UMFan83
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Everything posted by UMFan83
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Hah, that's similar to my experience in 2008. Started at Murphy's, went to Redmond's for some reason, then ended up at Justin's on Southport followed by watching Soriano strike out on a pitch in the dirt from my living room. 2003 I had to work that day for the start of the game, left work when it was 2-0, heard a very grainy Pat Hughes call the wild pitch that scored a run to make it 3-0 (was living in NH at the time, could amazingly get WGN radio on clear nights), watched the 8th inning from my living room and then jumped back into my car for a quiet drive to help me come to grips with what happened. Can't remember where I was for game 7, I think I was just watching at home.
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Yeah I just think the difficult part to deal with is the fact that you could be a team as good as the Cubs and by plain bad luck and randomness you can get swept or otherwise lose in the first round In the NBA, the top seed is probably a 90% favorite to win in the 1st round (at least in the east) and a heavy favorite in the 2nd round. If you are a team like the Cavs or Warriors, losing in the 1st two rounds is a huge upset. In the NFL, the teams are closer matched, but a) The best teams get a bye and its only 2 wins to the championship round and b) home field advantage is bigger than in baseball so it tilts things in the better team's favor In the NHL, the 1st round discrepancy isn't as big as the NBA and there are more frequently 1 seeds losing, but its still an very uncommon occurrence. If you watch a baseball team play almost everyday for 6 months and watch them beat down teams to constantly reaffirm their status as the best team, it seems somewhat unfair that they are only a 55-60% favorite to get past the first round.
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I didn't even read/hear about the toe tapping thing. Is that a legit reason to why he struggled? We know they were trying to do things with his front leg/foot load all year. Whether you want to believe that was the only reason or one of the reasons is pretty hard to nail down. Maybe it's just that, maybe it's a combination of that, the wrist injury, timing being off, hand placement, etc. We don't know for sure, but I think the internet sleuths that looked into his swing with the toe tapping mentioned that his bat looked a bit wild/out of control as it went through zone (I THINK this was the conclusion) which was forcing a lot of weak contact. Apparently the toe tapping completely disappeared after his 4 day break in Colorado. There was an initial struggle, but the last 2-3 weeks of the season he started driving balls a lot more consistently so the hope is that he's re-adjusted to his old swing and is ready to kill it in the playoffs. I'm no expert, but it seems like as plausible an explanation as any for Heyward randomly dropping off a cliff offensively at age 26 with an OPS that was 70 points below his 2nd worst season and 160 points worse than last season.
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Probably, but their defense was atrocious. Having Heyward in either RF or CF would have had a little bit of a trickle down effect and at least made their defense a positive out there if they went Grichuck/Heyward/Piscotty most of the year and also kept Wong in the infield where he was one of their better defenders at 2B/3B. True, plus if we believe the addition of toe tapping to Heyward's swing was a big part of his struggles this year, they are probably looking at a more productive Heyward at the plate this year.
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Yeah, especially when his AB/playing time was replaced by some combination of Piscotty (2.7 fWAR) and Grichuk (2.0 fWAR)
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I think knowing its a crapshoot actually gives me less anxiety. If we lose, it's not because we choked or because we proved we weren't really the best team, its because we played the weighted crapshoot and lost. Also, I know you can't do the whole "we're set up for years so we can just try again next year" thing but.....well we're set up for years so we can just try again next year.
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Sucks that it's supposed to be 79 today and 81 tomorrow but then Friday it's only 68/48 and Saturday 64/50. Guess Soler isn't making the roster after all
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Cubs win! -
I made that noise, too, except I was trying to swallow the freakishly large boner that cover gave me because I'm not afraid of stupid baseball things. It's a pretty badass cover. I think I might actually buy one.
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Yeah but then you open the possibility that advanced scouts from Giants/Mets attend. Not sure if there is anything really secret that the Cubs are doing but Jake could be working on some stuff, etc.
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OK I'm done, time to go home
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https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/783411079640645632 Not sure if this tips their hand on the postseason roster for the NLDS but I'm assuming its a priority to keep him sharp in case one of the 4 starters is injured and the Cubs advance and reset their roster.
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https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/783408280815169536 (I'm guessing that [expletive] is not kidding)
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https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/783405799527755777
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https://twitter.com/BruceMiles2112/status/783404583653638144 https://twitter.com/BruceMiles2112/status/783405369691340802
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Can The Logan just start the game thread now for NLDS specific discussion and then edit the title to reflect the opponent after Wednesday?
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*gulp*
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Random but the Cubs 9th inning comeback in this game moved the Reds from the 7th pick in next year's draft to the 2nd pick. When the Reds version of Kris Bryant is killing us in 2020, you can thank Szczur, Kawasaki and co. Edit: Just kidding I'm sure they will blow the pick
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Cool article about how Wrigley changes as the weather turns in October http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-physics-of-october-baseball-in-wrigley/
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I just did that exact config (Boston OF, Cubs IF, Cubs Starters, Posey, Ortiz, Indians Pen and got 100% 100.0% YOUR SCORE 71.7 WAR TOTAL Your team will sweep the World Series! Congratulations! You built the best possible 2016 playoff team -- at least in pixels. There's a reason they play the games, as they say, but your team is so good it's clearly bound for October glory. Your prize: a Fall Classic sweep.
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I just did one that said I would get swept in the LDS. Dammit now I have to look through to figure out who i picked, hang on.. Edit: Jays OF Nats IF Orioles SP Giants pen Indians C Jays DH 28.8% YOUR SCORE 32.6 WAR TOTAL Your team will get swept in the LDS
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Boston IF Cubs IF Cubs SP Orioles DH Giants C Cubs Pen 84.3 % 63.1 WAR Lose Game 7 WS Edit: Not sure why I went for Trumbo over Ortiz
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Lets play like the last time we played the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Updated Standings: http://i.imgur.com/duieDz1.png
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Didn't TLR basically hitch himself to Stewart in a 'if you fire him, I am gone too' sort of thing? If so that's hilarious because 1) Either TLR fired him while retaining himself or 2) Someone about TLR fired Stewart and TLR isn't going to follow through and resign himself. Of course if news is still trickling out, TLR might be getting the axe as well.
