Playoff Eve Thread (Cubs v Padres)

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, chopsx9 said:

Was the 2 home then 3 in San Diego the normal configuration back then?

Yes, it was 

2 and 3 and then in 1985 it went to best of 7 with the 2-3-2 format

Edited September 30, 2025 by chibears55

[Jason Ross]

53 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Civale's been legitimately great out of the pen (unlike Flexen who was purely smoke and mirrors).  Curious if he's purely for a game that gets out of hand or if the team thinks he's got a chance to put up actual worthwhile innings.

I would guess he's going to be in a role I'm calling the "designated loser" (can't claim I coined it, I picked it up on a documentary on Will Ohman of all things...no one can claim I am anything but a baseball nerd). I would expect his roles will be to come in and eat innings in the event of the Cubs losing, but that those innings will remain meaningful in that he will be a good arm that you can trust to keep the game around the same score (giving your offense a chance at a comeback) or to save the more important arms for later. 

I don't think, especially in a short series that he'd be asked to do much more than that. But I also think that the designated loser is a more important role than the name suggests! 

[Rcal10]

13 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I would guess he's going to be in a role I'm calling the "designated loser" (can't claim I coined it, I picked it up on a documentary on Will Ohman of all things...no one can claim I am anything but a baseball nerd). I would expect his roles will be to come in and eat innings in the event of the Cubs losing, but that those innings will remain meaningful in that he will be a good arm that you can trust to keep the game around the same score (giving your offense a chance at a comeback) or to save the more important arms for later. 

I don't think, especially in a short series that he'd be asked to do much more than that. But I also think that the designated loser is a more important role than the name suggests! 

So do you think it has to be multiple runs down before he is used to eat innings, or if they are down 2-1 after 4, is Civale trusted to keep it that close? Do you only see him in a game down 3 or more? 

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

So do you think it has to be multiple runs down before he is used to eat innings, or if they are down 2-1 after 4, is Civale trusted to keep it that close? Do you only see him in a game down 3 or more? 

I'm not going to create hardline answers to things I couldn't possible know. 

But with the Cubs electing 12 pitchers over 13, guys like Rea and Civale are likely your "designated losers" to eat a few innings if a SP is struggling. There is no tomorrow if we blow games and there is no shaking things loose. If Taillon, Shota, or Boyd are struggling in the 3rd inning, regardless of how good they can be, you pull them. And then you turn to a Civale or a Rea and you say "I need two or three innings, go stop them while we get back into it". 

It's far better than using Theilbar, or Keller, or Kittredge in the fifth when you'd ideally want them in the final third. Or in a 4+ run loss, to not use them at all and get them tomorrow.

Thus the "designated loser". They come in when you're losing to eat valuable innings and perform good enough to keep the game within reach (if possible) for your offense to scratch some across. I think in these oddball three game sets (that function as regular season sets despite them being in the playoffs), they're incredibly important. With no off days, you don't want Keller going three days in a row, for example, if you don't have to.

[Hot Sauce]

13 hours ago, mk49 said:

I just hope the Cubs win the game 1 with Boyd.  When he's good, he's good.  I worry about Boyd more than Shota.  The Horton's injury definitely sucks, but at least, Jamo and Rea pitched well lately.  I think Jamo will pitch in the game 3.

I am not worried about Boyd at all. 

[Soul]

54 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Yes, it was 

2 and 3 and then in 1985 it went to best of 7 with the 2-3-2 format

For the longest time I thought we got screwed.

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, Soul said:

For the longest time I thought we got screwed.

That because alot of people didn't realize they alternated divisions back then over going with best record.

 

[Connor McConnor]

37 minutes ago, Soul said:

For the longest time I thought we got screwed.

We kind of did.  Clobbering them in game 1 and then winning game 2 handily, it felt like a sure thing.  Not being able to win 1 out of 3 given that start......that was tough given the year we had.  Summer of 1984 was a blast, until that week in San Diego.  Ouch.  

Edited September 30, 2025 by Connor McConnor

[Rcal10]

38 minutes ago, Connor McConnor said:

We kind of did.  Clobbering them in game 1 and then winning game 2 handily, it felt like a sure thing.  Not being able to win 1 out of 3 given that start......that was tough given the year we had.  Summer of 1984 was a blast, until that week in San Diego.  Ouch.  

Pretty sure he meant with the scheduling. Many people falsely thought the Cubs got screeed out of home field advantage. They did not. 

[CubinNY]

Anyone else nervous?