NLDS Game 3: Cubs (Harden) @ Dodgers (Kuroda) 9:07 TBS

[rocket]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

link?

[Fred Hornkohl]

TOP OF THE FOURTH INNING

 

Soto doubled to down the left field line

Edmonds grounded out to second, 4-3 , Soto to third

DeRosa grounded out to third, 5-3

Theriot walked (intentionally)

Harden struck out swinging

 

0 runs 1 hits 0 errors 2 men left on base

 

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9              R  H  E
CUBS            0 0 0 0                        0  4  0
Los Angeles     2 0 0                          2  4  0

 

Home runs:

CUBS: none

Los Angeles: none

 

CUBS           IP  H  R ER BB  K HR PIT
Harden        3.0  4  2  2  1  2  0  54

 

Los Angeles    IP  H  R ER BB  K HR PIT
Kuroda        4.0  4  0  0  2  1  0  68

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

Reading is fundamental.

 

The theory is that you face more good right-handed pitching in the playoffs, and good right-handed pitching has advantage over good right-handed batting.

 

"we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys"

 

We're the first ones in a while to have a playoff losing streak of 9 (Red Sox before the 90s, I think, hit 11). And again: We aren't just losing, we are getting annihilated. The reason good teams lose a lot is that sometimes your runs just are scored optimally and you win a game by 4 and lose two by one each. That's not happening here. They are getting utterly and completely destroyed every single game.

[minnesotacubsfan]

nope. I hate that mn/nd/canadian colloquial saying. I really do, so I assume you were taking a stab at me.

 

Having lived in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario for more than 15 years, I've picked up a lot of irritating speech patterns. Don't flatter yourself that I would expend the effort taking a shot at you.

 

fair enough. but I've posted that "swear" a dozen times or so before and never been called on it. same as vance's "swear". I understand your vigilance due to the circumstance, but i think your being oversensitive.

[ChiCubsfan0502]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

Reading is fundamental.

 

The theory is that you face more good right-handed pitching in the playoffs, and good right-handed pitching has advantage over good right-handed batting.

 

"we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys"

 

We're the first ones in a while to have a playoff losing streak of 9 (Red Sox before the 90s, I think, hit 11). And again: We aren't just losing, we are getting annihilated. The reason good teams lose a lot is that sometimes your runs just are scored optimally and you win a game by 4 and lose two by one each. That's not happening here. They are getting utterly and completely destroyed every single game.

 

Which tells you they (this group) can't handle playoff baseball.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Kemp grounded out to the pitcher, 1-3

[AlwaysaCub]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

I wasn't saying to the contrary. We're talking about the playoffs here, where your team weaknesses are magnified.

 

In the first two games, against two guys (3 including Kuroda) who are quite tough on righties, we have only Jim Edmonds from the left side (Can we even say Fukudome was batting?).

[Master Shake]

What I wouldnt give for a meaningless Sosa hr right about now.

[imb]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

Reading is fundamental.

 

The theory is that you face more good right-handed pitching in the playoffs, and good right-handed pitching has advantage over good right-handed batting.

 

"we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys"

 

We're the first ones in a while to have a playoff losing streak of 9 (Red Sox before the 90s, I think, hit 11). And again: We aren't just losing, we are getting annihilated. The reason good teams lose a lot is that sometimes your runs just are scored optimally and you win a game by 4 and lose two by one each. That's not happening here. They are getting utterly and completely destroyed every single game.

 

i'd like to see what our record was against good rhp this season before i believe it. it sounds like something someone would make up without checking out the numbers because it sounds right.

[Fred Hornkohl]

DeWitt struck out swinging

[TuffyRhodes]

You know, I really hope LA enjoys getting smacked around by whoever wins the other series because they don't hand them games.

 

We all know that isn't going to happen. If a team can sweep the Cubs, they are clearly a great team. I guess you don't remember how well Arizona played last year after they swept the Cubs.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

i'd like to see what our record was against good rhp this season before i believe it. it sounds like something someone would make up without checking out the numbers because it sounds right.

 

Agreed, that's why it's just a theory.

 

But I've always thought it was very, very non-optimal to sign Soriano when you were already committed to Lee at first, unless you planned to go out and get two really great lefty hitters in CF and RF.

[minnesotacubsfan]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

link?

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/2001.shtml

 

 

ouch. too soon.

[ConstableRabbit]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Dick Stockton doesn't care how well Harden is pitching and is just waiting for us to lose.

[JimSorgi]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Dick Stockton doesn't care how well Harden is pitching and is just waiting for us to lose.

he has no idea what's going on

[windycityfan]

What a god awful lineup. How did we possibly have the best offense? Seriously?

 

Harden is doing his thing. For now.

[sneakypower]

A good theory that same Cardinals fan passed along to me:

 

The Cubs just don't have a lot of good left-handed bats, and you will almost always face good right-handed pitching in the postseason. Committing two of the three main positions where you can get a good lefty bat in the lineup to righties has completely hamstrung them, and Fukudome tanking just made it worse.

 

This is undoubtedly true. The fact that Lee has hit like Jeromy Burnitz over the second half of the season doesn't help.

 

LOL at stranding Soto on 3rd.

 

completely hamstrung us to the tun of 97 regular season wins with the same lineup

 

we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys

 

Reading is fundamental.

 

The theory is that you face more good right-handed pitching in the playoffs, and good right-handed pitching has advantage over good right-handed batting.

 

"we are not the first favored team to lose in the playoffs, guys"

 

We're the first ones in a while to have a playoff losing streak of 9 (Red Sox before the 90s, I think, hit 11). And again: We aren't just losing, we are getting annihilated. The reason good teams lose a lot is that sometimes your runs just are scored optimally and you win a game by 4 and lose two by one each. That's not happening here. They are getting utterly and completely destroyed every single game.

 

i'd like to see what our record was against good rhp this season before i believe it. it sounds like something someone would make up without checking out the numbers because it sounds right.

.793 ops vs rhp

.807 vs lhp

[cbbryan]

Harden needs to get ahead of hitters here!!!!

 

He's doing ok battling back, but he's messing with fire.

[otis89]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Dick Stockton doesn't care how well Harden is pitching and is just waiting for us to lose.

 

Dick Stockton is simply a blithering idiot.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/2001.shtml

 

Oh look, a favored team that won four playoff games before losing. Totally comparable.

Edited October 5, 2008 by Hairyducked Idiot

[Careless]

Is it just me, or does it sound like Dick Stockton doesn't care how well Harden is pitching and is just waiting for us to lose.

Well, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care about baseball aside from the paycheck aspect, and he probably isn't being paid by the game.

[minnesotacubsfan]

harden is doing fine.

[Fred Hornkohl]

BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH INNING

 

Kemp grounded out to the pitcher, 1-3

DeWitt struck out swinging

Blake struck out swinging

 

0 runs 0 hits 0 errors 0 men left on base

 

                1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9              R  H  E
CUBS            0 0 0 0                        0  4  0
Los Angeles     2 0 0 0                        2  4  0

 

Home runs:

CUBS: none

Los Angeles: none

 

CUBS           IP  H  R ER BB  K HR PIT
Harden        4.0  4  2  2  1  4  0  70

 

Los Angeles    IP  H  R ER BB  K HR PIT
Kuroda        4.0  4  0  0  2  1  0  68

[Hairyducked Idiot]

.793 ops vs rhp

.807 vs lhp

 

And how do we split that up into, say, upper-quartile and lower-quartile RHP?

[minnesotacubsfan]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/2001.shtml

 

Oh look, a favored team that won four playoff games before losing. Totally comparable.

 

my point was that Lou was there manager too. and it was more a joke.