OSS: Cubs run into a buzz saw named Kershaw and Jansen.
Three up
- Not a lot of positives for the Cubs today. Oddly enough the only position player with positive WPA was Anthony Rizzo, who drew a leadoff walk in the seventh. The Cubs made a lot of good contact that inning but couldn’t get a ball to drop in.
- Javy Baez made a great heads-up play in the sixth inning with runners on first and second and one out, letting a flare drop right in front of him to get an easy double play instead of catching the ball. It was hit too softly for the infield fly rule to be in effect, and if there was nobody out it probably would have been a triple play. Javy broke up Kershaw’s no-hitter in the fifth and also got the best contact off Kershaw all night in the seventh, but unfortunately it found Pederson’s glove.
- Uh….Jansen worked two innings? Maybe he’ll be gassed for game three?
Three Down
- I think the Dodgers still win this 1-0 even if Joe didn’t make some questionable decisions, but there were some real head scratchers in there. Above all, having Heyward start against the most impossible lefty on the planet when the Cubs had a ground ball guy on the mound was a tough one. The Dodgers did not hit a single ball to right field. When he pulled Hendricks, he brought in Carl Edwards Jr to face LHB Joc Pederson despite the fact that the Cubs are four lefties in their pen. I’ve seen some defense that Edwards has been pretty much good against everyone this year splits-wise, but regression much? It worked out thanks to some Baez wizardry, but WTF at that one.
- Hendricks got off to a good start, getting a ton of whiffs on his cutter and hitting the corners well. However, he wasn’t hitting those corners as the game went on and the nibbling racked up his pitch count and cost him four walks. Luckily none of those came around to score, and the only run of the game was a just-enougher from Adrian Gonzalez.
- Still feeling a little salty.
Balls hit like @javy23baez’s flyout have resulted in an .899 AVG this year.
67 percent have been homers. #Statcast pic.twitter.com/p68zVyGEsi
— #Statcast (@statcast) October 17, 2016
Next up: The series continues in LA on Thursday night with Jake Arrieta facing off against Rich Hill. Hopefully the Cubs can shake this one off and go after Hill, whose curveball should give them fits but probably won’t be in the game for long. The weather is supposed to be nice and warm, let’s hope it warms up the Cubs offense too.
Comments
The first inning, Hendricks got some low strike calls, and then he wasn’t getting them. Add that and the Bryant strike that nearly hit him to the list of reasons robot umps need to be a thing.
One strike zone to rule them all. If any of the ball touches the zone, it’s a strike. Fuck pitch framing.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I should add that I don’t want to pile on the umps—most of which are exceptional—but they are human. The visual cortex cannot process the trajectory of the ball fast enough, so it literally fills in the blank spots.
We have the technology to make baseball more about the players on the field overcoming our human failings rather than holding on to the human element that can only put our foibles in stark relief.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I started frequenting ACB around that time. I remember some comments about the macro, but I believe it was a new thing that was already there. When did Ted Lilly sign with Hendry wheelin’ and dealin’ hooked up to an EKG? I feel like whenever that was was prime (dying laughing)’s.
ceruleanQuote Reply
All of this, but I still don’t think Cubs win this game.
Though, to be honest, right now I’m feeling like we’re not going to win anymore games at all. The power of Kershaw compels me.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
cerulean,
Cry me a river. There has been numerous questionable calls, more against the Dodgers then then Cubs, that is for sure. They just ran into the best pitcher and closer on the planet. Yes, Jansen is better than Chapman. We have proved that in back to back games now. Chapman had a runner who could have scored tonight and 2 runners that did on Saturday. Jansen is the man and more controlled in the zone. Cutter is lethal, similar to M. Rivera, not yet but getting there. The Cubs will find a way to blow this and Kerhsaw will close it out in Game 5 at the Ravine. Hopefully you all said your goodbyes because you won’t see them again this year.
Dodgers_Slap_The_CubsQuote Reply
False.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Also, I had no idea that Kenley Jansen was lurking here all this time.
uncle daveQuote Reply
uncle dave,
Kenley Jansen is everywhere, especially in the Cubs nightmares. Just call him Mr. Billy Goat and Steve Bartman’s daddy.
Dodger_in_5Quote Reply
uncle dave,
Fans are of course going to have a bias opinion of each teams pitfalls or preverbal “bs calls”. I agree, the inside pitch was inside but believe me, there were PLENTY of low pitches called for Lester and Kyle today.
The only thing I can agree on is a laser zone where calls cannot be missed or at least you can still challenge a call and keep the human interaction. Lets say you get 3 strike or ball challenges a game and if you win all 3 you get one more. There are really not that many bad calls in a game anyway and again, that was strike 1 to your guy. He still had two chances and stared at strike 3 that caught all of the plate.
Dodger_in_5Quote Reply
fify
SKQuote Reply
The problem is when the zone is inconsistent the batter doesn’t know what is going to be called next and can impact your next pitch. Such an obvious ball that is called a strike does more than just add one strike to the count.
WaLiQuote Reply
Good to see OV has expanded its Cubs blog exposure. I see my monthly fees are going towards a Google ad word campaign for “dodgers papa johns milf”.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Looking ahead to game 4, I’d expect Lackey’s leash to be pretty short. The Cubs can piggyback Montgomery, Wood, and Zastryzny to exploit the Dodgers’ weakness against LHP.
If the Cubs take the next two, it’s almost certainly normal rest Lester against short rest Kershaw. I like their chances in game 4, but a win tomorrow is pretty important.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I think Arrieta’s leash has to be as short or even shorter because it’s game 3 in a tied series.
dmick89Quote Reply
Just to be clear, the series continues in Tuesday night in LA, not Thursday night? Or has the MSM been lying to me again?
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
The media is rigging this series.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Oh, absolutely. Game 3 is close to a must win given the tie and Hill’s being better than Urias and Maeda.
PerkinsQuote Reply
According to http://www.hittrackeronline.com this is the second game in a row the Dodgers hit a home run that only goes out in one park.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I am going to Naysay the Cubs so hard now…
EdwinQuote Reply
I see OV is enjoying that playoff bounce in attracting new people to the comment section. Might end up getting enough new internet money to finally get that Corporate Retreat organized.
