Here we go. Time to clinch this and get it done. I'll take 6 more home runs today and I think that will be good for a win. Addison Russell injured his hamstring last night on a triple and was removed immediately. It didn't look awful, but you never know with those things. He's not in the lineup and Javier Baez is in his place. Other than that, the lineup is the exact same as last night.
Lineups
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Stephen Piscotty, 1B
Matt Holliday, LF
Jason Heyward, RF
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Randal Grichuk, CF
Kolten Wong, 2B
Yadier Molina Tony Cruz, C
John Lackey, P
Cubs
Dexter Fowler, CF
Jorge Soler, RF
Kris Bryant, 3B
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Starlin Castro, 2B
Kyle Schwarber, LF
Miguel Montero, C
Jason Hammel, P
Javier Baez, SS
Comments
FWIW, Molina was scratched and replaced with Cruz.
/discredited again
berseliusQuote Reply
With the wind blowing in, here’s to a lot of singles/doubles to center that turn into doubles/triples because Grichuk can’t throw a baseball.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Line drives everywhere for Cubs.
Ground balls and easy pop ups for Cards.
Get it done.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
How many times can we be discredited? We have to have set a record by now.
dmick89Quote Reply
Even if I figured it out, no one would believe the number.
berseliusQuote Reply
I don’t think a math doctorate qualifies you for calculating numbers that high.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Kerry Wood ————–> First pitch.
berseliusQuote Reply
Quick! Someone get a gif of Moises Alou losing his shit ready so we can celebrate whatever might happen properly.
JoshQuote Reply
Want to hear something crazy? Carl Crawford is getting starts in the outfield over Yasiel Puig.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Fixed.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Only if calculating that number was your doctorate.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
Luckiest manager in baseball this year. Without Kershaw and Greinke, he would have been fired last week, if not sooner than that.
dmick89Quote Reply
Dueling perfect games by both pitchers through 0 so far.
MillertimeQuote Reply
That’s cool, but I’m just hoping Hector Rondon throws the last pitch.
dmick89Quote Reply
What’s this BS on the TBS pregame about Baez being a big defensive liability at SS? The pregame host obviously hasn’t been paying attention, except for one play last night. Props to Pedro for disagreeing and Dusty for pointing out Baez’s power.
BVSQuote Reply
I think Dusty has picked the Cardinals in 3 of the 4 games so far. He’s still pissed off, though I do understand why he’d hate Chicago considering the racism that not only he had to endure, but also his family. I’d hate Chicago too.
dmick89Quote Reply
He and Yost continue to prove that good talent can overcome bad managers. OTOH, Fredi Gonzalez continues to prove that teams with less talent cannot overcome bad managers.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Baez wasn’t known for his defense in the minor leagues. This whole Baez is good at defense thing is new. Like this year new. Maybe he suddenly improved. Possible, but I’m not buying it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Early runs, please.
dmick89Quote Reply
Sometimes I feel sad, because I really wanted Ramirez, Sosa, Zambrano, and Wood to get a ring. The 2003 team was when I first became more than a casual fan, and I haven’t stopped since.
MillertimeQuote Reply
I think it’s fair to say he doesn’t suck, but there’s a definite drop off from Russell to Baez.
I also love how Lackey’s starting on three days rest didn’t seem to factor into most of the analysts’ predictions. Pedro’s the only one with any kind of intelligent thought other than “Cardinals have to win this one, so I bet they will.”
PerkinsQuote Reply
TBS doesn’t even show first pitch. That kind of sucks.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m still flabbergasted that Yost got another manager gig.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Hey guys, I don’t think Hammel threw his simulated 1st inning like we told him to.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Goddamnit, Hammel.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Jesus
dmick89Quote Reply
You should have been more specific.
berseliusQuote Reply
Piscotty is trying to win NLCS MVP
dmick89Quote Reply
Cubs lose.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
oh, Jesus Christ.
Pull Hammel now.
This is especially maddening given his posturing about being taken out early-ish earlier in the season. Fuck him.
