OSS: Javy Baez.
Three Seven up:
- What a game, and a series overall by Javier Baez. Today alone, he made a ludicrous defensive play at second that was overturned on replay, then made a JavyTag to nail the runner one play later. He scored the Cubs second run after hustling out a grounder led to a two-base throwing error. Oh, and he did the whole drive in the go-ahead run thing. Unreal.
- Right behind Javy in offensive WPA was Willson Contreras, who tied the game with a two run single off one of the 300 relievers who pitched the ninth for the Giants…
- …and Ben Zobrist, who slapped a double down the line off erstwhile Giants closer Sergio Romo to get the run scoring started in the ninth. The Giants pen has been a dumpster fire this year, and the sweet smell of that burning garbage was enough to wake up the offense.
- Rizzo also woke up from his offensive slump, drawing two walks and getting his first hit of the series.
- No one can complain about Kris Bryant‘s performance this series either. He hit two singles in this game, including one to leadoff the Cubs rally in the ninth. I’m calling the other one a single even though it was officially ruled a fielder’s choice since that was some shitty luck that led to Fowler’s TOOTBLAN.
- Oh, and David Ross got a surprise start in this game and came through with a solo HR and the sac fly that drove in the Cubs second run, and was the first half of the #JavyTag.
- The Dodgers-Nationals series went to the maximum, so the Cubs will see less of Kershaw or Scherzer.
Three down
- The Cubs must have had something like 97 whiffs against Matt Moore. He was on his game and the Cubs couldn’t seem to adjust at all. As mentioned in the game thread, it will be great when the Cubs hang like ten runs on him during the regular season next year. And maybe a few more on Derek Law in relief. And a few more on Conor Gillaspie when Bochy sends him out there in the blowout.
- Between Moore’s amazing game and Conor Gillaspie and Joe Panik going 6-7 it was pretty frustrating eight innings. It’s one thing to get crushed by another team’s best players, it’s another to see average to below average guys catch fire. I’m sure it was pretty fun for the Giants fans though. At least for a while, heh.
- Rizzo broke out of his playoffs slump, but Addison Russell looked pretty bad again today. Though to be fair Moore seems like exactly the kind of pitcher he’d have trouble with.
Next up: Jon Lester faces probably either Kenta Maeda or Tanner Roark on Saturday, game time TBA. I’m not exactly quivering here with either matchup. I guess it’s theoretically possible that the Dodgers could start Clayton Kershaw on three days of rest, but I doubt it given how that worked out today.
Comments
berseliusQuote Reply
Coming in a close second to the Cubs winning this series is that is that they put an end to this ridiculous even year streak thing for the Giants. I’m tired of hearing about it.
dmick89Quote Reply
I didn’t listen to the whole game, but aside from the first inning. Kershaw seemed to be doing alright
JoshQuote Reply
This was I think one of the best wins of the season, independent of the whole nlds factor. Though that obviously inflates it in my mind. Not quite as impressive as that time they came back from 8 down against the Rockies, but what a great win.
JoshQuote Reply
Josh,
Yeah, I saw somewhere earlier today (HBT?) that his playoff numbers are bloated by relief pitchers allowing a ton of inherited runners to score. Still, I feel safe saying he’s probably merely really good rather than the best pitcher in baseball when working on short rest. Plus unless they’re planning to throw him on short rest three more times, they might as well wait a day.
berseliusQuote Reply
*sees that Maeda is probably the game one starter* ????
berseliusQuote Reply
Do emojis not work on the site anymore?
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Yeah, since the injury he hasn’t seemed 100%. Right now i feel like the cubs could take on the whole empire themselves, so i don’t even know if i care who wins.
joshQuote Reply
And right on its heels is the end of the bullshit Conor Gillaspie postseason god narrative.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I just relived the game via the comments on the game thread. Now that was fun as hell.
andcountingQuote Reply
Well now I feel like an idiot for having gone to bed. (dying laughing)
Glad the clock struck midnight on the even year BS. Onward!
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’m so mad I couldn’t watch but I’m so happy for the result. Awesome comeback.
SKQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Screaming in the house at midnight like madman. So glad I didn’t go to bed (and that cable was finally restored from Matthew so I could watch). It didn’t look good there for a while, but this team is something else.
I love how much fun they are having. Like Rizzo’s reaction when he finally got a hit or Ross’ wink to Baez. Such a fun team.
WaLiQuote Reply
Did LaStella appear at all in this series?
SKQuote Reply
SK,
He pinch-hit once.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That was fun. Stressful, but fun. I assume there will be more stress, but gotta enjoy it.
Nate the old recalcitrant one from a long time agoQuote Reply
So glad the Giants #Believen is dead. Also glad to see the Cubs come back twice down multiple runs in their would be final at bat. And then Baez had two winning RBIs in their actual final at bats. And the way they have done this—by being an all-around great team, not a Gillaspie fluke—has quashed so much of the curse narrative.