Also, if this blog is so in favor of having robot umps, why is it made perfectly clear every time I leave a comment that robots are not wanted in this comment section?
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
You’re not logged in? Aren’t you registered?
dmick89Quote Reply
Edwin,
The Cubs are only a .500 team since we stopped naysaying.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I am, but somehow I have trouble actually logging in, so I just sign in each time when I leave a comment.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
Anyone else having trouble logging in?
dmick89Quote Reply
Now I’m logged. But I’m still very much for the equal treatment of robots. If you prick a robot, does it not bleed?
MillertimeQuote Reply
It does sound like a good time for another Retreat To Move Forward.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
It’s probably just me having personal errors, and not a site wide thing. I think I just messed up my username/password combination at some point.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
The next ov board meeting will take up your proposal to treat all robots equally.
dmick89Quote Reply
If you’re a dumbass like me, you will get very frustrated by always having to to login each visit when commenting via Safari on ios, because you’re in private mode which doesn’t save cookies. Switch to normal level surveillance mode and you will stay logged in.
SKQuote Reply
dmick89,
Hopefully he can discover his cutter/slider and fastball command and throw a no-hitter. Also, please let Ross start. And Soler. And Almora.
ceruleanQuote Reply
This blog is for people. Robots aren’t people. This is why we give them separate bathrooms and have them sit at the back of the bus.
#robotApartheid
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Come on now, we respect Robonnukah around these parts.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
LSA Rec’d +1 NAMRLA
SKQuote Reply
cerulean,
I would start Contreras behind the plate and Soler in LF with Zobrist in RF.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Have you ever seen a curveball fool a wizened old man? No, those guys have seen it all. Grampy should start.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I’d start Soler in LF and Zobrist in RF, but would go with Ross behind the plate. Contreras is the better offensive option, but Arrieta doesn’t seem as comfortable with him behind the plate.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Please allow me to submit my pamphlet “We’re here, we have gears, get used to it”
MillertimeQuote Reply
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want David Ross and Albert Almora starting. Give me the super defense.
MillertimeQuote Reply
uncle dave,
I give Kenley Jansen a hell of a lot more credit than that. Hell, I give rando Dodger fans a lot more credit than that.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
I understand the reasoning, but I guess I stopped caring about what Arrieta thinks. He’s a good pitcher, but not good enough that I’d sacrifice the offense behind the plate. I expect Montero to start that game because of Jake’s comfort level with him, but I’d go with Contreras.
dmick89Quote Reply
According to BB, Cubs got jobbed by the umpire about twice as often as the Dodgers did.
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/zoneTrack.php?month=10&day=16&year=2016&game=gid_2016_10_16_lanmlb_chnmlb_1/&prevDate=1016
Not that I think we would’ve won that game anyway. But, robot umps, plz.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Millertime,
My lineup against Richie:
Dexy CF
Krissy 1B
Benny 2B
Javy 3B
Jorgy LF (Contreras if hurting)
Addy SS
Alby RF
Davy C
Jakey P
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’d probably go:
Fowler LF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Baez 2B
Ross C
Russell SS
Heyward RF
Almora CF
Big Jake P
MillertimeQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
That game was as crapshooty as game one against in Giants. They literally win that game fifty percent of the time. No it wasn’t the zone—it was baseball.
But a thousand times yes: #RobotUmps4Eva
ceruleanQuote Reply
Millertime,
I like it. But I do feel like Rizzo is in a rut. The thought of him pinch hitting against the pen gives me warm fuzzies.
ceruleanQuote Reply
While the strike zone was unfortunate, I’m more irritated that Gonzalez went yard and Baez hit a warning track fly, when it should have been the opposite. Baseball.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Millertime,
I can see the defensive benefit to starting Heyward daily during the regular season, but I have always had a difficult time sacrificing offense for defense in a short series. That’s especially true for a team that can barely hit so far this offseason. It’s basically been Bryant and Baez.
dmick89Quote Reply
At this point, I’d treat Heyward as a defensive replacement, especially given how lefty-heavy the Dodgers’ rotation is.
PerkinsQuote Reply
dmick89,
True, they’re probably better off going with good offense. I think I just like the idea of a Super Defense.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Yup.
It’s all going down a little easier this a.m. With Kershaw back in form, it was always going to be a tough series, at least in the early going. Pleased to see the pitching staff do a good job of keeping it as close as mathematically possible, defense was stellar as always. Felt like a certain struggling 1B had a couple of much harder hits come off his bat than I’ve seen in some time, which is hope-making. ‘Twas the game LA absolutely had to get or they were in serious fucking trouble. And tho Rich Hill is no slouch, he’s had some short-sample struggles the last 5 starts or so, and against non-Kershaw LHP competition, Cubs are a top 3 offense. Urias will likely be a beast at some point, but not just yet.
Seems somewhat reasonable to expect to be up 3-2 coming back to Wrigley, with Kershaw already burned in game 5. But I suppose baseball might have other plans.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I know Rizzo isn’t hitting, but he can’t snap his slump on the bench and I also like him as captain of the infield out there. Scoff away, but I don’t think you bench your second best hitter during the postseason.
Heyward is not in the top 8, so I don’t mind replacing him.
I’d like to see Contreras playing somewhere.
If Arrieta needs a veteran, then fine, I’m OK with Ross back there. If he has a problem throwing to Contreras, make him solve it in spring, not tomorrow night.
SKQuote Reply
Agreed. Suddenly not starting your usually terrific-hitting first baseman because of six games where he didn’t hit well seems like an overreaction. I honestly don’t care if it’s the playoffs and Rich Hill. You stick with Rizzo.
Heyward, otoh…
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
The Dodgers hit two balls 100mph off the bat, one of which was a wind-/park-aided flyout to the bleachers, not cheap per se but lucky, tallying the only run of the game. The Cubs pitchers were nibbling more, but they were stingy with the contact and the defense did the rest. That was the nominal fifth starter against the greatest pitcher in baseball—a guy who is making the case to be at the top of the list all time.
