10/20 Cubs (Lester) vs Dodgers (Maeda) 7 p.m., FS1

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I really really like the idea of a lefty bullpen game 7 if it gets there.

 

Arrieta hasn't been the guy we want him to be for months.

[Derwood]

Seeing Gonzalez/Puig/Pederson as the 6/7/8 in the lineup is really horsefeathering weird

[Brian]

This game has me more nervous than any other game in the postseason because a) The matchup should favors us more than any game remaining in the series and b) obviously the vital importance of the game.

 

But if like tonights matchup was Kershaw vs. Hendricks, I would be less nervous right now. Something about having to win the matchups that are heavily tilted in your favor despite knowing that baseball over 9 innings can be completely unpredictable makes me a bundle of nerves right now.

 

Yeah this just seems to good to be true. Maeda is due to be passable, and Lester is due to give up a few runs.

[Cubswin11]

I sense a grand dong tonight, perhaps a grand grandpa dong

[UMFan83]

2013 World Series Game 5:

 

Series was tied 2-2 with the last 2 games coming at home. Lester on the road pitched 7.2 innings, giving up just 1 ER, and David Ross had a double to score the go ahead run in a 3-1 victory.

 

^^ Hope this sounds an awful lot like tonight except add a "1" before the 3

[Cubswin11]

I really really like the idea of a lefty bullpen game 7 if it gets there.

 

Arrieta hasn't been the guy we want him to be for months.

I still start Arrieta but pull him at the first sign of trouble and certainly by the 4/5th inning when he's working 2nd/3rd time through the order. Essentially the Lackey treatment from last night.

[Little Slide Rooter]

This game has me more nervous than any other game in the postseason because a) The matchup should favors us more than any game remaining in the series and b) obviously the vital importance of the game.

 

But if like tonights matchup was Kershaw vs. Hendricks, I would be less nervous right now. Something about having to win the matchups that are heavily tilted in your favor despite knowing that baseball over 9 innings can be completely unpredictable makes me a bundle of nerves right now.

 

Yeah this just seems to good to be true. Maeda is due to be passable, and Lester is due to give up a few runs.

 

But not against the Dodgers. Have you seen the lefty/righty splits of these guys?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Dodgers are starting no hitters today who have an .800+ OPS against LHP this year. The two best were Ruiz, who walked a bunch to go with a .115 IsoP against lefties, and the 7 hitter Puig, who legitimately killed them in September but his early struggles weighed him down to a .784 OPS.

 

This is the low-key reason that the Dodgers are so bad against LHP. Sure, having Seager, Gonzalez, and Pederson be 3 of your best hitters hurts, but most of their RH platoon hitters were just not good even with platoon advantage.

[UMFan83]

I really really like the idea of a lefty bullpen game 7 if it gets there.

 

Arrieta hasn't been the guy we want him to be for months.

 

I agree, but every time he goes out there, I can't help but have in the back on my mind 'what if he pulls it all together for one game?" I mean it was just 4 starts ago that he pitched 7 shutout innings against the Cardinals and looked really good doing so. He is *capable* even in his diminished state to having it all under control for a night. If that night is Sunday night (if needed) he will become a Chicago legend (even more so than he was after the WC game last year)

[UMFan83]

2013 World Series Game 5:

 

Series was tied 2-2 with the last 2 games coming at home. Lester on the road pitched 7.2 innings, giving up just 1 ER, and David Ross had a double to score the go ahead run in a 3-1 victory.

 

^^ Hope this sounds an awful lot like tonight except add a "1" before the 3

 

Should also mention in that same postseason against the Tigers, the same thing happened (2-2, game 5 on the road). Lester wasn't *as* great (5.1 IP, 2 ER) but he grinded it out and the bullpen took care of him for the W. Sox won 4-3. Rossy was 2-3 with an RBI

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

 

It hasn't gotten a lot of attention, but Roberts managing like he's at the end of a 12 person game of telephone with a saber-savvy person at the other end is becoming hilarious.

 

why are you so horsefeathering good at things like this with words?

[David]

(i think they're called jokes)

[Derwood]

(i think they're called jokes)

 

http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx269/madisonny723/madison723b/robotcomediananimation_6316_001.gif

[Little Slide Rooter]

I really really like the idea of a lefty bullpen game 7 if it gets there.

