie playing in his 34th career game.
But as soon as Bote connected he raised his arms knowing he just won the game. As fans watched Michael Taylor drift further and further back, they began to realize the same. As Bote rounded first, his teammates rushed the field. Wrigley shook.
#EverybodyIn#EveryBoteIn pic.twitter.com/1OWzcFJVR6
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 13, 2018
With Cole Hamels pitching possibly his best game as a Cub, he had this to say about Bote’s moment.
“This is the ultimate excitement. It’s the thing that when you’re a kid in the backyard, and you’re visualizing trying to win games, it’s always bases-loaded, you’re down by three, and you’re trying to hit the grand slam. For Bote to be able to do it, what a way to be able to experience that. I think all of us that were in the clubhouse, you’re jumping around and you’re trying to get down there as quick as you can. Just the joy that you get to see everybody be in, especially to lead into an off-day. I know we have a big series coming up against Milwaukee, so this is something to really pick our heads up and use this momentum.”
So even one of the most veteran players on this team knows that this moment can catapult them towards more consistent play.
If you’re not excited about this Cubs team, you just aren’t paying attention. Not only do they have the league’s best record, the league’s most runs scored, the league’s highest OBP, and the most come-from-behind wins – they are getting two all-stars back within the next month. This team has missed Kris Bryant very badly. His bat in the lineup daily makes this a completely different and much more dangerous order. Then they are getting their prized free-agent pitcher in Yu Darvish back.
This is the golden era of Cubs baseball. If you’re complaining about the clubs play, you might not be one for baseball.