I really like this team—it’s hard to keep them down—so much so that I don’t think even Kershaw has as much luck against them in game five. And Lester can beat the Dodgers. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Cubs swept them in LA. I would be shocked if we just saw the last Wrigley game this year.
So, Cubs in 6 sounds reasonable.
And for godsakes, unleash the Soler. I want to see him mash.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Yeah, Heyward has a whole season of not hitting well behind him. As high as his true talent level probably remains, and as elite as his defense is, I’d feel a lot more comfortable sacrificing it for offense in this series. Especially with Arrieta (or Hendricks, for that matter) on the mound. Weak contact-inducing ground ball pitchers don’t need elite RF defense as badly as they need runs scored behind them.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Plus Arrieta is hitting better than Heyward.
SKQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
For the record, I am not saying to bench Rizzo, I am saying maybe he shouldn’t start two games in a row against two of the most challenging lefties in the game. It’s not a punishment, and a mindset change may do him good.
Also, all righties may tempt Roberts to go to the pen sooner than he otherwise would, especially as the heart of the order comes around (assuming the switch hitters are at the top).
ceruleanQuote Reply
I feel like while game 3 isn’t a must win per se, it’s a must win in order to prevent a must win game 4.
MillertimeQuote Reply
On a lighter note, Trevor Bauer is history’s greatest monster:
http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/10/17/we-need-to-talk-about-trevor-bauers-love-for-the-phantom-menace/
PerkinsQuote Reply
To be pedantic (and accurate), the only must-win game in LA would be game five if the Cubs lose three and four.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
We all have movies we like which are not actually very good. I like Blade II, and Starship Troopers.
MillertimeQuote Reply
cerulean,
That is technically correct, which I’ve been informed is the best kind of correct.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Perkins,
Children have the worst taste. And by worst, I mean most unnuanced, if I may coin a nuanced-enough word.
ceruleanQuote Reply
False. The best kind of correct is ethically correct. Technical correctness turns people into argumentative assholes.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
If this were regular season, I think a sit for a game would be warranted, because nobody else would give a shit. This being the playoffs, Rizzo sitting would become this HUGE THING, which may or may not have an impact on just how effectively he would be able to mentally reboot, which is most of the reason to do it. All things being as they usually are, even against a good LHP, I want Rizzo in the lineup over any of the guys on the bench.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Millertime,
I mean, everyone likes some bad movies, but to say TPM is better than ESB, ANH, TFA, RotJ, or even RotS is absurd. I would take less issue if he simply said he enjoyed it. It had some bitchin’ lightsaber duels and a few other cool things. But it’s far from the best Star Wars movie.
Incidentally, Starship Troopers may be the biggest discrepancy between awesome book and terrible movie I’ve ever seen. Paul Verhoeven said he stopped reading the book partway through because he thought it was a bummer, and in so doing, he completely missed the point.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I feel like this is completely opposite for me. Didn’t care for the book, love the movie.
MillertimeQuote Reply
The movie is one of those things I can appreciate as extremely ridiculous and kind of enjoy if I’ve had a few drinks (similar to Hot Rod), but Paul Verhoeven’s aim in making it was basically to say “war, something, something, fascism,” whereas Heinlein’s intent with the book was to point out that there’s an inherent goodness in performing military service despite all the aspects of it that are objectively shitty or irritating. I get that it can come across as heavy handed and moralizing, so it may be my perspective as a veteran that makes it much more enjoyable for me.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
As someone who saw TPM before all the outrage, I enjoyed it, because as a borderline Millennial (1980), it was the first new Star Wars movie I could remember. But I refuse to watch it again to verify how bad it was—and it was bad. I couldn’t watch Attack of the Clones because everything about the acting—even the good actors—was stilted and wooden. That is a problem with direction and editing. That isn’t even touching the story.
I never saw Revenge of the Sith, but nerds I trust had to come to the conclusion that it was the worst of the prequels, and The Phantom Menace has to be considered the best, as disturbing as that is. My wife saw RotS when it came out and had come to the same conclusion—and was especially annoyed at the way and fact that Padme (was that her name?) died in childbirth of grief, like she was a weakling, and directly contradicts the scene in RofJ where Leia remembers her mother.
Those incomparable podcasts on the two trilogies are worth a listen, by the way.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Also, if I don’t see those movies, I can assume this is true.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
The way I’d describe the prequels is this:
TPM: Poor story, poor execution. It’s a colossal failure in all respects, save for Ian McDiarmid’s acting and the lightsaber scenes. The pod-racing scene felt like a third of the movie and was neither tense, nor exciting.
AotC: Good story, extremely poor execution. In the hands of a better director and screenwriter, it could have been great. The dialogue is laughably poor, and Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman have no chemistry. Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid are very good. As is Christopher Lee (though he has some poor dialogue to work with)
RotS: Great story and solid execution. The story itself is arguably so good that it’s near impossible to screw up, though George Lucas certainly tried. Hayden Christensen is still bad, and Natalie Portman is wasted on Padme. A lot of this would have felt more real with a better Anakin and better writing for Padme. Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid completely steal the show: they’re fantastic. And with the start of the Jedi Purge, rise of the Empire, and truly epic lightsaber duels between Anakin/Obi-Wan and Yoda/Palpatine, it’s worth seeing (more than once, even).
I actually like RotS better than RotJ, for what it’s worth. Not by much, though.
Macro comments that apply to all the prequels: way too much use of CGI, much of it bad. The writing and directing for all films was lacking, especially for Anakin and Padme. George Lucas forgot the cardnial rule of “show, don’t tell.” Great choreography for all the lightsaber battles. Non-lightsaber battles don’t feel as impactful because too much crap is happening in the frame. Also the Jedi are kind of assholes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Agree though that Padme’s death in childbirth (and her overall weakness in the movie, relative to what she’s supposed to be) was frustrating. I might have believed her weakness/vulnerability had the affection between Padme and Anakin seemed at all genuine. I’d also maybe have believed Anakin would kill Mace Windu to protect Palpatine in the heat of the moment, if I actually thought he cared for Padme (beyond reading bad dialogue).
The biggest failure of RotS was that the crux of what causes Anakin’s fall is his love for Padme and desire to protect her from death (and some PTSD from being unable to save his mother). And it just wasn’t credible with Hayden Christensen’s acting and with the writing for both Anakin and Padme. Natalie Portman is a great actress; with a better casting choice for Anakin, the whole thing would have worked a lot better.
Anakin’s turn to the dark side is the pivotal moment of the film, and it just sort of happens. And then when the Emperor reveals that he doesn’t actually know how to prevent people from dying (the lie he’d intimated to Anakin earlier, prompting Anakin’s defense of him), that’s supposed to be the bottom falling out on the Faustian bargain he made so hastily. But it falls flat. The rest of the movie after that is pretty rad, though (apart from Padme’s death in childbirth).
PerkinsQuote Reply
I will never know. There are too many under-appreciated stories in the world to enjoy.
Also, I am getting old.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I assume Heyward’s being in the lineup was because of the Dodgers’ left-handedness (i.e., tendency to hit to right field).That said, I’d have pinch-hit for him as soon as the Cubs were behind.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You have been banned from Obstructed View Dot Net. You can browse but not participate. Please fax to confirm.
BerzeliusQuote Reply
No one uses a fax these days. Have all banned members please remit their confirmation via certified mail.
sponsored by Stamps Dot Com
ceruleanQuote Reply
I prefer carrier pigeons.
PerkinsQuote Reply
In my defense, I really don’t like Ewoks.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Come now, everyone knows that small animals armed with crude spears will defeat futuristic technology every time.
BerzeliusQuote Reply
I went into this series assuming the most likely outcome for games 1 and 5 would be offset by games 2 and 6. On the road, I’ll take the Cubs to split the first of the two games in LA. I still think it comes down to a decisive game 7.
dmick89Quote Reply
I think as long as the Cubs take at least one of the next two, it’s likely that Kershaw comes back on short rest in game 5. In which case, I’d like the Cubs’ chances with Lester opposing him. Better than I like their chances against a full-rest Kershaw in game 6, anyway.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Given the way they used him in the LDS, this has been my assumption as well — starts game 5, significant relief work in game 7. Which makes me really want to see a couple of wins in games 3 and 4.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Something about Return of the Jedi that didn’t bother me until fairly recently (other than the Ewoks defeating Stormtroopers, because that’s just ridiculous): the Rebel fleet that attacks the Death Star is pretty small. It looks like about a couple dozen capital ships plus maybe twice that in escorts and a bunch of cannon fodder transports. The air group looks to be fewer than 100 fighters. And that’s an all-in attack. The entire rebellion assembled to mount that attack.
The most generous reading would simply be that technology of the time limited the amount of ships they showed, but if what’s depicted on screen is assumed to be accurate/canon, then holy shit. That’s a tiny amount of people, maybe a hundred thousand at the outside, taking up arms against the Empire. In a galaxy of presumably trillions of sentient beings. That’s not a civil war: it’s an insurgency. And it’s not especially believable that it would be able to consolidate power in the galaxy, even after killing the Emperor. Not with the Imperial military and its officer corps intact.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Every single one of us is a collection of small animals with crude spears that will eventually defeat each of us despite our superior technology*.
*at least as long as consciousness remains bound to grey matter prone to decay
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
You are talking about a universe where e != mc^2.
ceruleanQuote Reply
uncle dave,
Yeah, tomorrow is critical. I like their chances against Urias in game 4, which I assume will be more of a bullpen game for LA. Here’s hoping it’s good Jake and the offense shows up.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Here, this should cheer all you discredited fuckers up:
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
cerulean,
Yeah, after I started reading up on general relativity, the implications of hyperspace travel and time dilation stood out pretty badly.
Actually when I saw TFA, my first reaction was that Starkiller Base was the dumbest fucking idea they could have come up with, because unless the planet was able to move to other systems, its ability to fire was limited by the amount of stars in its own system (since it would cause a star to collapse and likely turn into a singularity).
PerkinsQuote Reply
It seems like the story is mainly a human thing, with most other species in the galaxy not really giving a shit, probably because even if the Rebels win, they’re still basically in the same position. The true story of Star Wars is the story of droid enslavement at the hands of humans.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Perkins,
StarKiller base really killed it for me. The whole sucking up a sun for energy thing makes me wonder why they would even need to then fire a laser. You just destroyed the Sun. Game over.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Perkins,
I wouldn’t like your chances against Julio. You caught him first on his 2nd game ever pitched with the ump squeezing him in the first two innings. Second time around, he shut down your lineup and only gave up 1 in 6 innings. Again, hopefully you all said your good byes because you wont see these boy until Spring Training. Dodgers sweeping at home with Kersh on the mount to close it out Thursday.
Dodger_in_5Quote Reply
Dodger_in_5,
I didn’t know we became a blog that looked at 2-game sample sizes for pitchers as if it had any predictive value.
dmick89Quote Reply
Dodger_in_5,
If the Dodgers lose, do you keep updating your name to match your updated expectations? Or is it just your hypothisis that given 5 games, the Dodgers will always win the series in those said 5? Or are you like a phoenix, rising from the ashes after each new series, reborn with a different name prediction each time?
MillertimeQuote Reply
Perkins,
I remember thinking the same thing when I watched it a while back, that fleet was minuscule.
Just think of al those poor independent contractors they killed on the under construction Death Star. TFA aside, I still don’t think the average storm trooper knows how to install a toilet main.
BerzeliusQuote Reply
I think you are looking for bleedcubbieblue.com, buddy.
BerzeliusQuote Reply
Dodger_in_5,
I’m sorry, that’s a two game sample with the first game thrown out because the results aren’t as good as you’d like. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
It would be news to Murray Chass.
MillertimeQuote Reply
To be honest, I’m not too hot on Perkins chancces against Uranus either.
MillertimeQuote Reply
I choose to look at only the 2-game sample, but I’m throwing out the second game because I had a cold that day. The Cubs never play well when I have a cold. So the Cubs will score 20 runs in game 4.
dmick89Quote Reply
I think of hyperspace as a different thing – think of it as a higher dimensional space where the corresponding points in real space are closer together. So you could be traveling at say .3c in that space and be going an equivalent of many times light speed in real space.
Anyway though, sci fi hand waving (dying laughing). If you are looking for great military sci fi, Perkins, check out the Honor Harrington series by David Weber, which is how I think of most of this interstellar travel stuff.
BerzeliusQuote Reply
I’m actually a huge fan of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica for a number of reasons (some of them being relative realism). Their version of faster-than-light involves an instantaneous jump, which would imply creation of a wormhole or some artificial way of bending spacetime. That at least solves the issue of time dilation.
I’ll have to check put Honor Harrington.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Dodger_in_5,
I do like the Cubs’ chances against Urias, but that’s because I have even a cursory understanding of statistics.
If you want to try trash talking somewhere you may actually get a rise out of people, try bleedcubbieblue. You’ll find everyone here is quite a bit smarter than you, and as such less apt to freak out.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I think the bigger question is how someone ends up here in the first place?
MillertimeQuote Reply
Berzelius,
I imagine when it blew up, most of them said something like “I’m not even supposed to be here today”
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
A jury of my peers sentenced me here.
dmick89Quote Reply
Millertime,
Looking for Pizza Hut MILFs, probably.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Me thinks it’ll be hard for Kershaw to move if he’s mounted to something. Poor guy.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
The Cubs ERA against Kershaw when he’s been mounted to something is 0.00, idiot.
dmick89Quote Reply
Dodgers_Slap_The_Cubs,
“The Cubs will find a way to blow this and Kerhsaw will close it out in Game 5 at the Ravine. Hopefully you all said your goodbyes because you won’t see them again this year.”
How about you find a way to blow something else? Typical Dodger fan…good luck with the Blister King starting tomorrow. Beaten up any opposing team’s fans in the parking lot recently?
mebphdQuote Reply
SKQuote Reply
I actually came here initially because I thought there was no way Ryan Theriot was worth $3.whatever million that he was asking for in arbitration and needed someone to let me know why my hunch was right.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
What a perfect testimony to the average IQ of Dodger fans, and their facility with clichés and magical thinking.
mebphdQuote Reply
For a Papa Slam, no doubt. Little does he know that crossing the pizza franchise streams violates the laws of physics.
ceruleanQuote Reply
mebphd,
You set your sights to narrow. That’s the average IQ of every typical fan of every typical team in every typical sport. Dodger fans are nothing special. Neither are Cub fans.
Except me. I am a special and unique snowflake that has never been and will never be again and it depresses the hell out of me. Maybe you are too. YMMV.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Speaking of movies, the Dardenne brothers have a new film out and while critics say it’s not up to the level of their previous masterpieces such as Le Gamin au vélo… hey! Where’s everyone going?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Intellectual acuity like this promises a bright future in the housekeeping or food service industries. Keep up the fine work!
mebphdQuote Reply
Most sci-fi fails to realize just how empty space really is, which is why Star Wars actually takes place in a simulated universe that has been awkwardly generated. It’s right next to the simulated Star Trek universe. Those two universes have been on a collision course for some time.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I just have the joy of living among the former fans, rather than the latter. Though if I want a dose of Cubs fan wisdom, I can always head over to BCB, the high temple of orthodoxy where the Cult of Mandatory Positivity reigns.
mebphdQuote Reply
I imagine all the Cubs need to do to throw Rich Hill off is get Lou Pinella a front row seat to the game.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Keep going. I haven’t a clue what you are talking about. But I am too lazy to stop you. Also, I enjoy French films that don’t make any sense when I disable the subtitles.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That’s a sure fire way to give the whole team blisters. Don’t you have any idea what the spinrate on Rich Hill is!?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Or Ozzie Guillen, who ripped him a new asshole when he mouthed off at A.J. after Barrett sucked-punched him.
SKQuote Reply
Miggy hit that grand slam and then struck out in this series. But yesterday was an even numbered day and everyone knows that Miggy has problems on even numbered days in even numbered years, so I don’t even think that strikeout counts.
So I think Miggy is going to hit a grand slam every time he bats against the Dodgers. Dodgers can’t win when that happens. It’s just science.
aisle424Quote Reply
JonKneeVQuote Reply
The Cubs won 103 games, but if you take away 100 of those wins, they only won 3 games all season, and don’t even deserve to be in the playoffs. Most of those wins only happnened because they scored more runs than the other team.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
If they allowed replay on final scores, they wouldn’t even have won those three games.
dmick89Quote Reply
Millertime,
this makes perfect sense but your logic is slightly flawed. they actually won 103.5 games so taking away 100 wins leaves them with 3.5 wins. while i agree that this is a pretty low number, it rounds up to 4 wins which is exactly how may wins are needed to win this series against the dodgers.
in short, i think that if the cubs can score more runs than the dodgers in any given game, they should have a pretty good shot of winning that particular game.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
You guys are trying to make this about math, but baseball is about humans gritting it out between the lines. Math can’t predict who is going to have the bigger heart or who wants it more.
dmick89Quote Reply
If you take out his last start against them, Arrieta has allowed an average of 0 hits to the Dodgers over the last 2 years.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
dmick89,
That’s true. Math can’t even tell you who wins. That’s what beat writers are for.
MillertimeQuote Reply
You might not like the Dardennes then, since they’re Belgian. They make realistic movies that are mostly about the crippling poverty that some people have to endure. I have no idea why they aren’t as popular as Star Wars.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
“Arrieta is great in California” is one of those silly narratives that I would love to see continue.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
you fool. you’ve obviously never heard of phil rogers’s nobel prize-winning plus/minus system.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I missed the “A Few Good Tweets” thread. Were there lots of sweet references to A Few Good Men?
MillertimeQuote Reply
Wasn’t there some iPhone chatter around here recently? Trying to decide if I want to get a 7 or a 6s. Annoyed by the whole headphone jack flap.
berseliusQuote Reply
I have the SE and like it. It’s basically a 6s in the body of a 5s, but doesn’t have 3D touch or the improved selfie camera that the 6s has.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The lack of jack is probably much ado about nothing if you use the earbuds that come in the box and don’t find yourself listening to audio while charging.
If you already use wireless earbuds/headphones, there is no problem.
If you want to go bluetooth, I have been hearing good things about the as yet unreleased Airpods. But you’ll drop over a hundred and a half for the pleasure.
