LeonDurham

They do not swing at balls. horsefeathers us.

Opposing teams would be thrilled if our perennial 30 HR 100 RBI player would just drop bunts all game Well now, that’s an exaggeration isn’t it. It is. Because If they really wanted it they’d just walk him.

Like his good buddy werth utley sucks and knows it so all he tries to do is draw walks.

The ump sucks ass.

If I were manager I’d force everyone to bunt into the shift. Especially rizzo. He gets a more severe shift than most. Opposing teams would be thrilled if our perennial 30 HR 100 RBI player would just drop bunts all game There are few players who wouldn’t be better off in the long run taking a free single. Bonds on roids might be one of them. The analytics argue its successful only x percent of the time. But I don’t think it takes into account that it will deter the shift eventually. And the outcome should be a hit or foul ball strike. Out is very unlikely. You still have a shot later in the count swinging away.

Heck no. Every hitter has it within his power to make teams stop playing the shift. They just don’t do it. If I were manager I’d force everyone to bunt into the shift. Especially rizzo. He gets a more severe shift than most.

Can’t complain. Good ab by schwarber. We need more of those from everyone.

It seems as if the dodgers pitching philosophy is throw strikes early. They have to swing and hit their pitch.

This small strike zone is not doing Kyle any favors.

horsefeathers Hendricks doesn’t have it tonight. Buckle in. They will have to win a shootout.

He’s completely regressed to 2016 heyward.

The sabermetrics love bunting for a hit against the shift because, as you said, it's a guaranteed hit if it's halfway decent. I read articles arguing against it but I think they are flawed. I have to think if the analytics were clearly in favor the cubs would do it. You even make an attempt with the first pitch. It’s either a hit or a strike. Then you can take it off. But you might avoid the shift in the future. And a playoff game with runner on is perfect time to do it. I can clearly understand why Barry bonds 2004 shouldn’t bunt. But mortals should do it in that situation.

Hit a home run. Oh jay is up. Never mind.

I know the sabermetrics are against a bunt but come on. It’s a guaranteed hit here.

Bunt.

It's even stupider when you didn't lose the ball. That was one of the most hilariously bad calls in NFL history. Yeah, it was bad all around. But the end zone fumble touchback rule is non-sensical and caused it all. The only place in the field where the other team doesn't even take the ball away and you not only lose possession, you also lose 20 yards. It should be changed. Give the offense the ball. I have no idea what the basis of the rule is. Perhaps it was rational years ago before helmets and before Knute Rockne invented the forward pass. Get rid of it like the tuck rule. Of course, the Pats use it to their advantage before it dies.

My main point is not even to defend the Lackey decision. It's mainly to blame the players who aren't executing before second guessing the manager.

Here’s the thing. Wades arm is about to fall off. And they haven’t hit worth horsefeathers for the entire playoffs. Roll the dice with lackey who’s been ok lately. This isn't horsefeathering June. It's October. Wade didn't pitch on Friday, he didn't pitch Saturday and he's not going to pitch on Monday. Nobody is saying to run him out there for 50 pitches again. But it's the top of the order with the game on the line. You don't go down with your 8th best pitcher. You leave Duensing in and hope to steal one against 7-8-9? Sure. But when the inning got dirty, you bring in your best pitcher. He should have been brought in for Taylor. I understand the points. But you can't blame Maddon for Lackey's horrific pitch sequence vs. the guy in front of Turner. Those pitches weren't even close. And unlike our hitters, their hitters don't swing at garbage in the dirt as often. Lackey is the one that fucked up here. No Maddon. And the fact is, we don't have a single reliever outside of the spent Wade Davis who is even remotely reliable in terms of pitching in the strike zone. And he was spent. What happens if Lackey gets out of the inning. Then what. As far as Joe knows, the Cubs could go 3-4-5 innings before getting a run. At least Lackey has a shot to settle down and pitch a few more innings. You bring Davis in that situation and you're in a situation where you have to use another pitcher anyways in all likelihood. Best case scenario, its another multiple inning outing for him. Joe gets second guessed for his decision making. If you are second guessing him for anything, then how about getting his players prepared not to suck ass in the playoffs. The players are simply not performing on the field.

[tweet] [/tweet] Agreed. Assume that lightning strikes and they actually score a run. Big if. Who closes it out! You need lackey anyways.

Do you see the problem here? Here’s the thing. Wades arm is about to fall off. And they haven’t hit worth horsefeathers for the entire playoffs. Roll the dice with lackey who’s been ok lately.

They can win this horsefeathers If they horsefeathering wake up and start playing. 3-1 down last year.

Again. I don’t see how you can blame Maddon here. Is it his fault they are having horrible ab after horrible ab. How does lackey walk that scrub in front of babe turner with 3 pitches that even Javy Baez wouldn’t swing at.

They just had a better approach on both sides. Their pitchers are getting ahead with early strikes. When our batters swing at strikes they are missing them. Our pitchers nibble and don’t get swings It’s not like they are hitting particularly well. And nobody on their team is strasburg. This is frustrating.

How do you walk that guy in front of the one guy in their lineup that’s hitting. Twice in a row. Just horrible execution on both sides of the plate.

He is just missing strikes down the middle. Frustrating.