Cubs extend Theo Epstein for 5 more years

In News And Rumors by dmick89329 Comments

The Cubs have signed Theo Epstein to a 5-year contract extension. There was never any reason to worry that it wouldn’t get done, but it’s nice that it is. It could be worth more than $50 million. Also, the Cubs may have extended Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod as well.

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  2. SK

    dmick89:
    cerulean,

    The Cubs probably won’t have a better chance of winning the World Series in our lifetimes. It kind of sucks that the playoffs are somewhat of a crapshoot.

    While this may be true, I’ve been meaning to comment that I don’t have that WS-or-die angst at all, because I feel like this is the 2nd of a four or five year runs of postseasons. Maybe longer. I mean, other good orgs have had similarly-lengthed runs.

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  3. Author
    dmick89

    SK,

    I don’t have it either. I don’t think I have ever have. I said it in 2008 and I’ll say it again. Nothing can happen in the playoffs that will ruin the fun that the 2016 season has been. If they win it all it will make it better, but the 2016 season happened and it was a fucking blast.

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  4. Author
    dmick89

    Also, I hope this isn’t the 2nd of only a 4 or 5 year run. The Cardinals have spent significantly less and would never find that acceptable. They plan to and have contended nearly every year I’ve been alive. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have those same expectations for the Cubs. My expectations are that the Cubs will contend 4 of every 5 years from this point forward. If they don’t, they’re doing something wrong considering their financial advantages over the rest of the division.

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  7. berselius

    umbra: http://www.politicalmachine.com/

    Would you like to know more?

    I played an Apple II game that satisfied that criteria 20 or so years ago. It was based on the ’68 election and you had to allocate resources to states and stuff, and if you tried to do too much your candidate would start making gaffes and stuff.

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  11. Rizzo the Rat

    dmick89:
    berselius,

    I approve of the regulars playing, but I’m kind of surprised. I expected this week to be like spring training with the lineups.

    I certainly hope Maddon employs the regulars when Lester goes for his 20th win. Similarly, I hope he fields a great defense when Hendricks makes his next start. Arbitrary milestones are arbitrary, but they’re still nice.

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  12. Rizzo the Rat

    berselius: Having two MVP and two CYA candidates really crowds out a lot of stuff, whether it’s Russell’s step forward or Heyward’s leap backwards

    I don’t even want to think about how bad the anti-Heyward backlash would be if the Cubs weren’t winning.

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  15. umbra

    dmick89:
    Rizzo the Rat,

    I think there’s a good chance Lester gets 20 wins, but not a very good chance that Hendricks finishes with an ERA below 2. Would be nice to see though.

    He can do 1 run over 6 or more innings (and must pitch at least 2 scoreless innings). I’d put the odds around 2:1 against.

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  16. cerulean

    Johnny-come-lately comment that’s kind of a duplicate:

    dmick89:
    cerulean,

    The Cubs probably won’t have a better chance of winning the World Series in our lifetimes. It kind of sucks that the playoffs are somewhat of a crapshoot.

    I disagree that this is likely their best shot, but it is definitely the best shot in our lifetimes so far. Even so, shit can and does happen, so even though they are built for dynasty, I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the best shot they ever have, if for no other reason than the possible fall of the United States in the aftermath of nuclear holocaust.

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  22. Author
    dmick89

    cerulean,

    Could be, but as much bad luck the Cubs have had this season, they’ve had a lot of good luck too. Their rotation has stayed healthy, which usually doesn’t happen. Lester is getting older and Jake will probably be fine after next season. I’m confident they’re going to be good for awhile, but I’m doubtful they’ll be this good. I hope so.

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  32. Rizzo the Rat

    wrt the Cubs’ bunt defense, there definitely needs to be a rules classification in the off-season, but I don’t see what it matters who wears what glove.

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  44. SK

    Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, but USA Today reported the deal is worth more than $50 million — a substantial upgrade from the five-year, $18.5 million pact that Epstein signed on Oct. 25, 2011.

    If only my income went up by 170% every five years (instead of going down (dying laughing))

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  45. Author
    dmick89

    SK,

    Why do journalists call these contracts pacts? It’s like they’ve got together in a bar and voted on the terminology least likely to be used by a normal person.