Hopefully their play will continue to make that a non-factor. They are the best team.
ceruleanQuote Reply
The Cubs scored 7 of their 17 runs in their actual or potential final frame—one in the eighth to take the lead in game 1, two in the ninth to tie in game 3, four in the ninth to go ahead in game 4.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I hope the Cubs out scoring their opponent continues, but I’d like to see more runs before the final inning. I think we will.
dmick89Quote Reply
I don’t know. When did they last work? I haven’t updated anything in a few weeks.
dmick89Quote Reply
Why the fuck did I miss that game?
MylesQuote Reply
Yes. And they still score in the final frames to give us some “enough already” runs.
ceruleanQuote Reply
????????????
EDIT: That should be a jack-o-lantern and a fuck you emoji.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I think they were working on Monday. *shrug*
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m still riding pretty high on that last night. Yes I fell asleep on the couch. I might have scared my son, who was blissfully trying to sleep.
It’s okay guys, he has a day off today.
joshQuote Reply
I recommend this.
ceruleanQuote Reply
berselius,
I don’t have any idea. I don’t think anything has changed on our end.
dmick89Quote Reply
🙂
dmick89Quote Reply
Between the Nats & Dodgers, only Kershaw & Scherzer have pitched more than 4.1 innings in the game they started.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
What kind of parent are you? Tell him to get to work.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
In our hearts. He appeared in our hearts.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
????????????????
ceruleanQuote Reply
So I want the Nationals to win purely on the games starting earlier.
MylesQuote Reply
For whatever reason, the editor is not converting the emoji into images on my end—just question marks. Yours is though:
Note the “????” were a smiley face emoji for me.
EDIT: That is one giant emoji! (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
My favorite emoji is the smiling chocolate soft serve ice cream.
EdwinQuote Reply
Perhaps the most poetic part of the whole thing is that Javy Baez singled off of noted red-ass Hunter Strickland, who gave Baez shit earlier in the series.
Get wrecked.
MylesQuote Reply
😉
dmick89Quote Reply
I think it’s likely the games start late no matter what. With either opponent, the NLCS has much bigger media markets represented.
PerkinsQuote Reply
????
dmick89Quote Reply
Myles,
Karma smiles on Javy.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Still in a daze here. I can’t believe last night was real (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Me either. I’ve rewatched the ninth inning twice just to make sure.
I think it might be real.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
One CSB from the celebration:
Theo giving props to Jim Hendry for Contreras and Javy in his postgame with Robothal. If I were him, I sure as shit wouldn’t have thought to do it given all that was going on. Anyway, nice gesture.
Knibb High football rules.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I think we are all being gaslighted in the best way possible.
ceruleanQuote Reply
At this point, it’s hard to see how the Cubs don’t win the World Series. They’re so crazy talented, and even when that talent hasn’t shown up, things have just gone there way. HRs/Hits from pitchers, key errors/bullpen implosians by other teams. These Cubs are so good they even win games they should lose. Unstoppable.
EdwinQuote Reply
They lost a game they should have won too—they even came back to put it in extras and couldn’t consummate victory. That’s how they lose. This is baseball. No team is unstoppable.
But we know which team has the most talent with a great front office and longsighted owner with funds to keep the talent train going. I think we are seeing the beginnings of a dynasty, unless dynasty requires winning it all many times in a short period, in which case, maybe we still are.
Fingers crossed.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Edwin,
I know. I’m steeling myself for disappointment, but that win felt huge. It showed they won’t be cowed by the narratives (even year bullshit, Giant’s “elimination game” winning streak etc). But yeah, I think they can beat anyone in the post season right now. The luck factor is really the only wildcard.
joshQuote Reply
cerulean,
Yeah, but they made those fuckers work for that win, which may have paid dividends last night, who knows. They don’t ever seem out of it. Hell, after the 8th last night, I was certain they were going to lose, but then it occurred to me that this team doesn’t fucking quit.
Well, like I said, I’d put money on them. But not a lot because I can’t afford to lose that much.
joshQuote Reply
I guess I didn’t say that. But I THOUGHT it.
joshQuote Reply
Quiet, you fool! You’ll wake the gods!
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Also, despite some head-scratching moves, Joe Maddon is pretty good at the meta-game of baseball. In the end, that may be far more important than bullpen management.
Maddon doesn’t just play the percentages, he is comfortable sacrificing some win expectancy for an upside surprise. Sometimes it’s maddening, sometimes it’s a pun verbalizing Maddon’s name.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think Donald Trump being the GOP nominee is proof the gods have checked out for 2016.
EdwinQuote Reply
Yeah. This win certainly means something huge-ish in the unquantifiable psyche-confidence department for the players, but as a fan with zero influence on the outcome what I’m going to take solace in is the fact that regardless of whom the Cubs draw, NLCS to the WS, they will not be as good a team. Such a team simply does not exist this year.
And that is enough for me to feel okay about their chances. For now.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I am curious as to why failed emoji representing my feelings toward the Halloween-colored team playing to Halloween should draw the ire of the denizens this discredited blog.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Thinking is like saying but with fewer words and more meaning.
ceruleanQuote Reply
New shit: http://obstructedview.net/time-stop-naysaying-cubs/
aisle424Quote Reply
that game was pretty good you guys
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply