As most of you know, if you’ve spent any time around me or this site or my Twitter feed, my default setting is cynicism. This comes from a long time spent being a Cubs fan.
I don’t need to rehash it all. You know why. Because some of you have lived through at least some of the years I’m referring to and some of you have lived through more.
But for me, it’s been different the last two years. And I have the Blackhawks and my friend Nancy to thank for that.
Nancy is a Blackhawks fan the way I am a Cubs fan. She grew up living and dying with them. She has an Al Secord sweater. I didn’t know who Al Secord even was.
Back in the 2010 playoffs, we went out to watch the Blackhawks/Predators Game 5 at a local bar. It was a pivotal game. The series was tied at 2 and Game 6 would be in Nashville. With the Blackhawks down 4-3 with about a minute left in the game, Marian Hossa was called for boarding and had to head to the penalty box for a 5 minute major. The Blackhawks were down and were now short-handed. That’s not good.
As a Cubs fan, I had seen stuff like this before. I had seen dreams torn away in pivotal playoff moments. We’ve all seen some shit.
So, naturally, I went to Nancy who was just staring at the TV and I put my hand on her shoulder and said, “I’m sorry, Nancy, they’ll get Game 6.”
She looked at me like I had just killed a puppy with my bare hands in front of her. “This. Game. Is. Not. Over. Yet,” she told me with ice in her eyes. It was clear she didn’t want to hear my Cubs fan-bred doom and gloom. I backed off slowly to watch what I was sure to be a crushing Blackhawks loss.
Lo and behold, Kane scored the short-handed tying goal with 13 seconds to go, and then in OT none other than Hossa himself came out of the penalty box to score the winner and put the Blackhawks up 3-2 in the series. The bar was going apeshit. I was stunned.
From that time on, I knew the Blackhawks weren’t the same old Blackhawks that always found a way to lose. They were young and talented and gave zero fucks about playoff pressure. It was amazing to suddenly have a team to have confidence in during the most stressful situations. Even before they had won a Cup, they had that air about them.
Sound familiar? Because that’s the Cubs now.
Cubs Twitter was melting down during most of the game last night. The words “collapse,” “choke,” “implode,” and “curse” were peppered through my timeline as people gave up hope while Matt Moore mowed Cubs batters down like he was possessed by whatever demon possessed Madison Bumgarner in 2014. If Cubs fans emotions could be summed up in one GIF, it’s this one:
Now, I wasn’t happy. And I won’t say I wasn’t worried or stressed. (My Cubs hat was flung across the room a few times, most violently after Moore’s 0-2 RBI single and Dex’s TOOTBLAN.)
However, I was not resigned to their fate until the game was over. Because, as Nancy said back then: This. Game. Was. Not. Over. Yet.
I even tried to inject a little of my oddly out-of-place positivity into Cubs Twitter:
This team does not panic.
This team does not quit.
This team is very capable of making this interesting.— Not Just a Cubs Fan (@Aisle424) October 12, 2016
Afterall, how many times have we seen this Cubs team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? They were being no-hit through 7 innings on Opening Day. They won. They were down 4-3 with two outs and nobody on in the 9th of their last game of the regular season. They won.
Last year, Bryant got the walk-off HR after they had blown a lead to Colorado in the top of the 9th. They had given up the lead in Game 4 of the NLDS vs. the Cardinals, but Rizzo put them ahead and Schwarber crushed their spirits with his videoboard bomb. They’ve made a habit of pulling their own asses out of the fire.
Nevertheless, after my tweet, my mentions quickly became a dumpster fire of people explaining how done the Cubs were.
We know what happened next.
Bryant single. Rizzo walk. Zobrist RBI double. Contreras game-tying RBI single. An error on Heyward’s bunt. Go-ahead RBI single by Javy. They went from down 5-2 to up 6-5. Giants fans basking in the glory of their Even Year Magic bullshit were suddenly reduced to watching their season end through fingers over their eyes.
The Cubs rose from the ashes of certain defeat. The team that has all that talent and zero fucks to give grinded out a comeback for the ages and punched their ticket to their second straight NLCS.
