Kipnis to Cubs Minor League/NRI Contract

[17 Seconds]

a thank you for yanking that slider foul

 

Really? I mean it looked bad off the bat, but it ended up being a 280-ish(?) foot lazy fly ball that hung up so long that had it been fair - unless maybe right on the chalk - would almost certainly have been an out.

 

I definitely reacted when he initially hit it though which is probably all you're referencing.

 

It was a bad pitch that he should have done damage on

[Sammy Sofa]

a thank you for yanking that slider foul

 

Really? I mean it looked bad off the bat, but it ended up being a 280-ish(?) foot lazy fly ball that hung up so long that had it been fair - unless maybe right on the chalk - would almost certainly have been an out.

 

I definitely reacted when he initially hit it though which is probably all you're referencing.

 

It was a bad pitch that he should have done damage on

 

Yeah, it felt like it was a meatball the size of globe that took damn near a minute to get from the mound.

[weis21]

 

Really? I mean it looked bad off the bat, but it ended up being a 280-ish(?) foot lazy fly ball that hung up so long that had it been fair - unless maybe right on the chalk - would almost certainly have been an out.

 

I definitely reacted when he initially hit it though which is probably all you're referencing.

 

It was a bad pitch that he should have done damage on

 

Yeah, it felt like it was a meatball the size of globe that took damn near a minute to get from the mound.

 

He already sounds like a perfect fit

[squally1313]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

[Sammy Sofa]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

I think leaving Chapman in was where my loathing of Maddon was cemented for life. Christ, what an insanely lucky maniac; that article is like a slow motion panic attack.

[squally1313]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

I think leaving Chapman in was where my loathing of Maddon was cemented for life. Christ, what an insanely lucky maniac; that article is like a slow motion panic attack.

 

Yep, especially coupled with bringing him in for game 6 in the 7th horsefeathering inning with a 7-2 lead because there were two on with two out AND THEN sending him back out for the 8th inning. Just a slow motion train wreck that Schwarber, Zobrist, etc bailed out.

[David]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

I think leaving Chapman in was where my loathing of Maddon was cemented for life. Christ, what an insanely lucky maniac; that article is like a slow motion panic attack.

 

Yep, especially coupled with bringing him in for game 6 in the 7th horsefeathering inning with a 7-2 lead because there were two on with two out AND THEN sending him back out for the 8th inning. Just a slow motion train wreck that Schwarber, Zobrist, etc bailed out.

 

That was what really pissed me off. Chapman had just come off like 40+ pitches and almsot 3 innings in game 5 and he's bringing him into a 5 run game?

[squally1313]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

[Brian]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

It's just a perfect game. The only tension live was the nagging feeling that of course something is going to go wrong, but there is never any real danger. Kyle Hendricks at his most Kyle Hendricks, a couple of dongs, Kershaw's soul being taken, and a clinching at home.

[Andy]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

It's just a perfect game. The only tension live was the nagging feeling that of course something is going to go wrong, but there is never any real danger. Kyle Hendricks at his most Kyle Hendricks, a couple of dongs, Kershaw's soul being taken, and a clinching at home.

You know, I can't speak for anyone else, but after the early Javy error was erased, I can't say I ever had any real nagging doubts. Once the offense woke up in Game 4 I was pretty damn sure we were winning that series the rest of the way.

[David]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

[The_Achiever]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

I love this article and re-read it semi-regularly. It really captures the desperation, anxiety and destiny in the air that night.

 

It's hard not to be down on the Cubs right now but also nice to be reminded how much it all paid off. It'll also be nice to have a walking reminder of that on the team this year. Would be nice if we got him a ring this year for his troubles, too.

[ConstableRabbit]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

[squally1313]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

 

It's tempered a little bit by the fact that Javy and Willy basically hit 17 hoppers that barely reached the center fielder, and this was after Matt horsefeathering Moore essentially shut us down for 8 innings. But yeah, that Zobrist double was definitely...the second coolest double he had.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

 

Without that comeback, there might have not even been any highlights from a Dodgers or Indians series. One of the biggest moments in a playoff run filled with them.

[Andy]

Honestly, if you give me 10 minutes to go back and watch highlights...give me Game 6 against the Dodgers every day. Outside of the fact that it ended with Chapman on the mound, it's pretty much perfect.

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

Joe Maddon managed circles around Bruce Bochy that night, pinch-hitting Coghlan in the 9th knowing SF would bring in a lefty and he could counter with Contreras. Probably his best work as the Cubs skipper.

[Brian]

Joe Maddon managed circles around Bruce Bochy that night, pinch-hitting Coghlan in the 9th knowing SF would bring in a lefty and he could counter with Contreras. Probably his best work as the Cubs skipper.

