11/1 World Series Game 6 Cubs (Arrieta) @ Cleveland (Tomlin) 7:00 CDT Fox

[minnesotacubsfan]

I want the umps to be carelessly sided against Cleveland and we can just chock it up to their racist mascot

[Banedon]

I want the umps to be carelessly sided against Cleveland and we can just chock it up to their racist mascot

 

chalk it up

 

If the Cubs hit a lot of dongs, they are chock-full of dongs.

[squally1313]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

[rocket]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

 

without looking at a bunch of numbers, look at what the cubs did to kershaw when he wasn't feeling his curveball. tomlin is on short rest, the cubs are playing loose, he's going to get owned. nerdy stats not needed. cubs win.

[UMFan83]

It is November 1st.

 

The Chicago Cubs will be playing baseball tonight. In arguably the most important game of any of our lives.

 

Let's horsefeathering go.

 

I don't think we can argue that this isn't the biggest Cubs game of our lives as we've never been 2 wins from a championship before. This is what we've been waiting for our whole lives as Cubs fans.

[squally1313]

It is November 1st.

 

The Chicago Cubs will be playing baseball tonight. In arguably the most important game of any of our lives.

 

Let's horsefeathering go.

 

I don't think we can argue that this isn't the biggest Cubs game of our lives as we've never been 2 wins from a championship before. This is what we've been waiting for our whole lives as Cubs fans.

 

Yeah I agree with you...just wanted to add in 'arguably' in case someone tried to say that game 7 against the Marlins was more important. It wouldn't be a terrible argument, but I'll take tonight.

[UMFan83]

I wish the schedule layed out so that we could switch Hendricks and Arrieta around with both on full rest.

 

West and his tiny strike zone seems like a nightmare umpire for an Arrieta/Tomlin matchup. Is there a website that shows a pitchers performance with specific umpires behind the plate.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

I feel like one of the following guys is going to go 2-3 or 3-4 with 2-3 RBI's and be a total game changer tonight:

 

Fowler

Russell

Contreras

Heyward

 

 

BRYANT

 

Bryant, Ted Williams, Cubs, Red Sox, Medfid Massachusetts...

 

The Science of Hitting...

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

 

This is part of it, but not the entirety of the issue. The worry isn't that the Cubs are going to take a bunch of curveballs for strikes, but that they're going to chase them out of the zone. It's more a worry for the back half of the lineup than the front half, and it's more of a worry the better a breaking pitch that you have. Tomlin's curve sits somewhere between Bauer's and Klubers on the quality scale, with more risk of him being like Bauer than upside to be like Kluber, especially on short rest.

 

It's also good to remember that for all the hand wringing about Tomlin, in his outing where everything went right he still only went 4.2 IP. That's probably the best shot the Cubs have considering the Indians can pretty easily get 4-5 IP from Shaw/Miller/Allen, but the other half is still an opportunity. Shaw has given up 3 hits and 2 walks for a run in 3.2 IP. Miller has given up 5 baserunners(including a HR) and multiple lineouts in 5.1 IP. In a game where the Indians very easily might struggle to score 3, the Cubs don't need to bomb Tomlin into oblivion to have the upper hand.

[The Savior]

for some reason I feel more confident in the face of elimination

 

maybe this is what we needed to wake up

[Tracer Bullet]

It is November 1st.

 

The Chicago Cubs will be playing baseball tonight. In arguably the most important game of any of our lives.

 

Let's horsefeathering go.

 

I don't think we can argue that this isn't the biggest Cubs game of our lives as we've never been 2 wins from a championship before. This is what we've been waiting for our whole lives as Cubs fans.

 

Yeah I agree with you...just wanted to add in 'arguably' in case someone tried to say that game 7 against the Marlins was more important. It wouldn't be a terrible argument, but I'll take tonight.

 

those people are dumb. it's an elimination game in the WS. Every game of the WS has immediately become the most important Cubs game for anyone under 71.

[TMan92]

I wish the schedule layed out so that we could switch Hendricks and Arrieta around with both on full rest.

 

West and his tiny strike zone seems like a nightmare umpire for an Arrieta/Tomlin matchup. Is there a website that shows a pitchers performance with specific umpires behind the plate.

 

I just don't understand how his performance warranted a World Series job.

[Banedon]

 

So, the Cubs should be able to take walks?

[UMFan83]

 

So, the Cubs should be able to take walks?

 

Well it works against them because Tomlin was one of the lowest walk rates in baseball, and Arrieta one of the higher ones.

[Tracer Bullet]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

 

This is part of it, but not the entirety of the issue. The worry isn't that the Cubs are going to take a bunch of curveballs for strikes, but that they're going to chase them out of the zone. It's more a worry for the back half of the lineup than the front half, and it's more of a worry the better a breaking pitch that you have. Tomlin's curve sits somewhere between Bauer's and Klubers on the quality scale, with more risk of him being like Bauer than upside to be like Kluber, especially on short rest.

 

It's also good to remember that for all the hand wringing about Tomlin, in his outing where everything went right he still only went 4.2 IP. That's probably the best shot the Cubs have considering the Indians can pretty easily get 4-5 IP from Shaw/Miller/Allen, but the other half is still an opportunity. Shaw has given up 3 hits and 2 walks for a run in 3.2 IP. Miller has given up 5 baserunners(including a HR) and multiple lineouts in 5.1 IP. In a game where the Indians very easily might struggle to score 3, the Cubs don't need to bomb Tomlin into oblivion to have the upper hand.