 

Arrieta hasn't been the guy we want him to be for months.

 

I was thinking that for game 6. I'd trust reliable mid-rotation Jake vs. a less left handed lineup, but vs. the righty thumping Dodgers, no thanks. Other than the guy pitching tonight, we have nothing resembling a match for Kershaw, so I'd trust the matchups and give Wood the first few innings, then maybe Zaz, and hope we can keep it close and chase Kershaw after 6-7 innings. And if they push a game 7, Hendricks vs. Hill is a pretty even matchup.

[David]

This game has me more nervous than any other game in the postseason because a) The matchup should favors us more than any game remaining in the series and b) obviously the vital importance of the game.

 

But if like tonights matchup was Kershaw vs. Hendricks, I would be less nervous right now. Something about having to win the matchups that are heavily tilted in your favor despite knowing that baseball over 9 innings can be completely unpredictable makes me a bundle of nerves right now.

 

Yeah this just seems to good to be true. Maeda is due to be passable, and Lester is due to give up a few runs.

 

But not against the Dodgers. Have you seen the lefty/righty splits of these guys?

 

Nope. Are the Dodgers not good vs lefties or something?

[Agony and Ivy]

I wish they would've started Reddick and his wRC+ of 3 against LHP.

[Little Slide Rooter]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

 

It hasn't gotten a lot of attention, but Roberts managing like he's at the end of a 12 person game of telephone with a saber-savvy person at the other end is becoming hilarious.

 

why are you so [expletive] good at things like this with words?

 

It's funny 'cause Carlos Ruiz is batting cleanup and it's not 2012 and I don't know who Enrique Hernandez is.

[David]

[tweet]

[/tweet] Edited October 20, 2016 by David

[Thed Hoyerstein]

it's not 2012 and I don't know who Enrique Hernandez is.

 

we already figured as much

[ScrubMD]

The past few games I've been able to keep myself occupied until about 7-7:30ET, but I'm already in watching-the-clock mode today. I might need narcotics.

[Little Slide Rooter]

 

Yeah this just seems to good to be true. Maeda is due to be passable, and Lester is due to give up a few runs.

 

But not against the Dodgers. Have you seen the lefty/righty splits of these guys?

 

Nope. Are the Dodgers not good vs lefties or something?

 

I know you're being facetious, but I'm simply stating that even if there were some rationale behind the Lester is due for a rough outing mindset, The Dodgers aren't likely to be on the other end of it.

[Little Slide Rooter]

and today is wife's bday. she's not happy about all this playoff baseball but i told her she better get used to it. i'll do something nice for her in november.

 

Let us know how that turns out.

[chopsx9]

Is the general consensus here that Adrian Gonzalez was safe at the plate last night? All of the shows ive watched, the commentators are stating pretty matter-of-factly that he was safe. I didnt see it that way, looked to me especially from the lower camera angle that his hand didnt touch the plate until after the tag. I certainly did not see concrete proof that he was safe. Im usually pretty good at separating my bias from this, and i would have been pretty upset if that call had been overturned.

 

Someone posted at pic towards the end of yesterdays game thread where he looks clearly out - well much more than the one showing the fingertips nearing the plate.

[raw]

I really really like the idea of a lefty bullpen game 7 if it gets there.

 

Arrieta hasn't been the guy we want him to be for months.

 

I was thinking that for game 6. I'd trust reliable mid-rotation Jake vs. a less left handed lineup, but vs. the righty thumping Dodgers, no thanks. Other than the guy pitching tonight, we have nothing resembling a match for Kershaw, so I'd trust the matchups and give Wood the first few innings, then maybe Zaz, and hope we can keep it close and chase Kershaw after 6-7 innings. And if they push a game 7, Hendricks vs. Hill is a pretty even matchup.

 

You mean the guy that led the NL in ERA and gave up just a wind-blown HR in his most recent game, which came against Kershaw, doesn't resemble a match for him?

[UMFan83]

Maybe the Cubs have been bipolar offensively but thinking about it, the Dodgers have scored 3,1,6 and 2 runs in the 4 games. Makes me feel good about holding them down enough even with lukewarm offense by the Cubs