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  46. SK

    dmick89,

    They don’t like repeating the same word in the same sentence/paragraph. So they called it a contract, a deal, and a pact.

    If they had to keep going, I imagine they would have had to also call it an agreement, a compact, a treaty, an arrangement, a bargain, and a pinky swear.

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  47. cerulean

    SK:
    dmick89,

    If they had to keep going, I imagine they would have had to also call it an agreement, a compact, a treaty, an arrangement, a bargain, and a pinky swear.

    A $50M pinky swear is one helluva pinky swear.

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  49. Berselius

    SK:
    dmick89,

    They don’t like repeating the same word in the same sentence/paragraph. So they called it a contract, a deal, and a pact.

    If they had to keep going, I imagine they would have had to also call it an agreement, a compact, a treaty, an arrangement, a bargain, and a pinky swear.

    News will break next week that it’s actually a tontine

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  50. SK

    Pinky swearing presumably started in Japan, where it is called yubikiri (指切り?, “finger cut-off”) and often additionally confirmed with the vow “Finger cut-off, ten thousand fist-punchings, whoever lies has to swallow thousand needles.”

    Apparently, Japanese kids from olden times were badass.

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  53. Edwin

    SK: If only my income went up by 170% every five years (instead of going down (dying laughing))

    Try becoming a Senior Executive for Wells Fargo. Sounds like they have plenty of money to throw around, and you don’t even need to be good at your job.

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  55. uncle dave

    Edwin,

    I’d argue that they’re quite good at their job. I don’t exactly have a great opinion of multinational financial institutions, though.

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  56. Author
    dmick89

    “I’ll just throw my sides and prepare, and whoever I face will be in trouble,” Arrieta said.

    Comments like that have never looked stupid in hindsight.

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  77. cerulean

    A curious question: Should ties count in calculating W%?

    I think yes—it was an official game, so two ties should be the same as going 1–1. So a single tie would contribute half a win and half a loss for the purpose of calculation.

    But it’s not. It obviously doesn’t make a difference most if not all of the time, especially this day and age when ties are infrequent, but it could knock a really good team down a few points or a give a really bad team a boost.

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  80. Author
    dmick89

    Rizzo the Rat,

    I don’t care if they count ties in pitcher wins or not because I don’t care about pitcher wins, but why do people always ask about the record books? It’s probably not too difficult to rewrite them back to a certain point and before that, who cares? In 200, 300 or 2000 years, does anybody think missing half a century of complete stats is going to matter?

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  83. SK

    The Pirates announced that tickets from Thursday night’s game will not be eligible for exchange because Major League Baseball declared it an official game, not a postponement they don’t wanna.

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  84. Smokestack Lightning

    Rice in limbo:
    Smokestack Lightning,

    Feel like all boundary walkoff calls should be auto-reviewed anyway.

    You would think this is something the league would think through before they implement a review system.

    But can’t screw up the photo-op of the players storming the field, I suppose. Instead, screw up the game.

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  104. cerulean

    If the Cubs can manage to score 42 runs in these last two games—it’s the Reds, so it’s doable—plus whatever the Rockies score against the Brewers at Coors, the Cubs would bookend the NL in RS and RA.

    I am going to go out on a limb and say there is little chance of catch Boston in RS for all of MLB.
    #FireTheo

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  108. berselius

    Rice in limbo:
    Mets up.

    Cards down.

    We might not get any last-game chaos this year, folks.

    Looks like the three-way tie is out, but we could still see the Giants and Cards tie

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  114. Berselius

    cerulean:
    Looks like Lester also wants to get one final stinker in before the postseason begins.

    A bad dress rehearsal is supposed to be a good sign I guess

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  117. cerulean

    So if the O’s lose tomorrow, the Jays split, The Tigers win at least one of the next two games, and the M’s win their last two…

    The Tigers would have to make-up the game with the Indians, and then there would be two play-in games, then the Wildcard play-in. No rest for the wicked.

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  120. SK

    Soler ———————————————————————————————————————-> lineup

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  139. Rizzo the Rat

    Szczur chases one on the dirt, leaving the bases loaded. And that’s why I’m hoping he gets lost off the playoff roster.