 

I doubt Tomlin even goes 4 IP tonight. Unless he's inexplicably dealing again, I expect Francona to go to Miller early - like the 2nd time through the order, even - and just rely on Kluber going 6-7 IP tomorrow. Can Miller get 12 outs (Rizzo-Zo-Schwarber through the order and back to Schwarber) in 50-60 pitches? If so, the Indians can go: Tomlin (~ 3), Miller (~ 3), Shaw (~ 2), and still have Allen to close it out, even pitch 2 innings if they're leading in the 8th or save Allen for tomorrow if they're losing in the 9th tonight. Then he has Kluber for 7 and Allen for 2 tomorrow.

 

If that's the plan, hopefully the Cubs get a couple early off Tomlin. But I'd love to see us dong a few more times against Miller too, just to take the shine off a bit.

[Tracer Bullet]

 

So, the Cubs should be able to take walks?

 

Tomlin only pitches in the majors because he doesn't walk guys. So I doubt that's a good strategy even with West behind the plate.

[CubmanPi]

 

So, the Cubs should be able to take walks?

 

Well it works against them because Tomlin was one of the lowest walk rates in baseball, and Arrieta one of the higher ones.

Wind howling out was supposed to work in our favor last time, so I'm going to combine that with your reasonable assessment to conclude that Jake goes 8.0, 0, 1, 13/0.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I hate West being the ump. The boys will need to be first pitch fastball swinging

[Guest]

 

So, the Cubs should be able to take walks?

 

Well it works against them because Tomlin was one of the lowest walk rates in baseball, and Arrieta one of the higher ones.

 

Arrieta walks guys and still wins, Tomlin has to be perfect. If he gets squeezed a bit, he may plate a few.

[Rex Buckingham]

I hate West being the ump. The boys will need to be first pitch fastball swinging

 

I feel like most of them should be anyway against this guy. I feel like guys like Javy and KB have taken too many first pitch strikes, and we all know Heyward loves to take the first pitch strike and then foul off the second pitch to get to 0-2.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Get em' Schwarbs.

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[squally1313]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

 

This is part of it, but not the entirety of the issue. The worry isn't that the Cubs are going to take a bunch of curveballs for strikes, but that they're going to chase them out of the zone. It's more a worry for the back half of the lineup than the front half, and it's more of a worry the better a breaking pitch that you have. Tomlin's curve sits somewhere between Bauer's and Klubers on the quality scale, with more risk of him being like Bauer than upside to be like Kluber, especially on short rest.

 

It's also good to remember that for all the hand wringing about Tomlin, in his outing where everything went right he still only went 4.2 IP. That's probably the best shot the Cubs have considering the Indians can pretty easily get 4-5 IP from Shaw/Miller/Allen, but the other half is still an opportunity. Shaw has given up 3 hits and 2 walks for a run in 3.2 IP. Miller has given up 5 baserunners(including a HR) and multiple lineouts in 5.1 IP. In a game where the Indians very easily might struggle to score 3, the Cubs don't need to bomb Tomlin into oblivion to have the upper hand.

 

Yeah I'm not so worried about the Cubs taking curve balls for strikes as I am about them not doing much with the contact they make (lowest exit velocity or whatever). Also agreed on the rest of the game...Miller is obviously excellent (though him being left-handed and a fastball/slider guy lines up pretty well for us), and Allen is alright (though it's a down year), but Shaw doesn't do a whole lot for me, nor does Salazar at this point. He seems to have gotten away from Otero for some reason...he had a lot of success this year too.

 

Let's hope the Indians come out looking like we did in Games 3 and 4 and are willing to chase Jake out of the zone. If West starts squeezing Tomlin, he's going to be in a lot of trouble.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

This game is functionally tied with game 7 2003. Both were "win and you are 50/50 to win the WS, lose and you are 0."

[David]

Putting out the Duke and/or TT signal to reassure me/yell at me about this whole curveball thing.

 

I feel like the conversation over the past 24-36 hours is that it's really hard to throw a curveball for a strike, and so with someone like Bauer you just wait him out and put him in bad counts where he has to try and beat you with a fastball, and then you strike (as Bryant, Rizzo, etc did). That all makes sense.

 

Tomlin doesn't walk people. Obviously, he gives up a ton of hard contact...does that just mean his breaking pitches aren't good, and therefore we don't need to worry about the Cubs struggling against them? I know, big picture, it's dumb to be worried about Josh Tomlin and his 4.80 FIP for any reason, but just want to be reassured for if he gets someone in the first on a curveball in the dirt.

 

This is part of it, but not the entirety of the issue. The worry isn't that the Cubs are going to take a bunch of curveballs for strikes, but that they're going to chase them out of the zone. It's more a worry for the back half of the lineup than the front half, and it's more of a worry the better a breaking pitch that you have. Tomlin's curve sits somewhere between Bauer's and Klubers on the quality scale, with more risk of him being like Bauer than upside to be like Kluber, especially on short rest.

 

It's also good to remember that for all the hand wringing about Tomlin, in his outing where everything went right he still only went 4.2 IP. That's probably the best shot the Cubs have considering the Indians can pretty easily get 4-5 IP from Shaw/Miller/Allen, but the other half is still an opportunity. Shaw has given up 3 hits and 2 walks for a run in 3.2 IP. Miller has given up 5 baserunners(including a HR) and multiple lineouts in 5.1 IP. In a game where the Indians very easily might struggle to score 3, the Cubs don't need to bomb Tomlin into oblivion to have the upper hand.

 

I've heard that he abandoned his slider which was a really bad pitch for him, but I don't have the energy to actually look into it.

[Banedon]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-team-in-baseball-is-now-an-underdog-1477927080

 

Among teams that have fallen behind 3-1 in either the LCS or the World Series, only 21% have come back to win the series, according to Stats LLC. But those that force a seventh game go on to win it 71% of the time.