Let’s think about that. The Cubs are going to the NLCS two years in a row, folks. It’s time we start giving them the benefit of the doubt. It’s time we stop looking for that anvil to fall on our heads. The Cubs themselves are clearly not letting the pressure exceed the pleasure and they’re the ones with the most pressure.
They may not win the whole damn thing, but they are not done until there are no more outs left.
It’s time we embrace that. If you start having doubts, ask yourself, “What would Nancy do?”
Photo via Chicago Tribune
Comments
I think I want the Dodgers to win. Mostly because I’d love a chance to see Kershaw pitch, and I also want to see Rich Hill’s disgustingly amazing curveball.
EdwinQuote Reply
A surprise guest appearance!
JonKneeVQuote Reply
For the record, I felt pretty doomed and gloomed, too, after 8. But after that inning, I posted this:
https://twitter.com/joshfactorial/status/786045003835449344
joshQuote Reply
I would encourage all of you to start collecting the Sun Times & Trib after each series win. If they do *it* this year, it’ll make an awesome homemade piece of memorabilia.
@aisle424 I too thought they could do it. Admittedly, I never thought it was likely. But it’s why I and plenty others tuned in all the way to the last pitch the last two nights rather than a typical fan reaction and go to bed.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
Peasants! Arst thou conversing?
aisle424Quote Reply
Edwin,
Kershaw also has a holy shit curve ball when he’s going well.
JoshQuote Reply
LSA Rec’d +1
GBTSQuote Reply
This article must be meant for somebody else – nothing but optimists on this blog.
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
Nay, m’lord!
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m gonna take a wait and see approach on feeling.
SitrickQuote Reply
Imma record Pat’s inning 9 call for you all fools
joshQuote Reply
I watched every out of the 2015 NLCS. If you give me a chance to watch the Cubs in the playoffs, I’m watching it. I had to go to bed during game 3 in the bottom of the 13th, but I watched the final inning on my iPad. I may realize the odds, and I don’t think there’s anything special about the 2016 cubs that gives them better than expected odds if overcoming a deficit, but it’s Cubs playoff baseball.
dmick89Quote Reply
I am afraid this team is really messing with my sleep. Go Nationals.
(Who am I kidding, I won’t be able to sleep regardless of the time zone.)
ceruleanQuote Reply
@aisle424—this team does feel like the Blackhawks. No other sport is as much a crapshoot as hockey and baseball, and still there is that feeling that they can overcome the crazy odds and win.
That said, the Hawks were out in the first round in 2011 and 2012 (both OT game sevens, I think) and I still had the feeling that they could do it any moment. 2013 bore that out pretty well, coming back against the Wings, to say nothing of what they have done since.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah, me too. Though I must admit, this optimism stuff sounds quite fetching.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I was definitely feeling down seeing the Cubs nearly lose their once-commanding series lead. That said, I couldn’t stop watching, and remembered how they mounted 3-run ninth innings against Steve Cishek and AJ Ramos. More importantly, it’s a great lineup, the heart of the order was coming up and the Giants don’t have a great pitcher in their bullpen. I wouldn’t have put their odds of winning as high as 1 in 10, but there was no way I was missing out on a potential miracle like this.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Late-inning comebacks have been the story of the second-half 2016 Cubs, just as blowouts were the story in the first half. They went from “screw the closer” to “screw the other closer.”
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
2011 was after they had been gutted by all the moves because of the cap and they still came back on Vancouver to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0 in 2011. Hossa was almost killed by a dirty hit in 2012 and they never really recovered from that and lost in 6 to the Coyotes.
But yeah, the go-ahead goal being waved off in Game 7 vs. the Red Wings? That was another moment where I always felt the Cubs would have wilted.
Same thing being down in Game 6 in the 2013 Finals to Boston. 17 seconds later they’re winning the Cup.
