Tracer Bullet

there are a lot of differences, actually. every moment in that game 7 is much higher leverage. while that's the same for both participants, it's still a hell of a lot different. and more was accomplished and banked to get to that point. How many different ways do you want me to say "the probability of winning the title is the same but they obviously feel different"? none. i don't think anyone wants you to say that or ever wanted you to say that

I'm the new blue-blood I'm the great white hope I'm the new blue-blood I won't horsefeathers us over, I'm Mr. November I'm Mr. November, I won't horsefeathers us over It'd be awesome if he used that as his walk up music.

GMs get probably more credit and more hate than they deserve and Hendry got a lot of hate. And he does seem like a good guy. He didn't have the ownership Theo has but he also wasn't as good at the job. Classy of Theo to give him credit (also, an easy thing to do given that Theo is playing with house money already).

I'm not sure that hurts so much with Jake, as opposed to Hendricks or even Lester who loves that low outside corner to RHs. And frankly, if not calling a low strike means Bryant and Baez will stop fishing at low breaking balls, then I'm all for it. Throw a bunch of high curve balls to KB. Be my guest.

that's just dumb. today is "win today and you can win the world series tomorrow." none of us has seen that. arguing that Game 6 of the WS is equivalent to Game 7 of an NLCS makes no sense at all. but you do you.

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.

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.

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.

Easily my biggest concern for today

How is this possibly stumping you, clod? Mocking you for your idiocy isn't stumping me. I'm quite aware that you think you're on a crusade against cultural appropriation. I'm also quite aware that you're a [expletive]. Take the bs elsewhere

or maybe he had to face the harsh reality that he just didn't have the teeth to pull off John Lackey this year

Pretty awesome reminder that to your kid, you're Dad and even a major league player dad isn't quite as cool as NAME OF ANOTHER MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER. lol

same. February birthdays aren't good for that same. but 2 weeks of rain delays and all that will change.

not sure if it is just b/c they've beaten us 3 times or b/c I'm just now seeing this regularly, but the chief wahoo thing is crazy stupid. pick a non-racist logo, dorks.

How does he lay off the fb 2 inches outside but a slider that starts 2 inches out and dives a foot out is irresistible?

[tweet] [/tweet] horsefeathering eddie vedder. theo is hard horsefeathering up man

There's a good chance it'll be hilarious, but Francona is smart to put him out there. The benefit of his bat outweighs the likelihood that this is a close game decided by the quality of the Indians LF. See also: Soler over Heyward not even close. Soler is an OF. Santana is a bad first baseman.

The bold pretty much addresses this. There's no massive PR work. No one has to do horsefeathers. And the idea that Kerry Wood might be swinging a big dick around Chicago right now strikes me as funny. Kerry is about to go from favorite son to guy that threw a great meaningless game once. agree to disagree the 20k, winning NLDS, homerun in playoffs and return from injury as solid closer along with stating he felt he owed the team money already cemented his future. The fact that he has so aggressively celebrated this team can only solidify his reputation. well, hyperbole is gonna hyperbole. he's done some great things but those will be pretty much eclipsed (not forgotten, but hitting a HR in the playoffs isn't going to be a thing Cubs cling to) if the Cubs win the next 3 games. but I thought the point was pretty obvious. Kerry Wood was a great Cub and that's cool. I can't imagine his not liking Sosa is what is preventing the Cubs from having the guy around this weekend. And maybe that's b/c I just can't see KW being that petty, as he seems like a classy guy.

its' not like they are hurting for alumni to drive interest and if/when it ever happens it will require PR work that they probably have no interest in dealing with right now. The bold pretty much addresses this. There's no massive PR work. No one has to do horsefeathers. And the idea that Kerry Wood might be swinging a big dick around Chicago right now strikes me as funny. Kerry is about to go from favorite son to guy that threw a great meaningless game once.

There's a good chance it'll be hilarious, but Francona is smart to put him out there. The benefit of his bat outweighs the likelihood that this is a close game decided by the quality of the Indians LF.

I was wrong about Schwarber struggling against Kluber, and I'll be happy to be wrong about Soler, but what about his last 2.5 months of baseball makes you confident he's going to not go 0-3 with a K and struggle in the OF? Well, he probably won't get 3 ABs. But the options are basically Soler, Heyward, and Almora. Starting Soler gives you the best chance, as remote as it might be, for extra dongage. And it gives you the most defensive flexibility later. If the Cubs are behind, Soler stays in and you pray he gets a hold of one. If the Cubs take the lead, he's likely benched by the 5th and Heyward comes in to play great defense (and maybe the pitcher moves to Soler's spot). Starting Almora in a game with the wind blowing out and a HR prone pitcher is just stupid.

[attachment=0]Calvin Wet Blanket.JPG[/attachment]

Yeah it makes no sense. He should be brought back and is an important part of the teams history, especially with a ton of current fans. Like you said, something bad/ridiculous must have happened sometime in 2004 that has never gotten out that he's been blacklisted. nah the most likely story is they hated him and Ricketts buys into the "shame" of steroids and whatnot. The holdovers still hate him, ricketts sees little upside in bringing him back and the new crew isn't wasting their time pushing for the other side. There's as much or more upside to having Sammy there as almost any non-HOF former player (except Wood and maybe a couple others). I mean, I wish things worked out differently for Prior, but I could give a horsefeathers if he's at Wrigley this weekend. Sosa is a bigger part of the Cubs than Prior ended up being. The reality is there's very little upside or downside to having any of these people there. The story this weekend isn't going to be about any particular former player showing up or not. But why not just be the bigger person and invite back a former star? I mean, just look at this place. Chances are the Bum has snuck back in unannounced and TT hasn't even hunted him down yet (emphasis on yet). It's a forgiving time.

We need to sweep these 3 games. I can't continue to be this unproductive into next week.

Yeah this isn't a good look for the Cubs. Unless he murdered someone that I don't know about, he should be there.