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  141. Perkins

    I’m alright with the Cardinals’ not having a chance to win the Wild Card. Between the Giants and Mets, I’m indifferent. The Cubs are better than either of them, so it’s just down to execution.

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  152. cerulean

    dmick89,

    So the Yankees averaged a better than 100-win pace over 162 for something like four decades. The Cubs have averaged that for two.

    #shitGerrittColeMightSay

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  153. BVS

    Poor Cardinals. Missed out by a game. Would’ve liked to see a play-in to the wildcard but not really disappointed.

    May the Cardinals’ knives soak in hot water til next season.

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  154. Author
    dmick89

    The postseason narrative was written months ago. Clinching early and the long rest is either the reason they do well in the playoffs or the reason they do poorly.

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  156. berselius

    BVS:
    Poor Cardinals. Missed out by a game. Would’ve liked to see a play-in to the wildcard but not really disappointed.

    May the Cardinals’ knives soak in hot water til next season.

    The saltiest of hot water

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  157. Author
    dmick89

    BVS:
    dmick89,

    The come from behind win today helps blunt the reasoning if they do poorly, imo.

    Neither one would likely be accurate, but when has that ever stopped sports reporters from writing endlessly about why a team lost in the playoffs? For example, the Cubs lost last year because “Arrieta ran out of gas.” It may have been true, but extra rest sure hasn’t helped him this year so I’m inclined to believe he just had a couple bad games, though games better than several of his outings this year. It’s all just nonsense. If the Cubs lose, it will be because the playoffs are a crapshoot.

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  158. Smokestack Lightning

    cerulean: #shitGerrittCole<andNickVlahosMightSay

    Haven’t checked his feed all year. Couldn’t help myself today. Still calling anyone who thinks Theo has done a good job a “Theobot.”

    Motherfucker would have trolled Truman (ha, forgot FDR didn’t make it) after WWII.

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  162. Smokestack Lightning

    cerulean:
    Smokestack Lightning,

    There are two very legitimate reasons to criticize Truman’s ending of the war.

    Hopefully, the Cubs don’t bomb in the playoffs.

    Yeah, upon reflection, war is probably not the best analogy to use, like ever.

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  165. Edwin

    I’m rooting for the Giants. I’d rather playoff baseball be played in warmer weather, plus I think the Giants are a more interesting matchup.

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  166. Edwin

    Also, go Blue Jays, because I want to see Bautista do another epic bat flip. Plus the Candadian National Anthem is way better than the American National Anthem. And I like the Blue Jays colors. Such a nice blue. I like blue.

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  168. SK

    Saw the Cubs beat the Blue Jays in Toronto in 2008. Lou got pissed that they decided to close the roof during a Cubs half-inning and made the umps wait for it to close before continuing. Aramis hit a home run so straight and fast that it landed before I could find it in the air. The field looks like shitty carpeting in a dollhouse.

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  169. EnricoPallazzo

    doe anyone have an inkling of what time game 1 will be played? i assume it is dependent upon the WC winner so presumably if SF wins they are more likely to be the late game on friday (since SF is a west coast team)?

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  171. berselius

    EnricoPallazzo:
    doe anyone have an inkling of what time game 1 will be played? i assume it is dependent upon the WC winner so presumably if SF wins they are more likely to be the late game on friday (since SF is a west coast team)?

    I think it’s more likely the Cubs play late anyway because $$$$$$$

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  175. cerulean

    Edwin:
    Also, go Blue Jays, because I want to see Bautista do another epic bat flip. Plus the Candadian National Anthem is way better than the American National Anthem. And I like the Blue Jays colors. Such a nice blue. I like blue.

    My older brother’s favorite color was blue. But that was my favorite color. So he got all blue things, and I was jealous.

    Cool story bro.

    Anyway, I remember rooting for the Jays and Cubs in ’89, in part because I really like blue. That went over well. I believe that was the first time I really ever paid attention to baseball being played.

    Not so cool story bro.

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  177. BVS

    Congrats to Rick Renteria at getting a new managing gig. I think he’d have done well with the Cubs, but I’m not sad that they hired Maddon.

    Condolences to Rick Renteria at getting a new managing gig with the White Sox .

