OSS: Cubs lose in all aspects of the game.
Three up:
- Kyle Schwarber got the scoring started with an opposite field solo HR against Darvish in the first inning. Unfortunately, that is also when the scoring stopped.
- Kris Bryant had two hits and didn't strike out for what seems like the first time in the last month.
- We didn't have to hear the awful Dodger Stadium sound system.
One down the middle:
- Kyle Hendricks was just okay. His changeup was working and he got some key strikeouts, but left a lot of balls up in the zone on a day that the wind was blowing out. At least the two homers were solo shots. His other run was on a double and triple that were inches away from being foul balls.
Far too many down:
- This game was pretty much the anti-2016 Cubs. The defense was awful, and it's hard to pick the worst play of the game. There were plenty of FFS moments. Monty crossing up Contreras for a passed ball strikeout run was certainly one of them, as was Happ dropping a fly ball in CF. KB had an error that looked like a bad hop at first but on replay it looked like he basically just whiffed on it. Zobrist replaced Heyward and immediately saw a ball fall in front of him in what would have been a routine play otherwise. Pretty much everything was going wrong.
- After having a good outing in game two, the bullpen looked like shit again. Dave Roberts showed so little respect for Edwards ability to throw strikes that he let Darvish bat with the bases loaded, and was vindicated when Carl threw four straight balls. Monty has been a useful piece for the team most of the year, but looked utterly putrid once again, hitting the dirt more often than he did the strike zone.
- The defense and bullpen feel the most glaring/frustrating, but the offense should get a lot more blame for this postseason. They were knocking Darvish around and had a couple of rallies and only ended up with that solo shot in their second at bat of the game to show for it. Sequencing, good pitching, blah blah blah, they just can't get anything going at all.
Next up: Jake Arrieta will make what is very probably his last start in a Cubs uniform, facing off against Alex Wood.
Comments
The offense does deserve a lot of the blame. We’ve complained a lot about the defense and relief work, but if the offense is doing its job, I think everyone gets to relax a bit and we see better play all around. Still, good teams find ways to win when some parts of the team are playing poorly and the Cubs haven’t done that. They didn’t do it in the first half of the season and they’ve looked like that team for the entire playoffs.
It would be nice to get an entire playoffs where Bryant and Rizzo were hitting at full potential. Seems at least the last two years that either one is hitting or they’re both hitting for crap.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I bet it’s tough for the pitchers when they feel like they have to put up 0s because the offense sucks.
It’s probably also tough for the hitters to feel like they have to score a ton each game because the #bullpenisbad.
RynoQuote Reply
They both hit well in the NLCS and World Series last year.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
On the bright side…nope. I got nothing.
EdwinQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I’m pretty sure Rizzo didn’t do anything in those first few games. I think he had a hit through three games in the series. Anyway, I’m not expecting them to hit .600 in every series, but it just seems that either one of them is hitting or neither is.
dmick89Quote Reply
i stopped watching after schwarber’s home run in the first. i assume the game ended in a 1-0 victory?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
That game reminded me of World Series game 4 last year, when the Cubs scored first and then got taken to the woodshed and all the life seemed to go out of the stadium. I was at WS4 last year. Glad I wasn’t at last night’s game.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Cubes have held a lead in every game of the NLCS and are 0-3.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
I like the stat about them losing all the games in which they hit a home run.
RynoQuote Reply
Although I haven’t been one of the people calling for more playing time for Ian Happ, tonight looks like the ideal time to start him. Wood is a lefty with groundball tendencies, pretty much the opposite of Darvish.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I hope Jake can pitch a good game. He’s been one of the best Cubs pitchers in a long time, it’d be nice to see him go out with a strong performance.
EdwinQuote Reply
I’d just like the Cubs to score some runs without the help of the defense tonight. I guess I don’t care if the defense helps out, but I’d like to see them earn their runs. It would be nice to be reminded that they have a good offense.
dmick89Quote Reply
Assuming the Cubs let Arrieta walk to get the draft pick, which is the smart move considering the state of their farm system, Yu Darvish looks like the only starter on the free agent market that could step into a top of the rotation role.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Darvish, Otani. That’s about it not counting Jake (which I could see him imploding and being a 4.50+ ERA pitcher).
In addition to pitching help, which we need a lot of and can likely afford quite a bit with Jake and Lackey off the books, I’d love to kick the tires on Lo Cain for a 4 year deal. Cain could be a Heyward replacement if Heyward opts out after 2018.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Is that even realistic at this point? Unless he becomes an MVP candidate next season with 30+ home runs, I don’t see him walking away.
