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I like the idea of unleashing Kyle upon the Indians at the best moment. Esp if Miller already pitched but I'm also not afraid of that matchup.

Nah. Gronk has a creepy vibe

how do we know it's october

Alright. horsefeathers it.

Don't those stats say Tomlin has a higher % of groundball outs than Kyle? Unless I ran it incorrectly. Isn't this just a function of a higher percentage of his total outs occuring in the field, overall? I think so. He doesn't strike anyone out and like every other fly ball is a homer. So by default, more of his outs are gonna be grounders.

I'm not sure why you wouldn't start Soler in RF. You've got wind blowing out, a SP that give up 1.86 HR/FB and reverse splits that favor him. After 2 ABs, if the Cubs are ahead, he's out and Heyward or Almora comes in. Schwarber, Monty, and Ross are available to PH with Heyward and Almora available to run/play D late. If you start Almora, you've given up a couple ABs with a power hitter in favor of a pretty low upside hitter and you've wasted a defensive replacement. You basically can't take him out without making 2 switches to get back to the same level of defense (Heyward). If you don't start Soler, you start Heyward and hope he gets lucky against a pretty weak SP and otherwise just take the stud defense all game long. In my scenario, Almora might well get zero ABs, but you get 2-3 innings of defense from him. If you want to swap out Soler for Schwarber in my above statement for rational reasons, fine, but that simply isn't as sexy. Schwarber defies all logic and physical constraints. I don't understand the thinking, I guess. I'd rather have Soler in the OF and come up 1-2 times on a windy day against a RHP that gives up a lot of HRs and keep Russell and Hendricks at the end of the lineup. The likelihood that Soler hits a HR in those circumstances is higher than the chance that Almora saves a run playing defense in RF in the first 2 innings (knocking on wood now). Your situation has Russell 7th and Hendricks and Almora 8/9. I don't think you want to increase the number of times Russell and the pitcher's spot come to bat just to get a couple innings of Almora in RF at the start. If defense is the goal, put Heyward out there and let him hit 7th and hope he puts one into the wind.

I want him starting. We need to maximize his AB's against average pitching. The middle innings and later could just be Miller and Allen, no matter the circumstance. If Miller is pitching in the 3rd or 4th inning and we're not already up a few, then something has gone terribly wrong.

Still assuming he's medically cleared, I think Game 4 depends somewhat on Game 3. But if the Cubs win tomorrow, I'd still guess we'd see Heyward in RF on Saturday to start. If Kluber is killing us, Schwarber probably steals a couple ABs, Zobrist moves to RF for maybe 2-3 innings, and then after Schwarber's 2nd AB, if he doesn't dong, Almora comes in to run and finish the game in the OF. I just really like the idea of Joe being able to pick a spot to unleash Schwarber when he can do the most damage and play only 1-2 innings in the field. If he comes up in an inning where there's 0 out, the lineup cycles around to him again more quickly and he may only play the field 1-2 innings while getting to hit twice. Or he comes in, hits a huge dong, knocks Kluber out of the game, and maybe doesn't have to play the field b/c we go defense to hold the lead. I don't see how you can trust a guy to play OF who was pretty much a disaster out there last time he played in a game and hasn't played OF in MLB in 6 months. This isn't you, TT, but I know some people assume you can take any IF and just drop them in LF and they can be at least ok. But a windy October night game in Wrigley isn't exactly catching shag flys, esp for a guy like Schwarber.

But you can do that at any point in the game. You can start with a guy like Soler in RF, who isn't great but isn't Schwarber (who may be inhuman as a hitter, but how many fly balls has he taken since spring training?). As the game progresses, if the need arises, you can insert Schwarber in a double switch or straight up for Soler to maximize the importance of his 1-2 ABs, then if the Cubs have the lead late, you take him out for Heyward or Almora. With that strategy, you have 1 or 0 ABs by a guy like Heyward that's been sucking out loud. And you have at least some potential for donging with Soler getting a couple ABs early in the game. If we get out to a nice lead, you don't bring in Kyle but go straight to Heyward in the middle innings. We have the flexibility in our roster to do that and I think you start the game assuming you're not PH for Hendricks until at least bottom of the 6th. Again, this assumes he's medically cleared for the OF. But if he hasn't been taking fly balls since spring training, I can't see how you put him in the OF with a guy that pitches to weak contact like Hendricks. Get the lead off the Indians crappy SP, play good defense, and let Scwharber PH in a key spot if you need it - that'd be my plan for Game 3. Yeah, I think something like this makes sense. I'd start the game with Almora in right and bat him 8th or 9th. See how the game is flowing (or see if Almora would have a high-leverage AB) and put Schwarber in whenever it makes sense...and pinch-run/replace him with Heyward whenever, again, it makes the most sense. Still lots of PH options, and Zobrist just hops around from left to right. I'm not sure why you wouldn't start Soler in RF. You've got wind blowing out, a SP that give up 1.86 HR/FB and reverse splits that favor him. After 2 ABs, if the Cubs are ahead, he's out and Heyward or Almora comes in. Schwarber, Monty, and Ross are available to PH with Heyward and Almora available to run/play D late. If you start Almora, you've given up a couple ABs with a power hitter in favor of a pretty low upside hitter and you've wasted a defensive replacement. You basically can't take him out without making 2 switches to get back to the same level of defense (Heyward). If you don't start Soler, you start Heyward and hope he gets lucky against a pretty weak SP and otherwise just take the stud defense all game long.

Eh- its not just being hobbled, but just practiced. Obviously being medically cleared is the big step, but i can buy the argument that hitting is more stressful already, particularly the back leg. Brisbee had a couple of the photos of Kyle face-planting out there last year. Soler isn't a gold glove, but he can play ok. And with the wind blowing hard, the last thing I want is a guy that primarily played catcher until last year and hasn't seen a live ball coming off an MLB bat in 6+ months trying to catch fly balls.