If you use your own wired earbuds/headphones, there is a dongle.
If the scenarios above seem terribly onerous, get the 6S and whatever the next phone is should make it clear why they dropped it a year early—which is to say they are taking a hit now so that when they unveil the new design, the lack of headphone jack won’t dominate the news cycle.
Apple hates ports. It’s in their DNA.
(Personally, I am on the S upgrade cycle, so I am enjoying the headphone jack.)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Also a good choice if you don’t want to go for the Plus Club.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
I kind of want a plus but am worried that I would confuse it with my work phone
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
So at the end of these movies, the destitute souls rise up and shed their poverty like a phoenix rises from the ashes, right?
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I refuse to spoil the endings!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berselius,
I’ve got kind of short fingers and wear a suit (or at least a jacket) most days, so I wanted something I could use one-handed that fits easily into an interior pocket. Your mileage may vary.
If you watch a lot of media on your phone (especially if your eyesight isn’t great), you may want to go for the plus. Maybe use a different case or something to delineate from your work phone.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
The 6s is the first iPhone I’ve had that I have not wanted to immediately update to the newest version. I’ve been very happy with the 6s and for the first time in ever, the charging port hasn’t needed to be replaced so there’s that too. I don’t care about the headphone jack and the jet black version looks pretty cool (7, 7 plus), but I may just enjoy a reduced bill for a year and wait for the 7s to come out.
dmick89Quote Reply
You and Donald Trump have a couple things in common.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
The big moment of the movie is when the Government cuts all taxes on the rich, allowing the wealth to trickle down and the poor are suddenly so motivated they all take responsibility for their own lot in life and become rugged individualists.
EdwinQuote Reply
Toronto fans are dicks.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
I don’t think there will be a 7S. The rumors have started that there will be a radical new design, maybe with the home button/touch ID integrated into the screen. I for one would be in favor of getting rid of the forehead and chin. Iconic as they are, times have changed.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Edwin,
Ayn Rand idea porn? No thank you.
ceruleanQuote Reply
The hand thing is about it, though for what it’s worth, my hands as a whole are fairly large. I just inherited short-ish fingers. His hands are apparently freakishly small for someone his size.
I also feel compelled to point out that my clothes fit well and my ties are excellent. Wearing a uniform through 12 years of Catholic school and 8 years of ROTC and the Army has caused me to adopt clothing as something of a hobby. One of the many things I find baffling about Trump is that someone who can afford to wear Brioni suits always looks like 10 pounds of shit in a 15 pound bag.
PerkinsQuote Reply
cerulean,
Seems like there have been rumors about Apple skipping the S version for almost as long as they’ve been doing it (was the 3GS first one?). I know they’ve said they’re now on a new cycle of redesigns so it wouldn’t surprise me, but I’ll take a wait and see approach. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
This is an article I recently (would have) enjoyed.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-game-2-story-that-almost-was/
PerkinsQuote Reply
Nothing looks good with orange.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
The 7 is really the 6SS, though. And given the almost two-year lead times for these devices, that there are rumors now makes a lot of sense.
ceruleanQuote Reply
So I’m definitely voting for Joe Exotic
Nate the old recalcitrant one from a long time agoQuote Reply
The joke is actually that some journalist did a piece on him in the late eighties and mentioned that Trump had short fingers, which was used probably to contrast what his father’s multi-million dollar “loan” was compensating for—which is to say his father endowed him with money and little else.
To my knowledge, the journalist just thought he was a self-obsessed asshole who was trying too hard to impress other people, so he must be distracting from what may not be much of a distraction. And every single year, Trump would send this guy a picture of his stubby-fingered hand pointing out in gold sharpie that his fingers weren’t short. And this journalist would reply with a note of his own that they still seemed short to him.
So the tiny hands meme arouse out of the “rigged” media, possibly specifically the Daily Show, twisting the story for further comedic effect, bringing his insecurity mainstream.
Holy shit guys, we have the opportunity to elect the saddest bond-villian ever to the Oval Office.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I went with the SE, partly because I didn’t want to wait a fucking month for a new phone to come in (dying laughing), and I’m a cheap bastard that doesn’t want the bells and whistles.
berseliusQuote Reply
To wit: http://www.npr.org/2016/06/17/482534352/tiny-superpac-trolls-donald-trump-about-his-tiny-hands
ceruleanQuote Reply
berselius,
Be honest, it’s because of your tiny hands.
ceruleanQuote Reply
The Indians are gonna bullpen game win against the Jays to take a 3-0 lead unless something really weird happens soon.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Oh will you look at that…leadoff triple.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
cerulean,
(dying laughing), I do have Perkinsian hands, but didn’t have a problem typing one handed on my 6/6+ until the iOS 10 upgrade.
berseliusQuote Reply
cerulean,
It was one of the editors from Spy magazine, and nearly every issue of Spy took the piss out of Trump in one way or the other. Spy, btw, is digitized and searchable via Google Books.
AlbaloneyQuote Reply
I must say, a white man representing the “Indians” in the heart of Iroquois country—with a bloody hand—is a sobering image.
ceruleanQuote Reply
TWTWARP?
AlbaloneyQuote Reply
Albaloney,
Kudos to Google for making the magazine searchable. It really helps those with accessibility needs, particularly those short-fingered vulgarians who have trouble turning pages of books and therefore don’t read.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think Andrew Miller might be good.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Only 75% of his outs were strikeouts. And he allowed a hit. He is clearly off hit game.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Who’s interested in discussing the 2017 NFL Draft?
RynoQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Check back in about 4 weeks.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
There’s no way I’m going to remember to do that.
RynoQuote Reply
I know I’m probably about to get New Shit Upped, but…
Cubs fans, pessimism, blah, blah. I found myself thinking there was no way the Cubs would advance after losing Sunday night. Do you guys really think they will?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Sure, they’re more or less facing two bullpen games tonight and tomorrow.
BerseliusQuote Reply
538’s officially official forecast for tonight’s game: it could go either way.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Ryno,
I think they can and should. They’re the better team. But I won’t be surprised if they don’t, though not because of any billy goat-Bartman-black cat folderol.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
It’s entirely possible that I’m basing this on my 2008-2015 impression of Rich Hill, and he’ll throw seven tonight (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
He’s been pretty excellent this year, but I’m not sure he’s 100% over the blister issue, and he hasn’t gone past 5 innings in over a month.