 

Which wonderfully set up the double (triple?) bluff in the NLCS Game 1 giving us Blanton v. Miggy

[UMFan83]

 

My favorite thing (other than the obvious WS stuff) to watch from that run is the comeback in SF.

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

 

It's tempered a little bit by the fact that Javy and Willy basically hit 17 hoppers that barely reached the center fielder, and this was after Matt horsefeathering Moore essentially shut us down for 8 innings. But yeah, that Zobrist double was definitely...the second coolest double he had.

 

I think that's what made it awesome to me. So many times in the playoffs we would be a victim of bad fortune or would go down with a whimper. But this time the breaks went our way. Plus at that time I think most of us were worried that Javy wouldnt even put the ball in play in a situation where it was critical for him to. Even if he hits it a little to the left or right, it definitely scores the run and probably advances the tying run to 3rd base with 1 out. Putting the ball in play in a situation where the opponent is doing everything possible to avoid it, especially when the count is 0-2, is worthy of being considered swag to me.

[squally1313]

I LOVE the comeback against SF. Javy, Zo, and Willy were so swaggy.

 

It's tempered a little bit by the fact that Javy and Willy basically hit 17 hoppers that barely reached the center fielder, and this was after Matt horsefeathering Moore essentially shut us down for 8 innings. But yeah, that Zobrist double was definitely...the second coolest double he had.

 

I think that's what made it awesome to me. So many times in the playoffs we would be a victim of bad fortune or would go down with a whimper. But this time the breaks went our way. Plus at that time I think most of us were worried that Javy wouldnt even put the ball in play in a situation where it was critical for him to. Even if he hits it a little to the left or right, it definitely scores the run and probably advances the tying run to 3rd base with 1 out. Putting the ball in play in a situation where the opponent is doing everything possible to avoid it, especially when the count is 0-2, is worthy of being considered swag to me.

 

I think you might be confusing a couple of the ABs...Contreras came up with 2nd and 3rd after the Zobrist double and hit through a partially drawn in infield. Then you had the Heyward failed bunt, which now when I think of that I picture Javy doing that in the top of the 9th of game 7 with a guy on third, which ended with him at second, and then Javy came up and singled to take the lead. It was definitely nice to get the breaks, but it was a real frustrating game until the very end.

[UMFan83]

 

It's tempered a little bit by the fact that Javy and Willy basically hit 17 hoppers that barely reached the center fielder, and this was after Matt horsefeathering Moore essentially shut us down for 8 innings. But yeah, that Zobrist double was definitely...the second coolest double he had.

 

I think that's what made it awesome to me. So many times in the playoffs we would be a victim of bad fortune or would go down with a whimper. But this time the breaks went our way. Plus at that time I think most of us were worried that Javy wouldnt even put the ball in play in a situation where it was critical for him to. Even if he hits it a little to the left or right, it definitely scores the run and probably advances the tying run to 3rd base with 1 out. Putting the ball in play in a situation where the opponent is doing everything possible to avoid it, especially when the count is 0-2, is worthy of being considered swag to me.

 

I think you might be confusing a couple of the ABs...Contreras came up with 2nd and 3rd after the Zobrist double and hit through a partially drawn in infield. Then you had the Heyward failed bunt, which now when I think of that I picture Javy doing that in the top of the 9th of game 7 with a guy on third, which ended with him at second, and then Javy came up and singled to take the lead. It was definitely nice to get the breaks, but it was a real frustrating game until the very end.

 

Whoops I got the Willson and Javy ABs out of order you're right. I must be getting old

[David]

This'll settle everything

 

[UMFan83]

This'll settle everything

 

 

I too welcome this as an excuse to rewatch

[Brian]

 

[Brian707]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

My wife shot a video of me pacing around the house in the bottom of the ninth. She showed it to me a couple months back, it sounded like i was speaking in tongues. I could not believe the Cubs got out of it, let alone a 1-2-3 inning. I knew then they were winning the game after that.

[squally1313]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-inning-the-cubs-stole/

 

My wife shot a video of me pacing around the house in the bottom of the ninth. She showed it to me a couple months back, it sounded like i was speaking in tongues. I could not believe the Cubs got out of it, let alone a 1-2-3 inning. I knew then they were winning the game after that.

 

I had closed out our tab in the top of the 8th expecting a mad rush and wanting to get out on the streets, not before asking if they sold champagne like a jinxing idiot that I am (I was also the 14 year old that started the '5 outs left' chant in my section right before Bartman). Said I would cover the bill and realized they were charging $9/Old Style tall boy, so that was a cool $350 or so. Between the 9th and the rain delay...that was a dark half hour.