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  178. cerulean

    BVS,

    It’s interesting to wonder how good this team would be if Renteria were still at the helm. I think quite good, but not nearly as entertaining. (Some of the highlights of the year were explicitly Maddon being eccentric—pitchers on defense, a Lester bunt, pulling Grampy.) The biggest difference I think is with defensive versatility. Most managers wouldn’t do the jigsaw puzzle like that, and such would probably have limited the value of the likes of Javier Baez and Willson Contreras enough that we wouldn’t know what they were.

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  181. Berzelius

    Game times announced through Sunday – Cubs are on FS1 at 8:15 PM CT on Friday and MLBN at 7:08 PM CT on Saturday

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  186. Smokestack Lightning

    Edwin:
    Kyle Hendricks is your Cubs WAR leader on pitching in a year the team won 103 games.. Never thought that phrase would get typed.

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  187. Author
    dmick89

    I’d have thought Arrieta or Lester would have led the pitchers in WAR like anyone else, but I don’t think it was that unlikely that Hendricks would when you factor in injuries. Based on performance alone, it was less likely, but still more than believable since the Cubs don’t have a “legitimate ace”.

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  188. SK

    dmick89:
    I’d have thought Arrieta or Lester would have led the pitchers in WAR like anyone else, but I don’t think it was that unlikely that Hendricks would when you factor in injuries. Based on performance alone, it was less likely, but still more than believable since the Cubs don’t have a “legitimate ace”.

    Uh, yeah, but they did have a legitimate ace coming into the season, or so it seemed.

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  200. Edwin

    Rizzo the Rat:
    Wait, Epstein is with the Cubs now? I thought he’d never leave Boston.

    He hasn’t left yet, they’re still working out the trade, but they’re getting closer. 20 yard line now.

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  201. Author
    dmick89

    Edwin,

    My source has confirmed it’s more like the 20 yard line, but cautioned that the Cubs have the worst red zone offense in the league. Epstein may not leave Boston after all.

    Edit: I thought you wrote 25 yard line. I can’t read. (dying laughing)

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  203. SK

    Carrie Muskat confirms Joe is going with the rotation everyone assumes he is going with.

    (hence, his “they’re not stupid” comment from last week.)

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  207. umbra

    Rizzo the Rat:
    Wait, Epstein is with the Cubs now? I thought he’d never leave Boston.

    He left Boston for Chicago, but before he gets to Chicago, he has to get halfway there, and before he gets halfway, he has to get a quarter of the way, and before he gets a quarter of the way…

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  210. cerulean

    Rizzo the Rat:
    As long as it’s not Brian Matusz. Though, now that I think about it, the Cubs did win that game.

    Turning point of the season, right there. If they lost that game to Seattle, I believe they would have only been 20 games over and they wouldn’t be in the playoffs now because Bartman got nasty with a goat and a black cat saw it and destroyed Sammy’s radio, and not even the ghost of Harry Caray could make it right, or something.

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  225. Author
    dmick89

    It amazes me that being involved with baseball for that long in one’s life can still lead to such awful decisions. The average manager is not a whole lot smarter than the average fan.

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  226. SK

    dmick89,

    Surely that is true – average manager is not a whole lot smarter than the average fan. Not only that, the average manager is a LOT more informed than the average fan (about both game strategy and things only he can know, like day to day health of players). On the other hand, the average manager is operating in the face of a LOT more stress and distractions than the average fan. Watching at home we have the luxury of seeing things that are outside of his line of sight due to where he is positioned in all of this. I’m not saying he can’t see the closer in the bullpen twiddling his thumbs because he’s behind a wall, I’m saying there are 47,000,938 other things also confronting him.

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  229. Author
    dmick89

    SK,

    I agree with this. The stress part I think is something managers often put on themselves. Sure, you’ve got to win, but financial security they all have so losing a job is a lot less stressful. Joe isn’t the best manager when it comes to the bullpen or even the bench, but what sets him apart is how low stress he makes the environment the team is in. Yeah, he’s been on a lot of successful teams, which helps, but the low stress environment is in large part due to his attitude. Every player has rightly bought into the whole “it’s about the process” and “you can’t control the results” mentality.

