10/30 World Series Game 5 Cleveland (Bauer) @ Cubs (Lester) 7:00 CDT Fox

[Brian]

Also, I hope Ross plays in Game 6 or 7, but if this was his last appearance in the bigs -

 

His last PA drove in the game winning run

His last moment in the field was throwing out the tying run trying to steal 2B

 

There are worse ways you can go out.

All true. But I'd rather have him end his career by driving in the winning run in game 7.

 

And catching the final strike and then being part of the pitcher/catcher embrace that will be one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

[Tim]

Also, I hope Ross plays in Game 6 or 7, but if this was his last appearance in the bigs -

 

His last PA drove in the game winning run

His last moment in the field was throwing out the tying run trying to steal 2B

 

There are worse ways you can go out.

All true. But I'd rather have him end his career by driving in the winning run in game 7.

 

And catching the final strike and then being part of the pitcher/catcher embrace that will be one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

With Chapman.

[Brian]

All true. But I'd rather have him end his career by driving in the winning run in game 7.

 

And catching the final strike and then being part of the pitcher/catcher embrace that will be one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

With Chapman.

 

With a 8 run lead, Lester pitches to Rossy.

[hawkeyecub]

All true. But I'd rather have him end his career by driving in the winning run in game 7.

 

And catching the final strike and then being part of the pitcher/catcher embrace that will be one of the most iconic moments in sports history.

With Chapman.

 

Nah, Chapman will be used earlier. Lester is closing it out.

[Brian707]

I keep picturing god-mode Arrieta strolling off the mound after his 12th K of the night to end the 7th, with the Cubs up 6-0. Make it happen, Jake.

 

 

This. And then in game 7 the Cubs hold on for a 10-0 drubbing after they touch up Kluber for a 5 spot in the first, and all Andrew Miller can do is pick his nose until spring training.

[UMFan83]

This 'Cubs can't hit breaking pitches' thing won't go away:

 

http://deadspin.com/the-cubs-cant-touch-clevelands-breaking-stuff-1788401084

[Billy_Buck]

i've been alternating in my head between, it's not going to happen and there going to fing do it almost by the minute

I confess to being irrationally confident. I believe in the hanging curveball... and from the moment the Indians made clear they were going with 3 starters this series, short rest be damned, I've felt we'd get ours and would always have a path to four wins. GO CUBS!

 

(And for the purposes of winning this series, I will temporarily believe in the designated hitter. :wink: )

[UMFan83]

This 'Cubs can't hit breaking pitches' thing won't go away:

 

http://deadspin.com/the-cubs-cant-touch-clevelands-breaking-stuff-1788401084

 

Even more:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-cubs-continuing-curveball-crisis/

 

Lowest team exit velocity against curveballs, 2016

84.3 mph — Cubs

84.5 mph — Reds

85.1 mph — Yankees

86.2 mph — Giants / Phillies

 

The Cubs have just a .201 average (the eighth lowest) on curves, and if you’re now rightfully thinking that you only worry about exit velocity and average when contact is made, well, Chicago had a 32.1 percent contact rate when swinging at curves — which is the lowest in the Majors.

[LeonDurham]

This 'Cubs can't hit breaking pitches' thing won't go away:

 

http://deadspin.com/the-cubs-cant-touch-clevelands-breaking-stuff-1788401084

 

Even more:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-cubs-continuing-curveball-crisis/

 

Lowest team exit velocity against curveballs, 2016

84.3 mph — Cubs

84.5 mph — Reds

85.1 mph — Yankees

86.2 mph — Giants / Phillies

 

The Cubs have just a .201 average (the eighth lowest) on curves, and if you’re now rightfully thinking that you only worry about exit velocity and average when contact is made, well, Chicago had a 32.1 percent contact rate when swinging at curves — which is the lowest in the Majors.

 

Well we all saw it. It's true. They need to figure it out.

[Brian]

it's not like Cleveland is tearing the cover off the ball either, Game 1 they got runs because of walks, HBP and a swinging bunt and a light-hitting catcher got 2 HR, game 4 was partly error helped but probably their best offensive night (and our worst pitchers)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

*ahem*

 

THAT IS NOT HOW PITCHING WORKS, YOU DOLTS

 

YOU KNOW WHY TREVOR BAUER STOPPED THROWING CURVES THE SECOND TIME THROUGH THE HEART OF THE ORDER? BECAUSE THOSE HITTERS ARE OFFENSIVE MONSTERS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST PUSH THE CURVEBALL BUTTON TO GET OUT, MOST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TREVOR ANDREW BAUER

 

YOU KNOW WHAT RIZZO DID TO A BAUER CURVE BALL IN THE FIRST INNING? HE PUT IT ACROSS THE GOT DANG STREET

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO BRYANT? BECAUSE IN THE FIRST AT BAT BRYANT SPAT ON TWO OF THEM AND GOT LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE SECOND GOT CALLED FOR STRIKE THREE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOW

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO ZOBRIST? HE DID, IT WAS BALL ONE, THEN HE TRIED TWO OTHER PITCHES THAT MISSED BEFORE HE HAD TO COME AT ZOBRIST WITH A 3-0 FASTBALL

 

 

THE CUBS HAVE THE MOST PATIENT OFFENSE IN THE GAME, SO YOU HAVE TO GET AHEAD IN THE COUNT AND THEN THROW THEM VERY GOOD BREAKING PITCHES TO GET THEM OUT, BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GOING TO CHASE. MOST PITCHERS CAN'T THROW CURVEBALLS IN THE EXACT SPOT WHERE THEY WANT IT FOR 5-7 INNINGS, AND THE CUBS KNOW THIS. THEY'VE CHASED MORE IN THIS SERIES BECAUSE OF KLUBER, ALLEN, SHAW, AND MILLER, WITH AN ASSIST FROM BAEZ. IT IS NOT A MYSTERY THAT TREVOR BAUER'S MOUTH-BREATHING SELF COULDN'T PUNISH THEM WITH CURVEBALLS. THERE'S A REASON HE IS TREVOR BAUER AND NOT JUSTIN VERLANDER.

[Thed Hoyerstein]

*ahem*

 

THAT IS NOT HOW PITCHING WORKS, YOU DOLTS

 

YOU KNOW WHY TREVOR BAUER STOPPED THROWING CURVES THE SECOND TIME THROUGH THE HEART OF THE ORDER? BECAUSE THOSE HITTERS ARE OFFENSIVE MONSTERS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST PUSH THE CURVEBALL BUTTON TO GET OUT, MOST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TREVOR ANDREW BAUER

 

YOU KNOW WHAT RIZZO DID TO A BAUER CURVE BALL IN THE FIRST INNING? HE PUT IT ACROSS THE GOT DANG STREET

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO BRYANT? BECAUSE IN THE FIRST AT BAT BRYANT SPAT ON TWO OF THEM AND GOT LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE SECOND GOT CALLED FOR STRIKE THREE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOW

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO ZOBRIST? HE DID, IT WAS BALL ONE, THEN HE TRIED TWO OTHER PITCHES THAT MISSED BEFORE HE HAD TO COME AT ZOBRIST WITH A 3-0 FASTBALL

 

 

THE CUBS HAVE THE MOST PATIENT OFFENSE IN THE GAME, SO YOU HAVE TO GET AHEAD IN THE COUNT AND THEN THROW THEM VERY GOOD BREAKING PITCHES TO GET THEM OUT, BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GOING TO CHASE. MOST PITCHERS CAN'T THROW CURVEBALLS IN THE EXACT SPOT WHERE THEY WANT IT FOR 5-7 INNINGS, AND THE CUBS KNOW THIS. THEY'VE CHASED MORE IN THIS SERIES BECAUSE OF KLUBER, ALLEN, SHAW, AND MILLER, WITH AN ASSIST FROM BAEZ. IT IS NOT A MYSTERY THAT TREVOR BAUER'S MOUTH-BREATHING SELF COULDN'T PUNISH THEM WITH CURVEBALLS. THERE'S A REASON HE IS TREVOR BAUER AND NOT JUSTIN VERLANDER.

 

Buck is the curveball narrative and TT is Pizza

 

http://nextimpulsesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-01-31-08_45_58.gif

[mul21]

Your caps lock is on.

[Banedon]

Holy cow is this awful...of course he was talking about that specific date, moron...

 

http://mashable.com/2016/10/31/eddie-vedder-wrigley-cubs-history-october-david-ross/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#nVUAVKNEqkqw

[Ding Dong Johnson]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Ding Dong Johnson]

has he won you non-believers over yet???

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMPJz87hXgy/

[jersey cubs fan]

cusack?

[Billy_Buck]

Holy cow is this awful...of course he was talking about that specific date, moron...

 

http://mashable.com/2016/10/31/eddie-vedder-wrigley-cubs-history-october-david-ross/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#nVUAVKNEqkqw

He literally said these words in order: "there's baseball at Wrigley Field for the first time in history." I've done some research and found that Wrigley is used primarily for baseball, and there have in fact been thousands of baseball games at Wrigley Field. It did also serve as the home venue for the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals football teams, decades ago, but today is best known as the home ballpark of the very team at whose game Vedder was about to sing. Vedder apparently didn't know about the connection of the Cubs to Wrigley, or he wouldn't have made such a clumsy mistake.

 

/s

[ConstableRabbit]

God, Cusack is so annoying. Also looked like he was wearing makeup last night.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

cusack?

his fan status was questioned last night

[jersey cubs fan]

cusack?

his fan status was questioned last night

Taking a photo with a player and a jersey doesn't exactly do anything. But I think the guy's history has made clear he's a Cubs fan, and attending a Sox game doesn't disprove that at all either.