Not to be pedantic, but in all likelihood it's one of Napoli and Santana in any given non-DH game, not both. Possibly the same for the Cubs re Schwarber, but on paper you're taking away relatively more of their standard firepower. Apparently Santana was taking flyballs in LF the past 2 days in Cleveland they are thinking of playing him out there. They might as well. Tomlin gives up 1.86 HR/FB and that's presumably not only when the wind is howling out and he's facing one of the best HR hitting teams in baseball.

What? No...they are not going to bench Javy. Easy solution: C Contreras 1B Rizzo 2B/RF Zobrist SS Russell 3B/2B Baez LF Schwarber CF Fowler RF/3B Bryant Pure dongaliciousness I forgot Contreras would be C. Especially given that, you don't need to start Schwarber tomorrow and sacrifice so much D. We have a huge advantage in SP but ours relies on quality defense behind him. Our offense is significantly better than theirs even without Schwarber starting. So put Soler in RF and leave the stud IF defense alone.

Since we have the last at bat, by starting a more defensive minded player you can maximize his innings on defense while minimizing his abs. Also, in theory, we won't need the defense as much later in the game, because our relievers strike out batters at a higher rate, but since we'll have the lead we can bring in the other defensive stud. But you can do that at any point in the game. You can start with a guy like Soler in RF, who isn't great but isn't Schwarber (who may be inhuman as a hitter, but how many fly balls has he taken since spring training?). As the game progresses, if the need arises, you can insert Schwarber in a double switch or straight up for Soler to maximize the importance of his 1-2 ABs, then if the Cubs have the lead late, you take him out for Heyward or Almora. With that strategy, you have 1 or 0 ABs by a guy like Heyward that's been sucking out loud. And you have at least some potential for donging with Soler getting a couple ABs early in the game. If we get out to a nice lead, you don't bring in Kyle but go straight to Heyward in the middle innings. We have the flexibility in our roster to do that and I think you start the game assuming you're not PH for Hendricks until at least bottom of the 6th. Again, this assumes he's medically cleared for the OF. But if he hasn't been taking fly balls since spring training, I can't see how you put him in the OF with a guy that pitches to weak contact like Hendricks. Get the lead off the Indians crappy SP, play good defense, and let Scwharber PH in a key spot if you need it - that'd be my plan for Game 3.

boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now. He was a writer for SBNation for a brief period. Anyone who is on the same staff as Al Yellon you have to assume is going to become awful through osmosis. Isn't Brisbee technically on the same staff as Yellon? Brisbee is the best baseball writer going these days.

Are you benching Zobrist for Almora? Yeah, Zobrist is clearly playing the OF and the IF isn't changing. Maddon has shown a willingness to start offense and play defense later, so my guess is if Schwarber starts, he's in LF and Zobrist is in RF. But I don't think Schwarber will start tomorrow. My guess is Joe is confident enough in Hendricks that he'll use Kyle as a key PH when there's a run scoring opportunity (and maybe keep him in the game if he's cleared to play defense). I think we'll see Zobrist in one corner with either Contreras or Soler starting in the opposite corner. If Kyle is cleared to play defense, he might start on Saturday when the Lackey/Kluber matchup is much less favorable and we'll need all the offense we can get.

Carlos Baerga threw out of the first pitch for Game 2? Jesus, Cleveland. Was Ricky Vaughn still in rehab?

I mean, there's a lot of forms of leadership obviously. And I'm sure guy's like Rizzo keep the clubhouse loose and fun, which is huge for this team. But he's maybe not the guy you see standing up in the room and giving a no nonsense, let's bear down and kick some ass kind of speech when it's needed. Kyle is definitely that guy. And earning Ross's respect by yelling "suck my dick" at him after getting an RBI in the World Series probably earned him a bunch of cred in the clubhouse too.

I'm positive Trump's doctor would clear Kyle.

i've been traveling all week, so just this morning i read this thread starting with agony saying kyle would return. hindsight and all but lol.

well according to rob neyer the only solution is to trade rizzo boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now.

2 of my son's great-grandfathers - my grandpa on my mom's side and my wife's grandpa on her dad's side. They were both about the same age. Both die hard Cubs fans. Moved to the same small town (at different times) where my wife and I were born. My mom and my father-in-law were classmates in high school. Their dads were golfing buddies in retirement. My grandpa was basically deaf and my wife's grandpa never stopped talking so it didn't matter if you could hear him or not. They died within 3 weeks of each other after pitchers and catchers reported in 2014. My wife's grandpa is the kind of guy who could talk anyone into almost anything and you'd be laughing along so much you'd forget why you didn't want to do it in the first place. So I'm guessing he was able to pull whatever strings might have been needed to get Theo's plan to work to perfection.

I love how people suggest this as if TT wouldn't strangle you with his bare hands. And then permaban the bum again.

As terrible as Heyward has been, I have to wonder if Almora doesn't start even against a RHP.

I'm going to admit this b/c we're among friends. But I checked the WS schedule when making my travel plans. But I needed to attend this conference and get down to LA by Wed. My only option to not fly during the game was to fly super late or super early. I actually booked my flights thinking "I'm not going to not book them during the WS" just b/c I didn't want to jinx it. Is that meatballish and stupid? Of course. But it worked, so you're welcome. That said, I can watch most of Games 1 and 2 from an airport bar and I made absolutely sure that I wouldn't miss any of Games 3-7.

your fault for not asking me watching party from PS? I'll be on a plane for games 1 and 2. this is the worst WS ever.