Tracer Bullet

would a little lead off dong be too much to ask dex?

Nice that Scully is getting recognized in the last game at Dodgers stadium of 2016

You just know that Turner had nightmares all last night of Contreras popping up out of his stance in nanoseconds. He probably won't even lead off.

By contrast, when the Cubs get on base, they plan to score.

I think the bigger issues were: it was 8/9, so he was coming around to the top of the order for the 3rd time, and as you mentioned earlier, he wasn't particularly close with some of those misses. Joe really didn't want to have to take him out. He wanted 2 IP out of Montgomery and he didn't want him to hit. It was lined up perfectly if Lackey gets through 8/9/1 in order. But there's no way Lackey was facing Utley, Seager, Turner and Gonzalez with 2 guys on when a LHP was ready.

Watched the game with my wife and son and as Joe walked up and the camera zoomed in on Lackey, she turned to me and said "what did he say?" I looked at my kid, who was giggling to himself, and said "he asked 'are you kidding me?' with an extra word in there." FS1 made it pretty easy to read his lips. Of course, my wife also said "wow he has like perfect teeth. Really big. But otherwise, they're perfect." She didn't understand why I thought that was so funny.

There are reasons to consider it from the Dodgers' perspective. BBB is right - going to wrigley needing just 1 instead of facing possibly facing 2 elimination games is a big difference, and it neutralizes what is currently the biggest SP advantage for the Cubs in today's game. Plus it would give them flexibility - Kershaw available in relief in G7, and setting him up to start WS Game 1. Thinking ahead, whomever starts Game 6 of the NLCS probably isn't available until Game 3 of the WS. If you're the Dodgers and you have 1 true stud SP, then you'd want him at least available to start Games 1, 4, and 7 on short rest or out of the pen, even if you don't need him for Game 4. Giving him 2 more days now limits you to just Games 3 and maybe 7 if you're still there. Or they could have him start Game 2 on short rest and either Game 5 on short rest or Game 6, but it's still just 2 WS starts. I don't really understand the idea that today's game is less important than Saturday's. As of right now, the next 2 games are equally important to the Dodgers - they have to win at least one of them. I'm guessing they have reason to think Kershaw wouldn't have been effective today, which is why they had a full bullpen yesterday and will have him pitch Saturday. If he were fully healthy, it'd be kind of dumb not to have him pitch today given the extra availability it gives them this series and next. It only really matters for the Dodgers. The Indians have plenty of time and will set Kluber up for Game 1 and probably 4 & 7 b/c their rotation is otherwise a tire fire. The Cubs have 4 guys that can go and Lester is already lined up to start Games 1 and 5 (of course, Lackey probably would have to start Game 2, so Hendricks would go 3 and 7). But the Dodgers are in a tough spot if Kershaw doesn't start until Saturday.

Jake on 3 days rest seems like setting him up to fail. Maybe. Guys go on 3 days rest in the playoffs all the time. But that's obviously not my concern. My concern is not wasting a great Hendricks start against an amazing Kershaw. Joe won't do it bc it's not zen. But it gives us the best chance to win the series. If you have the 2nd and 3rd best starters between the 6 left to pitch, you don't put them up against the best starter. You let the 4th or 5th best guy face him and significantly increase your chances to win the other 2.

Won't happen. But I'd go Lester, Jake, Kyle. It's gonna take a near perfect game to beat Kershaw in 6. If Jake is god mode we get it. If not, we lose anyway. But Kyle can beat Hill in G7 without risking another Jake clunker against a team of lefties.

Cleveland sucks but the Indians are a fun team. I just hate the Dodgers

as if it needed to be stated, 0 ER

Miller: 11.2 IP, 5 H, 2 BB 20 K.

Is this the same Dave Roberts that insisted that Kershaw was not going to pitch in G5 of the NLDS?

I've come to realize that we lost the last 2 games because Fred wasn't here to tell us the Cubs record when they've scored 0 runs (horsefeathers you cancer). So I'll fix that little jinx. The Cubs are 0 and X when scoring 0 runs (where X represents the number of times we've scored 0 runs in a game). GO CUBS

if jake isn't going to be god-mode, then is miggy really adding enough value over contreras?

horsefeathers you guys outside Pacific time. I really wish they'd move these games to 6pm. I'm just trying to get my head above water so I can leave work in the next hour or two. Damnit.

At least I have no mixed emotions. I horsefeathering hate chapman

Man, I'm pretty trashed but I just can't figure out this sentence. I get that you don't want to miss the game but you live in the trees in Puget Sound? That doesn't seem very reasonable. i know it sounds odd, but the seattle area is 99% trees and water. a 25 mph wind here is like a tornado in the midwest. it's ridiculous. and if i miss this game bc of weather i'm not going to forgive you mother nature. you've been warned. and minny is sort of bizarro sasquatch. that's a good comp.

um, that's Montero. Miggy is going to have a huge horsefeathering series against the Dodgers!

yep. guess i've got to clear the late afternoon schedule a few days next week.

Yeah, I'm still kind of in shock. I still can't believe this is my team -- MY TEAM!!! -- playing this way. Ha. This is Theo's team.

Went to my son's room to put him to bed last night after the game. He had pulled out a bunch of stuffed bears and put them all around the room with all the Cubs hats and other knick knacks and horsefeathers he owns (he's a 4th generation rabid Cubs fans, so it's a lot of crap). He looked up at me as he was getting in bed and said, "Now it's go time."

Yep. Giants may hate him like we hate will clark

Lol