    It’s really a wonderful thing being a Cubs fan these days. Now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.

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  230. cerulean

    Good to see Bucky getting lambasted by basically everybody for not using every tool at his disposal to win. Not only did he not use their greatest asset, but he warmed Britton up three times and sat him back down, possibly increasing the chances of an ineffectiveness that we never got to see.

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  232. Smokestack Lightning

    Reading Orioles’ fans attempts to cope with this is rather amusing—I mean sad. Some are deflecting by heaping all the blame on the offense. Sorry, kids, but sometimes it’s hard to hit a baseball—even more so in the postseason, I imagine—and your manager repeatedly made it as easy as he could for the other team to do so.

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  233. cerulean

    dmick89,

    Maddon has never won it all as a head coach. Trust the past: The Cubs are doomed. And the Cardinals have resorted to accumulating championship toe rings.

    /Bfib’ed

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  234. cerulean

    More on second guessing Buckminster Lesser: I get that he didn’t want to use Britton in non-save situations, and having Jimenez start the inning is somewhat defensible, but with one out and runners on the corners, he needed a strikeout or a groundball more than ever. If only there were a pitcher available who was really good at getting one of those two outcomes.

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  235. Smokestack Lightning

    cerulean:
    More on second guessing Buckminster Lesser: I get that he didn’t want to use Britton in non-save situations, and having Jimenez start the inning is somewhat defensible, but with one out and runners on the corners, he needed a strikeout or a groundball more than ever. If only there were a pitcher available who was really good at getting one of those two outcomes.

    Duensing started the inning.

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  239. cerulean

    SK:
    I said “Go Mets” the other day because I’d prefer Cubs face them.

    I am seeing this a lot. Many are wanting this matchup because they think the Mets are a worse team than the Giants and therefore will be easier to beat.

    I say fuck that mentality. I don’t want the Cubs to face flukey weakened teams in their pursuit of a championship. Give me the best.

    Consider the 2004 Red Sox or 2005 White Sox—absolutely no one could second guess their drought-ending championships—reeling off eight in a row against the hated nemesis and a 105-win team after being down 0–3, or rolling through the playoffs by edging out eleven of twelve by taking advantage of the tiniest of opportunities, making the other teams seem foolish—they won convincingly. That’s the bar I want them to clear.

    So which team between the Mets and the Giants? Who cares. Give me the Giants so the Cubs can put the even year voodoo to rest. Give me the Mets so the Cubs can sweep them out of the playoffs. Neither of them are very good. Yet the Cubs could lose to either.

    Looking forward, I think the both the Dodgers and the Nationals are pretty even—I’ll pick the Dodgers for the warm weather.

    And looking so far forward that it will curse the Cubs to be swept by whoever the wildcard winner is—obviously—I would like to see the Red Sox because they are the best. Maybe Texas because it’s warmer and they are the luckiest team ever.

    But I want there to be no doubt. Unlike the 2006 Cardinals.

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  240. Author
    dmick89

    cerulean: I say fuck that mentality. I don’t want the Cubs to face flukey weakened teams in their pursuit of a championship. Give me the best.

    This. That’s why I was hoping the Cardinals would get in and the Cubs could play them again. I thought they were the best of those three teams.

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  241. berselius

    dmick89,

    That would be icing on the cake, but I would be happy to just have the cake to begin with. Or better yet pie. I don’t really know where this food analogy is going.

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  242. Rizzo the Rat

    It doesn’t matter if they beat weaker teams. They won 103 games. Nobody will call it a lucky fluke if they win it all.

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  243. Rizzo the Rat

    I’d love it if they beat the Rangers. They won the most games in the AL. No one will remember their run differential.

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  244. berselius

    Rizzo the Rat:
    I’d love it if they beat the Rangers. They won the most games in the AL. No one will remember their run differential.

    My nightmare scenario is a WS loss to the Red Sox. Fuck that fanbase.

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  246. Author
    dmick89

    Rizzo the Rat:
    It doesn’t matter if they beat weaker teams. They won 103 games. Nobody will call it a lucky fluke if they win it all.

    Yeah, I think any person with a functioning brain knows the Cubs are the best team in baseball so it won’t be considered a fluke no matter what. Still, I want to beat the best.