He also struggled in both starts against Washington, though those games were in DC. Getting a postseason start at home might be another story.
I’m expecting another low-scoring game myself.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m not sure the promise of bullpen games makes me optimistic. The Dodgers’ bullpen might be the best in the league, and the use of relief pitching can severely mitigate (or even eliminate) the “times through the order” penalty.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And then there’s the offensive benefit gained by pinch-hitting for the pitcher. Really, I think starters going deep into games is overrated.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Berselius,
Smokestack Lightning,
They can and are definitely the better team over the course of the year, but that doesn’t usually matter in ACKtober.
RynoQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I wonder if he tried peeing on it again (dying laughing).
I have to agree with Berselius that the next couple of games are likely bullpen games for the Dodgers. I kind of expect tomorrow to be a bullpen day for the Cubs as well. Unless Lackey is really sharp, they can have a big advantage in piggybacking Wood, Montgomery, Zastryzny, and Chapman.
PerkinsQuote Reply
That’s true, though overtaxing the bullpen multiple days in a row can have its benefits as well.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Which is why I will not be all that surprised if they don’t advance. But given all the things to put one’s hope in come October, if given a choice, I’ll take being able to put it in having the superior team and talent over not. It’s the only solid thing to hold onto, really, even if its value is limited in a short series.
But there’s no rational reason to expect doom other than knowing how crazy a short series can be. But that can go (and has already gone) both ways.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I think we’re the missing the difference of a bullpen day that is planned and one that is a contingency. If a bullpen day happens the next two, then the Cubs should be in good shape, as it means they will have chased Hill and Urias with at least some runs. So long as Arrieta and Lackey don’t create their own bullpen days, that should mean two wins.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Ryno,
They can, but I definitely think the dodgers have the advantage at this point. I’d say the Cubs have somewhere between a 40-45% chance of winning the series.
dmick89Quote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I think Arrieta and Lackey are about as likely to end in bullpen games themselves. What’s a bullpen game? In the regular season I think it’s 5+ innings. If the dodgers get a lead, even if it’s only a run, the Cubs starter should not get more than one at bat.
dmick89Quote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
That goes back to my poorly-asked question.
When I watched the first two games, it “felt” like the Dodgers were more in control. Not sure if that’s based on what I saw or my pessimism (realism?) regarding the Cubs. Just wondering if anyone else watched the first two games and felt optimistic based on what they saw.
RynoQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I don’t expect doom or that all is lost, but I do think it’s more likely than not that the dodgers will be winning this series as of right now. If the Cubs win tonight, that changes things.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
538 puts Cubs at 56%, IIRC. I like that number better than yours.
Also, I don’t put a ton of value in home field.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Ryno,
I was optimistic in the pitching and defense, but the offense has sucked ass and if the Cubs have any chance of winning this series, the guys in the middle of the order have to hit. I’m not all that optimistic that is going to happen because the dodgers are more likely to take the starter out and not have them face the lineup a third time.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
That’s kind of how I feel also. I expected CHC to lose Game 2 and now I think I’d favor LAD. So I guess I favored LAD all along.
RynoQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I don’t think 538 is factoring in postseason bullpen usage in those numbers. And home field does matter. It’s not a lot in baseball, but it matters.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ryno,
That’s a good question. I can’t really answer it, since I can’t account for my own Cubs paranoia and doom stuff much of the time.
To be honest, I rarely feel good about any Cubs win until after it happens. Any positive stuff that comes out of me comes strictly from the brain. I almost never really feel it. The only part of the season that really felt real to me was when they sucked for 2 1/2 weeks. (dying laughing)
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Ryno,
I think the series goes 7 so I do think the Cubs will have the advantage again.
I still think the Cubs win it even if I think their odds are less than 50%. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Is there a certain kind of levelheadedness that’s implaceable with this team? And if not, who or what would you pick to foster that kind of interplay?
RynoQuote Reply
What you are doing is trading more innings of good-to-great pitchers for more innings of not-good-to-dominating-for-a-few-outs pitchers. If you have Miller/Chapman/Jansen, the pen is definitely better than even Kershaw facing the third or fourth time through the order, especially on short rest with what fatigue can do to a pitcher’s mechanics and execution. But if you don’t have good setup to closer relief, the prospect becomes dicey.
Given roster constructions and playoff limitations combined with the current use of pitchers with the starter/reliever dichotomy, playing the bullpen early both limits the amount of matchups that can be done later and exposes the bullpen should the game go into extras. That lack of platoon advantage almost certainly cancels out times through the order penalties for #1s and #2s most of the time.
If a team was constructed that had four pretty dominant 2–3-inning pitchers that could go every 2–3 days, now that would be interesting. I think baseball is moving somewhat that direction, particularly with the waves Miller is making these days along with the massive compensation that even middling starters get, but it’s not there yet.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I guess that’s what I wanted to know. Is anyone objective enough to remove their Cubs bias and break down the first two games.
RynoQuote Reply
The most tangible value comes from being able to bat last in a tie or worse game, which is not nothing, mos def, but that’s why I don’t put too much of anything into it right now, because that’s what Chapman is there for.
You are right about the hitting, tho. Needs to turn around. But then, not sure how the Dodgers are exempt from the same requirement, or how it’s assumed they will do better, since they’re not the better offensive team, and they haven’t outhit the Cubs thus far, and perhaps outside of game 4, they will be facing arguably the more disadvantageous matchup more often.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
(dying laughing) (dying laughing) Exactly my feeling. I think they probably win, but it’s not looking good.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
dmick89,
That’s impressive. I don’t think I could ever feel that way about this team.
RynoQuote Reply
We talk about WAR, but what if we got more granular and talked about outs above replacement? What is the value of a single out? What is the value of three outs in a scoreless inning? What is the value of a single out in high-leverage situations?