UrkQuote Reply
Jason Hammel’s game plan:
– Throw fastball in strike zone
– Don’t do anything different from previous starts
– ?
– Profit
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Urk,
That’s how I feel about him too. If you’re going to complain about it, you better pitch well when given a chance.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m not worried as long as Hammel doesn’t give up any more runs.
So you could say that I’m worried.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Cubs will just need another six homer game.
berseliusQuote Reply
Seriously. Two runs. Pull him now, and we can have better hitting and better pitching the rest of the game. Does he understand that we’d like to win this game?
UrkQuote Reply
Stephen Piscotty hit 7 HRs in 256 ABs in the regular season. Just thought you should all know that.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Could the Cubs at least make Lackey work tonight?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
All it takes is one or two comments from a “scout” or a coach or some such, talking about “great defense” and then those comments get kicked around back and forth in a vaccuum of coverage until it becomes the accepted narrative.
It’s how someone like Mike Olt gets labeled as a plus defender, even though there’s been little actual evidence of it. A scout says something to a prospect evaluator, who writes it up in a blurb on a prospect list, and than that blurb gets kicked back and forth on blogs.
MillertimeQuote Reply
GREAT START
JoshQuote Reply
dmick89,
With some weak fly balls? YOU BET
JoshQuote Reply
Who’s got tickets to Game 5? I have a sinking feeling.
JoshQuote Reply
Cubs ought to get the bullpen up at the start of the top of the 2nd.
dmick89Quote Reply
*ANGRY ALOU*
JoshQuote Reply
Aaron Rodgers relax dot gif
berseliusQuote Reply
Millertime,
Yeah, exactly. Like Perkins said, he’s not necessarily bad, but there’s definitely a drop off from Russell and probably Castro.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Seriously, though
JoshQuote Reply
Yeah, don’t fuck around. We have an actual chance of not having to go back to St. Louis and HAVING to win there.
UrkQuote Reply
Justin Grimm sighting.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Geez man. No fastball command and a bunch of get-me-over breaking balls. Idk how you can leave him out there for the top of the order again.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
And, Lackey has a more-or-less accidental base hit. Goddammit
UrkQuote Reply
JonKneeV,
I think Joe is hoping to get to his spot in the lineup so he can pinch hit. Hopefully the Cubs actually make Lackey sweat today and that happens soon.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo time. Let’s make it happen.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
To be fair, it’s not that hard. Walking up the dugout stairs makes Lackey sweat.
berseliusQuote Reply
Grimm should be ready to go so if they get a couple guys in this inning, I think we’ll see a pinch hitter. Travis Wood could get up too.
dmick89Quote Reply
Joe Borowski sighting.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I still think the Cubs put up at least 4 runs this game, so I’m not too worried.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Fuck Lackey and his goddamned Cardinal voodoo. Done with this POS pitching like Baseball Jesus.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I watched those first two games of the 2003 NLDS in Atlanta. Cheap tickets. I think we got Jim Hendry’s autograph on a sign. That was a lifetime ago.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Nice, Riz.
I don’t think the Cubs are seeing the ball at all right now.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
It begins.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Agreed
dmick89Quote Reply
OK, yep, looking better here.
UrkQuote Reply
Seven-run homer swing!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Montero should have hit that a mile.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Jason Hammel. Nice
dmick89Quote Reply
Just because it worked out doesn’t make letting Hammel bat the right decision.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Heh. Cram it up your ass, Lackey.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Huh. I was going to say pull Hammel, but, ok. Sure.
MillertimeQuote Reply
JAVYBOMB!
PerkinsQuote Reply
#WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Wow
dmick89Quote Reply
JAVVVVVYYYYYYYY
JonKneeVQuote Reply
It began!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Well, I was in the middle of typing a complaint about Hammel hitting with two on, and there ya go. Happy to be wrong…
And…
BAEZ!