I still get frustrated when things don’t go right, but man, the talent comes through more often than not and it just makes it all seem more possible. Last night, it didn’t even matter to me that it was Bryant & Rizzo that had to start the rally. There’s no real easy out in the lineup. Even Heyward will battle and work the count and he’s the weakest link right now, which is incredible. Getting this team out 27 times is a hard thing to do and it shows and it just gives me confidence for the first time ever as a Cubs fan.
It has to be what being a Yankees fan during their run was like.
aisle424Quote Reply
I’m sorry I came here looking for Pizza Hut MILFs.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I definitely have confidence in the team, though I admittedly felt they had little chance of winning that game. That’s because they did in reality, but thankfully they did come through. I would much prefer if they find themselves in those situations less often because the results would normally be different if they do.
I was thinking Cubs/Jays in the Series when the season started and I still think that’s going to happen. I sure as hell hope it’s not the fucking Indians the Cubs have to play. Not because I think they’d lose, but I just don’t want to face to some racist organization.
dmick89Quote Reply
We’ll forgive you, just clean up the mess.
SitrickQuote Reply
I think you must be looking for another cubs blog. This one is totally unrelated.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Man, I didn’t get tickets to the NLDS or NLCS! I figured I’d get to go to at least one of them! I must be cursed 🙁
umbraQuote Reply
The difference between the Blackhawks and the Indians in name and portrayal is astounding.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I came here to learn about R+RBI and CERA.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Nicely done.
dmick89Quote Reply
Now I’m just waiting for ccd and Ryno to turn up (dying laughing)
BerzeliusQuote Reply
I am a fan of this fine base ball squadron and kept following the game to the end. I cackled while in bed and stayed up an hour longer than I should have afterwards. So worth it.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Saturday and Sunday start times were announced: 7:08 pm CT.
dmick89Quote Reply
No lottery tickets for me 🙁
ceruleanQuote Reply
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/unlike-basically-always-the-cubs-didnt-lose/
dmick89Quote Reply
That was a huge comeback win for the Cubbies.
BJ RassamQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
josh,
Someone beat me to it (one of you jerks probably): http://strictlybangers.com/audio/cubs.m4a
joshQuote Reply
All 5 games (Cubs in 5) of the NLCS start at the same time: 7:08 PM CST.
Thank DeRosa.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
I think Cubs in 6. They may have to face Kershaw or Scherzer twice. But I think all the NLCS games will be primetime, however long the series goes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
So it doesn’t matter who they play?
<happyDance.gif>
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’ll take Cubs in 6 over the Nats and in 7 over the Dodgers. Scherzer is a home run machine who could put the Cubs offense back on track.
Cubs in 7 over the Jays.
dmick89Quote Reply
Oog want Nationals win. Oog old man. Oog sleep when sun go down. Oog not want late night west coast game.
oogQuote Reply
Hopefully somewhere in the Upside down, there’s a credited Cubs blog with the headline “It’s time to Start Naysaying these Cubs”.
EdwinQuote Reply
I’m betting the Giants overspend on a closer this off-season. Unfortunately, the Cubs might do so, too (that said I wouldn’t complain if they paid a little too much for Jansen).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I kind of hope the Cubs can keep Chapman around.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I’m worried about the risks having Chapman around long term would raise.
EdwinQuote Reply
Fuck that guy. But also, fuck overspending on the bullpen.
Rondon/Strop/Edwards in pretty much any order is a nice back end of a bullpen. If they had known Edwards would be as effective as he was, I doubt they would have traded that much for Chapman – though the injuries to Rondon/Strop made it fortuitous (from a baseball perspective) that they did.
aisle424Quote Reply
Certainly a fair consideration. I’m hoping he’s past the whole “being a garbage human being to his girlfriend” thing, but it’s probably not realistic to expect that. I’m just glad he doesn’t seem to have done anything since that incident. I really hope for her sake and for their families’ sake it stays that way.