We can look at win expectancy and leverage-index, but it feels like there are wrinkles here to be exposed by a smart small market team like the Rays, A’s, or Pirates—buy and develop a lot of not-quite-innings-eaters and sell the 7-inning number ones. It may be possible to get guys who have good starter stuff for three innings but may not be so completely lights out that they get selected for closer duty. That may be the new high-OPS, low-AVG advantage in the game.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Not me. Feeling-wise, I thought we should have lost game 1, that the Montero granny was pure luck, and that the real part of the game was the bullpen blowing it, and the Cubs not taking advantage of multiple chances to put it away early. Game 2 actually lined up feeling-wise with head. I don’t ever expect to beat Kershaw and neither should anyone else. I also felt like Hendricks + pen got super lucky only to give up one run.
Feeling-wise, I fear Dodger Stadium will be a house of horrors the next three nights. Head-wise, I see no reason they don’t take at least 2 of 3.
I’m a mess, really.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
i always think they’re gonna win up until the last out. i wasn’t even remotely surprised when montero hit the grand slam. happy, yes of course, but not surprised. and i would not at all have been surprised if baez homered to tie it up in game two and the team found a way to score again.
i’m not sure why this is, because it obviously contradicts every thing i’ve ever seen from the cubs.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Good bros4life piece about the Superfriends.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2016/10/17/cubs-theo-epstein-jason-mcleod-jed-hoyer/92329896/
Best part for me is how Epstein and Hoyer are non-stop negative during a game, especially now. Cracked me up. It’s like they’re like us!
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Which is why you have far more Cubs’ fan WAR than I ever will.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I felt pretty good after game one. Also, for a brief moment in game 2 between the time Javy connected with the ball and before it landed. Now I’m prepared for the worst.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs have been the better team and were 10 feet or a gust of wind away from being up 2-0 in the series. Pessimism runs in our blood. While fans of teams like the Giants/Cards/Red Sox always have that feeling that they will pull out a series, I’m scared that Arrieta gets lit up and things fall apart. Logic says the Cubs still win the series.
Basically, I think most of us are the opposite of how most fans look at their team (heart vs. logic).
JonKneeVQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
I’m not sure logic says the Cubs still pull it out. I think a lot of you who expected a quick series were under rating the Dodgers in a short series. Yes, the Cubs are quite a bit better over 162, but this isn’t 162 baseball.
While the Cubs could easily be up 2-0, they could easily be down 2-0. For that matter, the Cubs could easily have lost 3-1 to the Giants.
I miss the Cubs offense. I wish it would finally show up, but I’m not holding my breath at this point.
dmick89Quote Reply
As long as the Cubs have an opportunity, I try to be happy. They are the best team and despite that, entering the playoffs, they should only reach the World Series about 2 of 5 times and should only win about 1 of 5 times. Keeping those odds in mind gives me some comfort despite the updates in the odds from here on out. If they lose three more to the Dodgers like their first two playoff losses, shit happens more often than not.
But if I appreciate the mere chance to succeed—despite the fact that everything I know and care about will disappear and baseball is utterly meaningless in any grand scheme—I find a momentary lifting of the oppressive weight of inevitability, a lifting that is the closest I can come to happiness.
My pessimism is an ouroboros that consumes pessimism itself. What I am left with is something that looks like optimism. That optimistic shape tells me Cubs in 5, but it could go either way. I have promised myself to enjoy my suffering whichever way they take.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Don’t mistake my pessimism for being unhappy. I’m far from it. I’m thrilled with how good this team is. Hopefully they win tonight and we can continue with our WS championship talk. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
The Cubs have outscored the Dodgers by 1.5 runs per game. Granted I would have preferred at least a 2.5-run-per-game margin, but I will gladly take a 1.5-run advantage per game in this series.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Not sure I follow on game one. Was tied late, sure, but Cubs led most of the way, allowed the tie only briefly, and essentially obliterated the Dodgers after that.
Giants series I’m far more inclined to agree. Game 1 was a coin flip. And game four was sure great, but the Giants shouldn’t have blown it.
Then again, Cubs shouldn’t have blown game 3. Which means Cubs could have easily swept. But then, Arrieta should have never taken Bumgarner deep to begin with…
It’s madness, I tell ya.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
dmick89,
Even down 3–1, I like the Cubs chances. The Dodgers are beatable. Even Kershaw is beatable, especially on short rest against a team that has probably beaten more aces than any other team.
That said, I prefer it does not come to that.
ceruleanQuote Reply
To day’s base ball squadron:
Dexter Fowler, CF
Kris Bryant, 3B
Ben Zobrist, LF
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Javy Baez, 2B
Jorge Soler, RF
Addison Russell, SS
Miguel Montero, C
Jake Arrieta, P
PerkinsQuote Reply
Joe said he was going to shuffle the deck chairs. No, really. He called it that. (dying laughing)
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
The Cubs are unsinkable! (dying laughing)
I’m just happy to see Soler in there. Also Zobrist hitting ahead of Rizzo. That seems prudent.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I’m actually quite all right with this lineup. Russell low, Heyward no. Cubs… go?
Heh.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
It’s not really madness if you take a step back and look at the 50/50 games and tally how many they won. Games 1,3 and 4 of the NLDS and game 2 of this series. (I don’t think the Montero game was anything close to a 50/50 game.) That’s 2 out of 4, accounting for their only two losses in the postseason. No team has beaten them in a way that makes me want to check out. That’s the mark of a better team. We saw it all season.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Bryzobrizzo!
ceruleanQuote Reply
I wanted Ross. But Montero is seeing things well, and Hill doesn’t have nearly the platoon splits of most lefties. Whatever.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Outside of when Kershaw starts, the Cubs have the pitching advantage each game and the Cubs offense scored over 80 more runs during the regular season. Dodgers bullpen allowed a higher OPS during the season (slightly) and struck out fewer batters per 9, even with Chapman for only 2 months on the Cubs.
The Cubs are just the better team and match up well with the Dodgers. We should expect to win the series, even if it ultimately doesn’t happen.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Maybe I just have too much other shit going on, but Game 2 feels like it happened a week ago (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Josh Donaldson is good.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
game thread up: http://obstructedview.net/nlcs-game-3-cubs-dodgers-game-thread/
dmick89Quote Reply