[LeonDurham]

*ahem*

 

THAT IS NOT HOW PITCHING WORKS, YOU DOLTS

 

YOU KNOW WHY TREVOR BAUER STOPPED THROWING CURVES THE SECOND TIME THROUGH THE HEART OF THE ORDER? BECAUSE THOSE HITTERS ARE OFFENSIVE MONSTERS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST PUSH THE CURVEBALL BUTTON TO GET OUT, MOST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TREVOR ANDREW BAUER

 

YOU KNOW WHAT RIZZO DID TO A BAUER CURVE BALL IN THE FIRST INNING? HE PUT IT ACROSS THE GOT DANG STREET

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO BRYANT? BECAUSE IN THE FIRST AT BAT BRYANT SPAT ON TWO OF THEM AND GOT LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THE SECOND GOT CALLED FOR STRIKE THREE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOW

 

YOU KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T THROW A CURVEBALL TO ZOBRIST? HE DID, IT WAS BALL ONE, THEN HE TRIED TWO OTHER PITCHES THAT MISSED BEFORE HE HAD TO COME AT ZOBRIST WITH A 3-0 FASTBALL

 

 

THE CUBS HAVE THE MOST PATIENT OFFENSE IN THE GAME, SO YOU HAVE TO GET AHEAD IN THE COUNT AND THEN THROW THEM VERY GOOD BREAKING PITCHES TO GET THEM OUT, BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GOING TO CHASE. MOST PITCHERS CAN'T THROW CURVEBALLS IN THE EXACT SPOT WHERE THEY WANT IT FOR 5-7 INNINGS, AND THE CUBS KNOW THIS. THEY'VE CHASED MORE IN THIS SERIES BECAUSE OF KLUBER, ALLEN, SHAW, AND MILLER, WITH AN ASSIST FROM BAEZ. IT IS NOT A MYSTERY THAT TREVOR BAUER'S MOUTH-BREATHING SELF COULDN'T PUNISH THEM WITH CURVEBALLS. THERE'S A REASON HE IS TREVOR BAUER AND NOT JUSTIN VERLANDER.

 

 

 

Well, I 100% agree with the narrative that they Cubs are chasing bad pitches.

 

We can give the Indians some credit, but I don't think that its all because their pitchers are so dominant. Never mind Javy, even Bryant has looked bad in many AB's.

 

I saw a stat that they are chasing 51% of pitches outside the strike zone.

 

During the year, they led all of baseball with a chase rate of only 28%.

 

Give credit to the pitchers? Well, the best pitchers during the year only get a 41% chase rate on pitches outside the zone against EVERYONE. Not just the most disciplined team in baseball. Familia and Miller only got 41% swings on balls against all comers.

 

 

SO YES. IT'S TRUE. THE CUBS ARE CHASING BAD PITCHES, MANY OF WHICH HAPPEN TO BE CURVE BALLS. THE MOST SELECTIVE TEAM IN BASEBALL IS SWINGING AT A RATE 10% HIGHER THAN AN AVERAGE TEAM AGAINST THE TOUGHEST PITCHERS. IT'S NOT ALL BECAUSE THE INDIANS ARE PITCHING SO WELL.

 

 

Sorry, didn't mean to yell. But I don't think its meatball to point this out. Also, don't think its meatball to point out that pressure might have had a lot to do with it. To me, this is what "the curse" is about. Not goats, not Bartman. There is legitimately a high degree of pressure to perform for the fans in chicago who are so starved for a championship. And a high degree of pressure when you are expected to win. I have hopes they turn it around because the longer the series draws out, the more the pressure shifts to them to now blow a 3-1 lead.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

cusack?

his fan status was questioned last night

Taking a photo with a player and a jersey doesn't exactly do anything. But I think the guy's history has made clear he's a Cubs fan, and attending a Sox game doesn't disprove that at all either.

you're purposefully trying to ruin my intentionally feeble attempt at humor, aren't you?

[jersey cubs fan]

his fan status was questioned last night

Taking a photo with a player and a jersey doesn't exactly do anything. But I think the guy's history has made clear he's a Cubs fan, and attending a Sox game doesn't disprove that at all either.

you're purposefully trying to ruin my intentionally feeble attempt at humor, aren't you?

I am running on fumes (of my eroding liver) right now and do not think I am capable of doing anything with purpose

[David]

Taking a photo with a player and a jersey doesn't exactly do anything. But I think the guy's history has made clear he's a Cubs fan, and attending a Sox game doesn't disprove that at all either.

you're purposefully trying to ruin my intentionally feeble attempt at humor, aren't you?

I am running on fumes (of my eroding liver) right now and do not think I am capable of doing anything with purpose

 

exact same

 

even seeing some of the posts in hear with analytical articles and stuff...the idea of even thinking about reading those is exhausting. i only have enough energy to watch these two baseball games, and they might still kill me.