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  248. umbra

    I want to beat the Mets as revenge for last year/1969, then beat the Dodgers as revenge for 2008, then beat the Red Sox as revenge for 1918.

    Second-best scenario is beating the Giants as revenge for 1989, beating the Dodgers as revenge for 2008, then beating the Blue Jays as revenge for the War of 1812.

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  249. Smokestack Lightning

    Well, since we’re not likely to win the WS, regardless of having the best odds, which way you want this team to get it?

    My choice is annihilation via sweep or at minimum no more than one win. And preferably as soon as possible.

    Anything else will mean being haunted to one degree or another forever.

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  254. Perkins

    My biggest fear is that the Cubs get bounced in the NLDS since that would be the most anti-climactic outcome of a 103 win season. If they lose in the NLCS, that would suck. If they lose in the WS, at least that’d be the first time they won the NL since 1945.

    While it would suck for them to make it that far and lose, it’s not like a World Series appearance is in living memory for most Cubs fans. That would be pretty cool to see regardless of the outcome. Obviously it’s much better if they win.

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  255. SK

    cerulean: I am seeing this a lot. Many are wanting this matchup because they think the Mets are a worse team than the Giants and therefore will be easier to beat.

    “Many people are saying”

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  256. SK

    I have a fear of losing a short series and Giants are more competitive, I think, in a short series. Otherwise I think they are equal to the Mets.

    After that I don’t care at all who they face. I get wanting them to beat the best, but they are the best, and I don’t think any of the other teams are closer to the Cubs than to each other.

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  258. EnricoPallazzo

    umbra:
    I want to beat the Mets as revenge for last year/1969, then beat the Dodgers as revenge for 2008, then beat the Red Sox as revenge for 1918.

    Second-best scenario is beating the Giants as revenge for 1989, beating the Dodgers as revenge for 2008, then beating the Blue Jays as revenge for the War of 1812.

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  261. Rizzo the Rat

    Yeah, but he’s right about the article I think. It’s badly argued and is guilty of the same “hot hand” reasoning it accuses Showalter of.

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  265. Author
    dmick89

    Rizzo the Rat,

    Agreed, but his comment on why Arrieta was pitching game 3 was ridiculous. I love Joe, but he’s obviously prone to the same dumb thinking of most managers.

    I’d put Arrieta 3rd also, but not for the reason Joe is doing it.

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  266. Smokestack Lightning

    Perkins: My biggest fear is that the Cubs get bounced in the NLDS since that would be the most anti-climactic outcome of a 103 win season. If they lose in the NLCS, that would suck. If they lose in the WS, at least that’d be the first time they won the NL since 1945.

    While it would suck for them to make it that far and lose, it’s not like a World Series appearance is in living memory for most Cubs fans. That would be pretty cool to see regardless of the outcome. Obviously it’s much better if they win.

    Nah. Swept out of a series is the optimal way to lose, the earlier the better (if it must happen). All the 103 win stuff will sting for a bit, but it won’t linger. The 2008 Cubs won a shitload of games, took the division decisively, and were promptly bounced by the Dodgers. How much does that loss matter now? To me, nothing at all. I have nothing but good memories of that season. I barely remember the NLDS. It was easily one of the most pleasant baseball seasons I can recall.

    Same with last year. Team took off, won A LOT of baseball games, went to the postseason for the first time in 7 years, crushed the Cardinals, and then hit the brick wall that was Daniel Murphy (or, actually, the brick wall hit them). What matters to me now? All of the shit prior to Daniel Murphy, and what happened in the NLCS hurts not at all. They never stood a chance with the way the Mets were playing. Nothing for it. Nothing to be done. There are no what-might-have-beens when you get destroyed.

    2003, otoh… Whatever good memories I can drudge up about that team are forever spoiled by 5 Outs Away.

    And that’s why, if the Cubes must lose, I want them to really lose. Get the shit kicked out of them. Easier to live with.

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  267. Smokestack Lightning

    Not to mention I think it’s better for the mental health of the players if they get run rather than barely lose.

    I mean, Ubaldo Jimenez will probably be replaying that meatball he threw to Encarnacion for the next six months. I feel bad for him.