UrkQuote Reply
HOLY SHIT
Suburban kidQuote Reply
OMOGOGOOMOG
JoshQuote Reply
Agreed on that
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing) I forgot Javy was even playing today. I thought Dexter was up again.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Things escalated quickly (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Javy Baez motherfuckers!
berseliusQuote Reply
It was a fantastic decision. Prove me wrong.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I was busy texting my son to tell him I called Hammel’s hit so I missed the full glory of the Baez swing.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Lackey seems like the perfect fit for the Cards.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Lackey not getting calls. I feel *so* bad for him.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That was fun.
dmick89Quote Reply
Suburban kid,
He in turn apologized for calling Piscotty’s.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Also: the Nazi party.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I can’t argue with you today. No dinner for me.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sooo… Lackey’s pissed because Cruz called for a curve and Hammel hit it and he wanted to throw something else?
Well, John, shake off your backup catcher until he calls what you want. I’m sure you’re allowed to do it.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m feeling rather generous today. Have some dinner.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
The hell. So Hammel has to throw 4 strikes for every one that gets called apparently.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Hooray for dinner! Also for seeing the Cardinals on the ropes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Baez hits some of the most entertaining HR. I still hope he turns into a decent everyday player, because I just love watching him.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Heyward walks on 6 strikes, according to gameday.
JoshQuote Reply
Suck on that, Heyward!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Maybe someone will bring you some cole slaw.
UrkQuote Reply
Montero. Stupid Heyward. Thanks.
dmick89Quote Reply
These commentators. It’s basic physics—if the wind is blowing toward right at all, all balls that are hit will be *wind-aided*. Only a true crosswind or no wind will not have any effect on the distance. So Baez’s homerun *was* wind-aided, just like every homerun last night. But none of them were cheap.
ceruleanQuote Reply
So awesome.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Josh,
Was it that bad? I was following on my phone, and the calls didn’t look too bad.
MillertimeQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’m simulcasting Pat and Ron the last two games because they are so horrible.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Soler is locked in.
dmick89Quote Reply
Millertime,
Not giving the corners. I got a capture of one that was right down the middle called a ball.
JoshQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
Aren’t they behind a pitch or two?
dmick89Quote Reply
Where’s kerrysotherwifesotherhusband when you need him?
PerkinsQuote Reply
Hammel pitching to Peralta: http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp186/joshua_allen7/Capture_zpsqdbvemfa.png
JoshQuote Reply
False. They looked horrible. Do you have Verizon or something?
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
But who knows if Gameday is all that accurate.
JoshQuote Reply
This could be my obvious Cubs bias, but it seems like the announcers are stopping just short of openly rooting for the Cardinals. As with yesterday, I’m impressed they can sound words with all that Cardinal dick in their mouths.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Josh,
For only $47 I can order a framed print of that. Neat!
MillertimeQuote Reply
dmick89,
They’re both streams so I can pause one to sync with the other.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I almost hate when bad decisions like letting Hammel hit work in the Cubs’ favor. Almost.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Millertime,
I’ll try embedding
JoshQuote Reply
Just make Soler the umpire. He’d be a fucking beast at it.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Hammel even shaking his head after being taken out. He’s probably going to be traded in the offseason.
dmick89Quote Reply
Josh,
I usually give umpires the benefit of the doubt. For starters, nobody calls the strike zone according to the rules anyways, so I’m not sure how accurate the boxes really are in these situations. I’m more interested in how consistent they call it compared to the rest of the league.
Also, most of these pitches are split second decsions, from over the shoulder views, based on a difference of inches. I figure there’s always going to be errors, until the robots take over. Which probably hurts the Cubs more than helps them.
MillertimeQuote Reply
The streams not lining up always bugs me, but if I could sync them—you are doing that through the mlb website?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Hammel hit in a high-leverage situation and stayed in only to get 3 more outs. I hate that.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I mean, not perfect, but there were a couple of good pitches in there, if you believe gameday
JoshQuote Reply
dmick89,
It’s like he thinks it’s no big deal to allow multiple baserunners every inning.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Millertime,
Compared to what I normally see on Gameday, this is not as good. I don’t give a shit what their angles are, they are professionally trained to recognize strikes from that angle.