Also, it probably goes without saying, but it’s really fun to watch a guy throw 100+ on the reg. As long as he’s not harming others, that’s a guy I’d like on my team.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Those three would certainly be among the best combinations of late inning relievers in MLB. No argument there. I’m always a bit nervous about Edwards’s health, if only because of his size and stuff.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I wouldn’t mind it either, but it’s going to cost a shitload of money. I’m pretty sure the Cubs will make an offer. This front office isn’t giving up what they did without putting in a competitive offer. I just think there are going to be other teams who offer more.
As for Edwards, the guy has barely pitched at the MLB level. He’s looked good and I think there’s a decent shot he can be a good reliever, but I wouldn’t bet a lot of money on it. MLB is filled with relievers who have come up and dominated in small samples only to be useless. I hope Edwards isn’t one of them, but he’s got a lot to prove yet.
dmick89Quote Reply
don’t tell me what to do
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Strasburg out for any possible NLCS.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Yeah, I’m not ready to believe in CJ yet. He has good stuff and misses bats, but his control was horrific before his call-up.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Also, while I’m hoping Rondon’s late-season awfulness was just temporary rust/minor injury/SSS weirdness, I’m a little less confident in him than I was in, say, July.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Yeah, there are a lot more questions about this bullpen than there were before the trade in my opinion. I think all of us were confident in Strop/Rondon at the end and some combination of just about anyone in the 7th prior to the trade. My confidence in Strop is back and never completely left since it wasn’t an arm injury, but counting on any pitcher with elbow issues is a lot to ask. I don’t think the Cubs end up signing Chapman, but it won’t be because they didn’t try. They’ll just try to get him at some discount and I don’t see that happening.
Also, I don’t really want to be in a situation where every July the team gives up half its farm system to get an elite reliever. Odds are the Cubs don’t win a championship this year and odds are they’ll be really good next year, but with a lesser bullpen than they had in the first half of 2016.
dmick89Quote Reply
To make sure everyone knows, CJ’s walk rate at Iowa this year was 6.04 per 9 and it was 6.82 per 9 last year. Last year at AA it was 6.46 so I think it’s much more likely his control regresses toward that than it is it remains fairly decent at the MLB level. To be fair though, his K/BB rate was still close to 2 to 1 so even with terrible control he’s probably still an effective reliever. He’s just not that great.
dmick89Quote Reply
It’s a risk financially, as well as off the field, but I assume the Cubs front office wouldn’t make a long-term deal with him if they thought there was a good chance of the off field stuff happening again. It’s also a risk to not bring him back. The off field stuff I’ll leave to the Cubs. I only care what he can bring to the field. There’s a dollar amount that would probably be silly to go over in attempting to bring him back. I’m not sure what that is, but my guess is that the Cubs will probably figure that out using some fancy math like whatever is used to calculate R+RBI and go under it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Wow, the Dodgers are using Hill on short rest, after all. I assume his leash won’t be long.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
Sounds like Marmol again. Which wouldn’t be bad if he’s like 2007-2010 Marmol (and cheap).
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah, pretty much. As much fun as I had watching Marmol at the time, it was only a matter of time before those numbers stopped looking pretty. Same thing for Edwards. The guy had an ERA 3.75 and an FIP of 2.87 while having a BABIP of .162. He stranded fewer runners than expected, but that’s because just about any time someone hit the ball in the air, it left the park (a number that will regress in his favor).
I’d be OK going into next season with Edwards as the 7th inning guy, but my expectations will be a lot lower than a lot of Cubs fans.
dmick89Quote Reply
There’s the old optimism dmick is known for! (dying laughing)
aisle424Quote Reply
Pre-collapse Marmol is still easily my favorite pitcher of all time.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
(aside from my avatar, of course)
berseliusQuote Reply
Good. At. Sports.
ceruleanQuote Reply
It’s also possible that he could lose his command again, then resurface nine years later as a top flight starter for the Dodgers. You never know.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
Your expectations bring to mind that ancient wisdom of the Buddha I didn’t totally just make up right now:
The teacher asks the student:
The student asks the teacher:
ceruleanQuote Reply
Utley’s ball tag on Murphy’s balls.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yup.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wow, that Urias pickoff move is crazy (illegal?).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I don’t understand what a balk is. It’s like a check swing. Or the vertical bounds of the strike zone.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’m just amazed Harper didn’t shorten his lead after nearly getting picked off several times.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Werth was out by a mile there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You are making it seem a lot closer than it actually was. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Dave Roberts’ moves are making no sense to me.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I hope this game goes 27 innings
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Since both teams are giving away outs, that’s a very real possibility.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The curse of former Cubs managers continues.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I haven’t seen an bullpen melt down in a single inning like this for like 48 hours.