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  268. cerulean

    Smokestack Lightning,

    False. The best would be to go the distance in every series and get to the World Series and at least go five. I would prefer they win, but a WS loss wouldn’t be awful because there is always next year. Speaking as someone with a stake in season tickets.

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  272. cerulean

    Rizzo the Rat,

    On that review, I am guessing that his foot came off the bag enough that it was either too uncertain to overturn or the call was actually confirmed (because unlike the announcers, I think it did and he was out). I am however in favor of changing the rule so that if you touch the bag and do not overrun or “overslide” the bag but nevertheless lose contact with the bag briefly, that loss of contact does not count against you.

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  286. cerulean

    So I think Saturday will be Samardzija vs Hendricks. That will be fun. The local boy gone California against the California boy gone local.

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  289. Smokestack Lightning

    Well, BN appears to be in full meltdown, apparently because they just figured out the Cubs will have to beat good teams to win the World Series.

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  290. Perkins

    Smokestack Lightning:
    Well, BN appears to be in full meltdown, apparently because they just figured out the Cubs will have to beat good teams to win the World Series.

    They will? Shit, I thought it would be a bunch of games against the Reds and the Pirates.

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  291. Perkins

    In all seriousness, the Cubs starters’ aptitude for limiting hard contact combined with the Giants’ low power/balls in play offense should bode well. And obviously the Cubs have the best lineup in MLB.

    So it could go either way.

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  292. berselius

    Perkins:
    In all seriousness, the Cubs starters’ aptitude for limiting hard contact combined with the Giants’ low power/balls in play offense should bode well. And obviously the Cubs have the best lineup in MLB.

    So it could go either way.

    Thanks for cursing this team to lose to 500 seeing eye singles in this series smh.

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  294. Edwin

    I feel bad for the Mets. I just want them to know that every team loses, that’s a fact. But maybe every team that loses some day comes back.

    Not them though. They’re done.

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  302. Edwin

    I worked 12 hours yesterday, and I’m probably working another 12 today, so right now I’m running on coffee, fumes, and Pandora.

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  303. cerulean

    dmick89:
    Wait, I took a second look in the crystal ball and it said Giants in 5 so it could go either way.

    Mine said Giants in orange.

    Do they even have orange uniforms?

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  304. cerulean

    Edwin:
    I worked 12 hours yesterday, and I’m probably working another 12 today, so right now I’m running on coffee, fumes, and about to open Pandora’s box.

    Maybe wait until the postseason is over. I want to see how it turns out.

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  307. Smokestack Lightning

    Edwin:
    cerulean,

    I would love to release what’s in the box, but right now I’m under audit, and cannot release the box.

    Obligatory, and for that I am sorry…

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  314. SK

    Dudes check it out, this will blow your mind. Apparently, there was a guy on the Cubs in 2014 named Chris Valaika. He was an infielder who played in more games than Jorge Soler, Matt Szczur and Logan Watkins. Freaky!

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  316. Rizzo the Rat

    SK,

    Like most fans, I lost interest toward the end of the season, especially after Rizzo and Castro went on the DL. In retrospect, I wish I’d payed more attention to that Arrieta fellow.

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  319. cerulean

    Rizzo the Rat:
    -9 now.

    Don’t worry, they will win the next two games by one and then lose by fifteen and finish with a walk-off walk. -21 in runs, +1 in wins. It’s the Ranger’s way.

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  326. Smokestack Lightning

    Rizzo the Rat:
    Good thing Miller got that crucial third out in the fifth inning, though.

    Your turn for some “eh.” Indians pen screws the pooch in the 5th, this lead doesn’t exist now.

    I do agree bringing him in with in with 2 outs in the fifth was odd (though with the way Brock Holt has hit tonight, maybe not).

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  327. Smokestack Lightning

    That all said, I would have probably waited until the seventh to bring Miller in (sixth maybe if shit got real), then marveled at how cutting edge awesome I am.

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  328. cerulean

    I found myself rooting for the Indians. And then I I saw a closeup of a player in his hat.

    Fuck the Cleveland Indians in their racist, red-faced Chief Wahoo. What year is this anyway?

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