Ender

I don't expect Zambrano to have a sub 4 ERA again in his career either. His career is following the Livan Hernandez path, too many pitches at a young age with a rapidly falling K rate that catches up to him at a relatively young age even though his BB rate improves. Maybe the strong Cub defense proves me wrong but as a big time fantasy baseball player I cannot imagine drafting him next year at anywhere near his going rate. PS. I still expect this game to go 5 games even though I still predict the Dodgers win it.

We should spend the next 30 pages of discussion on Sosa. Bum, or gladiator? My vote is product of his times. If a bunch of guys were doing it and I was competing in the league I'd probably do it too.

Well the pre-steroid .260 hitting 35 HR Sosa is a much different beast than the steroid version who hit 50+ HR every year. All depends on which one you want to remember.

I'd be happy if the cast-offs were limited to DeRo, Dempster, Theriot, and D-Lee. They had the tightest sphincters this series, so they simply have to go. Give Fuku another year. Embrace Soriano's eccentricity and encourage players to emulate him. Sign four guys that, in a psychological sense, most fit the Manny/Johnny Damon/Idiot psychological profile to replace DeRo, Demp, Ther, and D. Just not Manny himself. Too distracting. Bring in Bellhorn as a bench guy (or coach?). DeRo, really? You do realize he's driven in our only runs of this series, right? Keep him as a super utility guy if you must. This was a career year. I would expect something Gary Gaetti-like from him next year. And that DP boot must have made Alex Gonzalez blush. I've said this same thing 3 years in a row now. I laughed when the Cubs signed him because he had a career year for the Rangers in 2006 figuring it was just a fluke. In 2007 when he put up a .371 OBP and .791 OPS I said he just got lucky. This year he again had a .376 OBP and managed to set a career high with a .481 SLG and .857 OPS. At this point I have to assume that it isn't just a career year and he really is a .280-.300 hitter with 60 BB potential and solid overall power. As long as he is mostly playing in the IF he is well above average, as an OF he is at least adequate.

Yeah that was a bad defensive play by Zambrano, just one that worked out because of a bad call.

I don't believe in curses but I do believe that someone who does believe in a curse can think their way into curse like problems. The Cubs get the curse thrown in their faces constantly and it has to make things harder on them than they should be even though the curse itself isn't real.

Yes I think the Rays, Angels and Red Sox are all better than the Cubs. No, you can't prove it by run differential etc because they play in different leagues. The AL is still clearly the better league as seen by interleague play. The NL was completely dominated in interleague yet again including the Cubs going 6-9, Phillies 4-11, Brewers 7-8, Dodgers 5-10. If the Cubs were in the AL East they very well might have been a 5th place team and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been better than 3rd. The other NL playoff teams would have definitely been 5th place. The fact that I'm a Brewer fan has nothing to do with it. I think the Brewers are probably the weakest playoff team in either league and I'm not afraid to say it. I think the Cubs have the best team in the NL but I don't think they have the best chance in the playoffs because I don't think Zambrano is healthy, I don't think Harden's velocity is where it should be and I still don't believe Dempster is an ace style pitcher, I think he is a 4 ERA guy who had a career year. But I don't see how anyone can argue that the AL isn't the stronger league and that 95 wins in the AL means a heck of a lot more than 95 in the NL.

This is the Cubs we are talking about right, not the Rays, Red Sox or Angels who are all better than them? When did Sabathia, Lincecum, Halladay or Santana get traded to the Cubs? Lilly has looked better lately, that is for sure Dont' see how this matters much Yeah the Cubs do well with a lead late.

Lowe can do that to you with all the groundball outs. He always gives up more hits than you'd expect for the ERA.

Angels over Red Sox Rays over White Sox Rays over Angels Phillies over Brewers Dodgers over Cubs Dodgers over Phillies Rays over Dodgers

In a series where 3 games are on the road and 2 are at home does this really matter all that much? It takes one semi-lucky game by the pitchers to completely offset any home field advantage.

Bullpens heavily dominate the playoffs so if anything the ERA thing favors the dodgers. I picked the Dodgers to go to the World Series, this is a much better team than the record suggests now that Furcal is back, Manny is in the lineup, Andruw and Pierre aren't playing much and the bullpen is closer to healthy. Whichever team wins this series goes to the WS. I don't think the Brewers or Phillies can compete with either of them without getting lucky.

As a Brewer fan I'm sure I'm biased as hell but I pick the Dodgers as well. They are a much better team than the record suggests now that they aren't playing Andruw and Pierre and now that Furcal should be healthy. I'm a firm believer in the crappy version of Zambrano and not the isolated no hitter version and Harden has slid a bit lately as well. If the Cubs are going to win it is because Lilly and Dempser step up big, not because of the aces. I also think all the little nagging injures to Soto, DeRosa, Soriano catch up to the offense somewhat. PS. if money were on the line I'd pick a Dodgers vs Phillies NLCS, so it isn't 100% bias at work.

I sorta see your point with basketball or hockey but football playoffs are about as random as you can get. The Dodgers are very capable of beating the Cubs 3 out of 5 so I don't think they choked or anything if it happens. I'd expect fans to still be let down by it.

It's the "you never know" factor that worries me somewhat. It's almost invariable that a team you don't snuff out when you have the chance will come back and trouble you somehow. See also: 2004 Astros. Yeah I can agree with that. If all the pitchers pitch to their potential I don't think any team can compare to the Brewers rotation. Three pitchers who could easily post seasons of sub 3.00 ERA. I doubt they pitch like that though since they all have their issues.