I figure every team is going to bid on Otani, so I think the odds the Cubs get him is pretty small. Obviously the Cubs will bid and hope for the best, but I assume they realize that in all likelihood he’s not going to sign with them.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’d love to see the Cubs go after Cain.
dmick89Quote Reply
Other SPs likely to hit the market:
Cueto
Jaime Garcia (can Bosio fix him?)
Lance Lynn
Tyson Ross (the long rumored SP we were looking at before 2016 season)
Masahiro Tanaka (great K numbers, gave up a ton of HRs)
But, let’s be honest here. Ricky Nolasco is a free agent and he’s finally ours. No more reason to try to flip anyone for him.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
I wouldn’t mind Garcia if he’s cheap enough. I like Lynn and Cueto, but I’m not sure either of them fill that position at the top that the Cubs need.
dmick89Quote Reply
Lynn fills the Ted Lilly / Might Be A Serial Killer role pretty well, which is something the Cubs have been missing for a long time.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Garcia seems too much like a Brett Anderson type of guy to me. Between injuries or ineffectiveness I feel he’ll only give about 140 IP. I wouldn’t mind giving him a shot at the 5th starter position, but I’d like to see them bring in another arm like Alex Cobb or someone as competition. Maybe Monty, if they feel he’s ready to be a starter full time.
EdwinQuote Reply
wait a minute….could all of maddon’s bizarre behavior w/r/t allowing pitchers to bat just be some sort of long con to entice otani?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I’m definitely in on Tanaka. For all the arm owies he’s had, he still had 154, 199.2, 178.1 innings in the last 3 years. His ERA is high this year, but his xFIP is very similar to the last 2 years. and his velocity is identical over the last 4 years. Tanaka is a fine #3 starter.
Honestly, I don’t care which of those 5 the Cubs get. Just grab two of them. If the Cubs think Arrieta is the best FA pitcher, get him. Cubs need starting pitchers. Hendricks is a fine #1 starter in a playoff team (probably in the bottom half of #1 starters, but better than all #2 starters). Quintana is a fine #2 starter. Lester is an ok-ish #3 starter (with the highest spread of any pitcher on the team). Need another playoff starter PLUS another when of the first 4 breaks. That also allows Montgomery to be the swingman. Tseng also, if you think he’s worth something (I have no confidence in that).
As far as the bullpen goes, Cubs need a shitload of help. I’m fine with Strop and Enderman. Rondon deserves a long look for 2018, though even he could be cooked with his constant arm troubles. I want to give Maples every chance to make this team based on his elite stuff. Wilson probably deserves a shot. I assume one of Rondon/Wilson/Maples is just no longer a MLB player. That means you probably need 3 (!) relievers (with Montgomery as a lock for swingman). That’s a huge, huge problem. There isn’t cavalry on the horizon (Zastryzny? Tseng? Steve Perakslis??? Adbert Alzolay?????), so the Cubs almost certainly have to buy help here.
MylesQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
MylesQuote Reply
Is this the offseason the Cubs get aggressive, or do they “stay the course” grab one of the above mentioned starters, and go for more value bin signings?
EdwinQuote Reply
To-day’s elimination game base ball squadron
CF Almora
LF War Bear
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
C Contreras
SS Russell
2B Baez
RF Jay
P Jay Carrieta
berseliusQuote Reply
Myles,
I just hope that Roberts didn’t manage to Brad Lidge-ify Edwards going forward.
berseliusQuote Reply
You never know with relievers, but I can’t imagine going into spring training with a slot open for someone like Dillon Maples. The Cubs will obviously be keeping Edwards, Wilson and Strop. All of them have control issues of their own so the bullpen is probably going to struggle with walks as it is. Maples could suddenly show improved command, but it would have to improve as much as Samardzija’s did, but rather than doing it over many years, it would have to be done in one. I think you build your bullpen as if Maples won’t be in it. If he forces his way into the conversation in spring training then that’s fantastic. I’d at least like to see if he could maintain some decent control at AAA before turning MLB innings over to him.
dmick89Quote Reply
Edwin,
Probably more value signings. I do think there’s a decent chance that one of Cobb or Darvish end up in a Cubs uniform, but I don’t see them signing a couple really good starters and then a 6th starter type, plus rework half the bullpen. I also think (or hope) they’re working toward signing Harper after next year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Anyone else have time to get the game thread up?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I can put one up just before game time, unless someone else gets to it first.
Berselius is too lazy to log inQuote Reply
At least it looks like the Yankees will make the World Series.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I prefer the Astros, honestly.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/nlcs-game-4-dodgers-at-cubs/
berseliusQuote Reply