David

Right. Note how low the Rangers and Indians (both of whom will win their divisions with ease) are.

Let me preface this by pointing out something I don't really think I need to point out. I'm a well known Vin Scully hater. That said - these are pretty great. [tweet] [/tweet] and [tweet] [/tweet]

Wait, what? Who would you want starting the 4th game? Brain fart, forgot Lester (or whoever the game 1 starter is) wouldn't be on regular rest for game 4. I thought the DS was lined up to go 1,2,3,1,2 with all on regular rest. Move along nothing to see here ah yeah, no. There's a reason we went Hammel/bullpen last year, haha.

That was the case two days ago. Then yesterday it wasn't. Guess it is again. Either way, I'm guessing the Cleveland injuries combined with the Rangers not actually being any good (especially in the eyes of their projections, I'm sure), have a lot to do with it.

Wait, what? Who would you want starting the 4th game?

It benefits him by not going under the knife. Is throwing the devastating slider a couple of times a game really going to change his chances of injury that much, especially at age 31? I am actually asking not refuting your point. Also I stopped reading your last post and didn't realize you already brought up Jake's FA put spun into a different perspective than mine, my bad. Remember the talk of the dangers of slider reliance when Garza came and started throwing it a bunch more (and being much more successful)?

Let me clarify. I 'get' the reasoning why this is a theory, but I have never heard of a pitcher purposely avoiding throwing his best pitch all season to save it for the postseason. David made a point about Kerry Wood and the slurve, but he *never* used the slurve after his first couple of injuries and that was because throwing that pitch would make it likely he is injured again. Maybe there is a concern about Jake getting injured if he throws the slider at the same frequency and same break as last year, I don't know. You also have to remember Jake wants Kershaw money and as much as he's a team guy and wants to win it all, I am not sure how it benefits him to virtually stop using his best pitch 18 months away from his only chance at big money FA. I think what TT said is probably right (as usual). That's a concern with any pitcher with the slider. The Cubs had the luxury of having it wrapped up pretty easily and Arrieta has the luxury of having a repertoire that can still be pretty successful without it. I know Jake and Bosio (much like Sale) talked about pitching more to contact before the season, too. Maybe there's some correlation there. I'd guess that it wasn't intentional but I wouldn't be shocked if there was some sort of conscious effort involved in what we've seen with his pitch usage this year.

I'm not disagreeing that it's probably not actually the case that he's intentionally not throwing it (or with less intensity) but that logic is ehhh...think of how many jams Kerry Wood could've gotten out of if he decided to throw the slurve again.

drinky is a clown and there's a reason he's been a producer for like 15 years or something

What is this about? Not watching took a liner off his right wrist...stayed in. it's all red and blue.

javy would've had him

jesus christ

i wonder where heyward was when votto didn't catch that ball

they just said that if the score holds in the nats game (it did) and the cubs win, it'll be down to 3 Does that magic number account for the fact that we won the season series and thus the tiebreaker? If not then the true magic number is 1 lower no clue. ask len. it's social media night.

yay heyward

amazing that we might have no 20 game winners, especially with the start jake had.

they just said that if the score holds in the nats game (it did) and the cubs win, it'll be down to 3

yay RD game

yes

isn't that just the status quo in the NFL? No. I don't think so. Hatley inherited Wanny, Angelo inherited Jauron, Emery inherited Lovie. This is the 1st time since 92', the GM picked the coach at the start. That's a flawed system to me. Not even the Browns have that odd track record. I just mean that I think most coaches, especially ones who've had any degree of success, have lots of say in personnel (moreso than other sports) and often have more say than their supposed superiors.

unlike roberto garza

To me it still is to some extent. That has a lot to do with my being just 21 and fresh out of college at the time. This team is obviously the new standard. From day one they've been [expletive] destroying everyone. Yep. Spent 1 day not in first place (either sole possession or tied) and sole possession of first place from the 7th game on. I've already heard some White Sox fans hanging their hats on the fact that the Cubs won't go wire to wire like they did.

[tweet] [/tweet]

No, I don't really think it was bad luck. And I don't really agree that the problem is a lack of organization philosophy. It seems fairly obvious they were going for a younger, faster defense and counting on a solid run game with the occasional deep threat, a standard play not to lose mentality. the problem is talent at key positions. The offensive tackles suck, the defense cannot rush the passer. Pace, whose history is in scouting guys already in the NFL, has not been a good drafter, and frankly I have no reason to believe he was capable of making a better hire than Fox. He looked for stability. To me, the balance of power between the GM and HC has always been flawed. Too many circumstances (including now) where the coach has more power than the GM. isn't that just the status quo in the NFL?