JoshQuote Reply
I interpreted that as shaking his head about the bad umping. He’s gotten pretty roundly screwed all game.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
dmick89,
Not a bad idea.
MillertimeQuote Reply
C’mon, Bryant. Good grief.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Fuck
dmick89Quote Reply
Here comes the Voodoo.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
“What the fuck? I just gave up two runs and labored to get guys out over three innings, and then walked the leadoff batter on four pitches. Its not like its a big game or anything.”
UrkQuote Reply
I felt bad earlier this year when Hammel was getting pulled early no matter how well he pitched, but not after how he pitched the last couple months.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
I have MLB.TV going through a PS3 to my TV, and I got the MLB At Bat app on my phone going for the radio, which can also be paused if necessary.
Obviously you need a subscription and not be blacked out, but can’t you dudes pause your live TV (assuming you have a digital service that does that)?
(and assuming you’re not at work)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Big pitch. Wong got Grimm’d.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I don’t think there is much bias—there just isn’t much depth of knowledge, and since St Loius has been better over the last few years, there are just more clichéd stories to fall back on. I can imagine that ever they are tiring of the “Look, rookies!” narrative around the Cubs.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Clown shoes on that slider
berseliusQuote Reply
Big time strikeout there by Grimm. Just need a ground ball that the infielders don’t fuck up.
dmick89Quote Reply
Looks like Lackey’s done. Pham on deck.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
For the love of god, ump. It’s okay to call someone out on strikes every now and then.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Strike 4
dmick89Quote Reply
Pham terrifies me more than just about any Cardinals hitter.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Good. I was going to be pissed if that asshat shut down the Cubs again.
dmick89Quote Reply
VPN helps for the blackouts. I am close enough that I can get the radio, usually (South Bend), so I’ve never bothered with the MLB audio. Next game, maybe.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That’s a more rational way to look at it. Maybe it’s just easier for them to do their jobs (admittedly poorly) if the Cardinals advance. Not really looking forward to the NLCS also being on TBS.
PerkinsQuote Reply
That’s kind of silly. Carpenter, Holliday
dmick89Quote Reply
This Grimm guy is none too shabby.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Wow. Nice called strike for Grimm.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Great job by Grimm.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
GRIMM !!!!
dmick89Quote Reply
Nice to see pre-September Grimm back in action.
PerkinsQuote Reply
GRIMM REAPER’D
berseliusQuote Reply
Grimm Reaper gathering souls!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Getting the good Grimm back could be a good weapon if this playoff run can continue
Nate the old recalcitrant one from a long time agoQuote Reply
About time we got one we shouldn’t have.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
“JUSTIN GRIMM WITH THE BEST INNING HE’S EVER HAD IN A CUBS UNIFORM”
-Pat Hughes
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I’ll admit, the bullpen the rest of the way doesn’t make me feel too comfortable though. Pretty much the only RP I trust are Strop and Rondon.
MillertimeQuote Reply
I didn’t mean for that to sound rude. Sorry about that.
dmick89Quote Reply
If we get up by a few more runs, I bet Gibbons will let the Cubs borrow David Price.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
No doubt. When he was on, they were 6 inning games it seemed
dmick89Quote Reply
Only one thing to do. SCORE ALL THE RUNS.
JoshQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
He got no help from his defense, so he made them unnecessary.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Stick your sorries in a sack, man. It’s too late to apologize. Too late.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Millertime,
I don’t mind getting some innings from Wood here.
berseliusQuote Reply
Yeah, this umpire sucks. Even by my amazingly low standards.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Overflow game thread up: http://obstructedview.net/nlds-cardinals-cubs-game-4-part-2/
dmick89Quote Reply
berselius,
He’s been good out of the pen, I think.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Some announcers are great at play-by-play, some it doesn’t matter what sport. These guys are not those guys.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
Too bad Neil Ramirez disappeared this year.
berseliusQuote Reply