10/7 - NLDS GAME 1 - Cubs (Lester) vs. Giants (Cueto) 8:00 PM CST FS1

[David]

we had a game against the pirates where we only scored one run?

 

is that the game after which cole said we weren't the best team in baseball?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

we had a game against the pirates where we only scored one run?

 

is that the game after which cole said we weren't the best team in baseball?

 

I believe that is exactly the game.

 

EDIT: Also worth noting that Lester had a no-hitter through 6 in that game.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Heard some mention on the radio about who the umpire is going to be tomorrow night and Lester not faring well with him, but I'm not sure if I misheard or not.

 

HP: Todd Tichenor

1B: Larry Vanover

2B: Marvin Hudson

3B: Alan Porter

LF: John Hirschbeck - Crew Chief

RF: Mike Muchlinski

 

This is Muchlinski's first playoff series, and Vanover normally is a crew chief in the regular season.

 

This was the only 2016 game that Lester started with Tichenor behind the plate: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201605150.shtml

 

6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 9/2 K/BB

 

For his career he's fared much worse, 7.80 ERA in the other 3 starts.

 

 

How has Pirate Johnny fared?

[TMan92]

The site that does umpire heat maps apparently folded, but I was looking around earlier and Tichenor appears to be a small zone guy

 

Wouldn't this be worse for Cueto?

[Brian]

what's the record for run differential for a post-season? let's beat that.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

HP: Todd Tichenor

1B: Larry Vanover

2B: Marvin Hudson

3B: Alan Porter

LF: John Hirschbeck - Crew Chief

RF: Mike Muchlinski

 

This is Muchlinski's first playoff series, and Vanover normally is a crew chief in the regular season.

 

This was the only 2016 game that Lester started with Tichenor behind the plate: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201605150.shtml

 

6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 9/2 K/BB

 

For his career he's fared much worse, 7.80 ERA in the other 3 starts.

 

 

How has Pirate Johnny fared?

 

Good question!

 

Cueto did not pitch with Tichenor behind the plate this year, and for his career has 4 starts with a 1.88 ERA. 7 (!) unearned runs in those starts though, so his RA/9 is 4.50.

[badger]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

More home plate umpire fun

 

Game 2 - Larry Vanover

Hendricks: 1 G, 5 IP, 1 ER in 2016

Samardzija: No career matchups

 

Game 3 - Marvin Hudson

Arrieta: No 2016 matchups, 1 G, 4 IP, 3 ER career

Bumgarner: No 2016 matchups, 2 G, 10 IP, 5 ER career

 

2016 ERAs by umpire:

 

Tichenor: 4.03

Vanover: 3.93

Hudson: 4.49

MLB average: 3.96

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

Stealing that

[Sammy Sofa]

It just looks like you have an old cartoon man making kissyfaces, you dumb slab of flank steak.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It just looks like you have an old cartoon man making kissyfaces, you dumb slab of flank steak.

 

It works on multiple levels

[TMan92]

Am I wrong or does it look like a strong wind blowing in on Friday from left and moderately blowing out on Saturday?

[mikeyt34]

So guessing lineup is....

 

Fowler CF (S)

Bryant LF ®

Rizzo 1B (L)

Zobrist 2B (S)

Russell SS ®

Heyward RF (L)

Baez 3B ®

Ross C ®

Lester P (L)

 

Debated with switching Heyward and Russell but wanted to avoid 3 straight righties in the lineup

I'm 99% sure that's it and would be my guess. Only other variations I could see would be Javy at 2B and Zobrist in LF or 1 of Coghlan/Soler in LF and Bryant at 3B with Javy coming in late for defense/pinch running and staying in the game.

 

Yep, that's a winner. Having Javy at 3rd comforts me on so many levels. Love to get Soler's bat in the line up to see if he can replicate last October, but having Javy down there is huge. I wouldn't mind Zorbrist in LF, Bryant 3B, and Javy 2B. Basically, get Javy out there.

[bukie]

Today's baseball trivia:

 

This year, a record number of players hit at least 20 HRs. Despite this, one team had zero players hit 20 HRs. What team?

[minnesotacubsfan]

HIGANTES!!!!

[Brian707]

24 hours to go

[SouthSideRyan]

Today's baseball trivia:

 

This year, a record number of players hit at least 20 HRs. Despite this, one team had zero players hit 20 HRs. What team?

 

It's their 12th consecutive season without a 30 HR hitter.

[gobigred]

Man I am going to be a nervous wreck tomorrow ...really need to get game 1...with the playoff robot going in game 3 its gonna be tough to win 2x in SF

[UMFan83]

In honor of the playoffs starting tomorrow I present to you this video.

 

I've literally been looking for video of this since it happened 13 years ago. Patiently waiting for someone to post it to YouTube. It was finally posted one week ago. Aramis Ramirez hits 2 HRs and drives in 6 in Game 4 of the 2003 NLCS:

 

[bbvideo=560,315]https://youtu.be/2NcfNoFtyZo[/bbvideo]

[Derwood]

The difference in expectations of last year compared to this year are really starting to sink in

[squally1313]

The difference in expectations of last year compared to this year are really starting to sink in

How so? We were the best team in the national league (if not all of baseball, don't remember anything about the American League) going into the playoffs. We're the best team now.

[Schwarber Fan]

The difference in expectations of last year compared to this year are really starting to sink in

How so? We were the best team in the national league (if not all of baseball, don't remember anything about the American League) going into the playoffs. We're the best team now.

 

St. Louis had a better record and we had to play a road wildcard game, and start both series on the road. Not even close to the same thing.

[soccer10k]

The difference in expectations of last year compared to this year are really starting to sink in

How so? We were the best team in the national league (if not all of baseball, don't remember anything about the American League) going into the playoffs. We're the best team now.

 

St. Louis had a better record and we had to play a road wildcard game, and start both series on the road. Not even close to the same thing.

 

The Cards starters were not looking good going into that series. Martinez was hurt while Lynn and Wacha were pitching well (plus I think we lit those two up twice in Aug and Sept). There's a reason they brought Lackey back on short rest in Game 4. It's not quite the same thing but I think I lot of people thought the Cubs were the favorite in the series.

[squally1313]

I guess it depends on who's expectations you're talking about. I don't think we were considered an underdog nationally, but I could see the different expectations just because it was a year before Theo's plan was supposed to pay off, so it was a free year or whatever.

 

Either way, I thought we were better than the Mets (and cardinals) last year, and we're better than the giants this year. Hopefully that'll play out starting tomorrow.

[David]

yeah i don't think the expecations last year vs this year are even remotely comparable. i don't think it matters much, either, but yeah.