"No Joy in Mudville" or "She came in through the bathroom window"

The A's journeyed to Phoenix Municipal Stadium to play the ferocious Bears from Chicago in the final game of the rpound robin play with a playoff berth on the line. The stadium is the home of the Oakland A's and is a beautiful place to play. However, the A's disapointed themselves and A's nation today by playing poorly in all facets of the game losing 15-7. There are not any on field highlights to report and your faithful correspondent admits the best part of the day was when the Chicago crowd got up to sing take me out to the ballgame during the 7th inning stretch in keeping with the tradition of Cubs fans at Wrigley Field. Jimmy Scott and Doc Parson pitched today but got less support than Mark David Chapmans' petition for parole. After the game the disconsolate A's trudged back to the hotel and mused on the problems for the day and began to hope the Pallidins would handle the San Diego Cubs and still allow the A's to back into the playoffs. Doc Parsons and Bruce Butterfield have been trying to monitor the emotional moods of the baseball gods and proposed the gods may have an even bigger beef with the Cubs than with your fighting A's. Perhaps the BG's are toying with us,offered Doc as an explanation or the A's poor fortune. But now the A's needed a Cub loss to get in the playoffs. Several A's journeyed to Mesa to watch the game and sent frequent updates via cell phone to the team. Initially, we heard the score was 10-4 Pallidins in the 5th but soon were heard the game was tied up. Eventually we got the last inning , the guys straining with anxiety during the moments between each call. Then we heard the Cubs were down three but had the first two runners on base with solid singles--and then a Cub hitter lines a shot to second--the 2b catches the ball and tags second and throws to first for a game ending triple play !!! the BG's just hammered the Cubs with this finish and we can assume they are up there laughing heartily at their own jokes.. so the Cubs go home and we are in the playoffs.

Manager Ed offered he figured we were in all along and tomorrow we will go back to Maryvale(home of the Milwaukee Brewers) where we play the semi finals against these same Pallidins at 9:30 am. Your faithful correspondent expects to be on the mound to start the game and can assure A's nation of the best effort possible. For now though, it is time for rest for tomorrow soI bid you good evening.