berseliusQuote Reply
This week in strained metaphors:
ceruleanQuote Reply
Dear God,
Save us from the scourge of patronizing patriotism touting manifest destiny.
Sincerely,
Your faithful unbeliever
ceruleanQuote Reply
They may need to bring in Jansen for a three-inning save.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Not much doubt about that one.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Called it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I find myself wanting whichever team is winning to lose. But really, I just want both teams to lose.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That inning lasted forever.
ceruleanQuote Reply
At one hour per inning, with the bench and bullpen depletion, Dodgers win 88–86 in prime time tomorrow.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Buck Showalter has been instructive.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Maybe about 40 innings then.
dmick89Quote Reply
Okay. I hope Kershaw puts to bed all of those unclutch narratives, at least temporarily.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Happy to see Murphy go down. Unleash the Soler in SoCal.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Eh. I never believed them anyway.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Like goats, black cats, and Bartman balls, you don’t have to believe something to be annoyed and fatigued by them.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Kershaw only threw 7 pitches so I wonder if he starts Game 2 or Game 3.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I’d guess game 2, especially if the Cubs take game 1. That would put him on normal rest (treating yesterday’s appearance as a bullpen session).
PerkinsQuote Reply
So basically you’re happy about half the time?
EdwinQuote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah, he’ll be available to start game 2.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’ll be available to watch.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
Do you get up early to watch the games or just wait? You’re still in the UK, right?
dmick89Quote Reply
Them’s fightin’ words where he lives (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
I hope he confirms them in the NLCS.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This. All the unfair playoff narratives for Kershaw after this series.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
dmick89,
Nope, but it was the UK for awhile, until about 90-something years ago.
I stayed up for the first two NLDS games since they were on the weekend but it kind of killed me. I hate watching on DVR but I probably will for the NLCS. For the WS, my son will be home on vacation and if the Cubs advance I can take some days off and stay up to watch with him.
SKQuote Reply
So about the time you got your first job?
dmick89Quote Reply
Since the regular season is over and there isn’t much to talk about, did anyone see the statcast numbers that Jimenez had on a 5–3 groundout?
https://twitter.com/mlbpipeline/status/786734194802225156 (via BN)
This team might be really good in the coming years. Get excited.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Agreed. Just got to slog through the rest of this year somehow. Maybe one more after that. The future is definitely bright.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Onward, patient motherfuckers!
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’m bored. Can we go back to naysing these Cubs?
EdwinQuote Reply
But don’t get too excited. We all know that prospects fail, and Cubs prospects especially so.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I am in the UK for work sometimes.
In fact I was in a Peruvian restaurant in London the other day and the seemingly grumpy young Latino waiter brightened up when we were leaving and he spotted a Cubs logo. He said he was a Yankees fan from Mexico, but that Sammy Sosa was a legend.
SKQuote Reply
I just heard one of those weird bits of trivia about last night’s game:
Kershaw’s only professional save before last night came in the minors several years ago. His catcher was Kenley Jansen. His coach was the guy who waved home Jayson Werth in the bottom of the sixth.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I would say nay to this.
berseliusQuote Reply
So Angel Hernandez is on the crew for the NLCS. Here’s hoping he doesn’t get to call balls and strikes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
By the time it takes to read this comment, five Cubs prospects will have already failed.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Nats lose the big one, but this time it’s not on Dusty.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/dont-blame-this-on-dusty-baker/
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
The Cubs should make sure that Steve McMichael is in the stadium for all of these NLCS games.
berseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing), does MGL troll every fg post these days?
berseliusQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Yeah, I thought Dusty did all right, relatively speaking. I was more puzzled by some of Dave Roberts’ decisions (e.g., keeping the bunt on with two strikes, keeping Puig on the bench so long).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I was a little surprised he brought Scherzer into the seventh, but a lot of managers would do the same.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I saw it as a step in the right direction for Dusty. But with the bullpen meltdown that ensued, I wonder if he’ll not retreat to the more tried and true way of losing a deciding game.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
berselius,
I don’t read FG these days, but if he trolled all the articles, maybe the quality would improve. Doubtful. It does reflect poorly on mgl, but he’s an ass. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Including Joe Maddon.
dmick89Quote Reply
Idle thought: if the Cubs make the World Series, there’s probably no better opportunity to bring Sammy Sosa back into the fold. I have to think the list of things Cubs fans give a fuck about will be very short if the team is in the World Series.
Or maybe they’d have to wait until after, since a bunch of meatheads are sure to howl if that happens and the Cubs lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
dmick89,
When is MGL not an ass?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Lester gets game 1 at home and 5 on the road.
Hendricks gets game 2 and 6 at home.
Arrieta gets game 3 on the road and game 7 at home.
Lackey is guaranteed to pitch once.
I like this a lot.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Cool poem, bro.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Any chance Zastryzny makes the roster over Grimm to add another lefty? I know it’s a tiny sample, but Rob Z has utterly dominated 8.1 innings worth of lefties. He faced 31 of them and only six reached base—via a walk, a HBP, and 4 singles—for a .159 wOBA.
ceruleanQuote Reply
(dying laughing), perfect bunt against the shift.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Speaking of poems, here is one for children:
It’s also known as Ten Little Niggers (and is a great Agatha Christie mystery—dark as blackface). I feel like this is the America two-fifths of the country want.
Not cool story, bro.
Go Blue Jays.
ceruleanQuote Reply
In the At Bat app, I am enjoying the quad view feed for mlb.TV—it works even without buying any postseason package. Unfortunately it’s only for TBS.
ceruleanQuote Reply
So Montero’s back is acting up again. Maybe Szczur makes the roster. I don’t want Joe to go with 12 pitchers, but I do think Grimm should sit in favor of Zastryzny.
I like Grampy-Arrieta combo a lot.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Jesus Christ, Miller’s K/BB ratio.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Miraculous.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Miller’s slider is just evil.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And just as I type that, Donaldson rips a Miller slider up the middle for a hit.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And then K’s the next three.
The Miller line: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 5 K.
ceruleanQuote Reply
And fourteen little Indians won.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
A 1.000 BABIP.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Is it ok to naysay THESE Cubs?
SKQuote Reply
The Cubs haven’t won a single fucking game since we stopped naysaying them.
dmick89Quote Reply
Having good memories of this game today
http://www.espn.com/ncf/recap?id=232840275
berseliusQuote Reply
I wish it was the Natinals
GWQuote Reply
I only wish so inasmuch as it’d be great for the Cubs to have a chance to put any Daniel Murphy narratives to bed.
Last year, I was really happy they didn’t have to face Kershaw and Greinke, and thought they matched up better against the Mets. At this point, I’m resigned to “weird shit happens in the playoffs” and hoping that includes Clayton Kershaw laying an egg against the Cubs.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Things go as they should, Cubs should only have to face him once.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
GW,
Me too. I’d be a lot more confident in the Cubs winning that series.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rob Z is on the playoff roster. No La Stella.
dmick89Quote Reply
It would be great if the Dodgers could announce their starting pitching plans, says the preview writer (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
Why not sub out Grimm? I hope sending LaStella to New Jersey means Miggy’s back is OK.
SKQuote Reply
Subbing out Grimm would probably have made more sense. I can’t think they’d need a RH reliever other than Rondon and Strop, especially given the Dodgers’ struggles against LHP.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Fresh ????
http://obstructedview.net/series-preview-los-angeles-dodgers-los-angels-91-71-vs-chicago-cubs-103-58/
berseliusQuote Reply