Baseball 2016

[hesperus]

Lifelong Cubs fan here, have been going to games at Wrigley since the sixties. I left chicago when I was in my 20's, but have been a loyal follower.
I remember vividly all the big disappointment years of 1969, 1984, 2003. Painful. The joy of making it to the big show is only tempered by the fact that my father and grandfather (also lifers) aren't able to be here to enjoy this ride. It's gonna be a great series



A pic of my good luck ball signed by Mr Cub himself in 1969! Maybe it'll help this year. GO CUBBIES.

 

[Car-Guy]

Well it looks like Francisco Lindor's stolen a base in game one of the WS, will cause Taco Bell to give out a lot of free Taco's on Nov 2. I wonder how many people will just ask for the free Taco and not buy other stuff?

https://www.tacobell.com/stealabase

 

[CardsFan]

Having been a life long Red Sox fan and endured most of the 86 year drought. I know how Cubs fans feel. I have had many friends and family never to have lived to see the Red Sox win the WS.

I grew up a Red Sox fan. I still cannot stand the names Bucky Dent or Bill Buckner. If you were a fan you know what I mean.

 

[harley]

I've got a ball with Ernie Banks signature on it too, although it's with a lot of Dodgers. I went to a Dodgers training camp about 30 years ago, and got a bunch of my old heroes signatures. Ernie Banks was there for some reason, so I figured "why not?". Nice guy.

 

[eytonxav]

Kluber has some stuff, coupled with great control. I think DS may have competed against him in HS. There are 3 other local Texas products also playing in the series, so there is some additional interest for me.

 

[aja8888]

Kluber has some stuff, coupled with great control. I think DS may have competed against him in HS. There are 3 other local Texas products also playing in the series, so there is some additional interest for me.

Boy that slider was wicked. And the placement of the pitches. Goes to show that it's not all about 100+ MPH fastballs for effective pitchers.

Remember Whitey Ford with the Yanks..I don't ever remember him throwing any pitch that was straight and he was tough to hit.

 

[Taxman59]

I know I am in the minority here, but as a lifelong Fan(atic) GO TRIBE!!!!

 

[Jack_Pine]

He was getting g lot of calls but his consistent placement kind of led the umpire to the calls. He was very good.

I will be fine if we don't see that umpire again, though.

 

[ERD50]

He was getting g lot of calls but his consistent placement kind of led the umpire to the calls. He was very good.

I will be fine if we don't see that umpire again, though.

There did seem to be a lot of calls against the Cubs batters that were questionable. But there is no question that Kluber was amazing, and in control last night.

It's a shame the Cubs couldn't move those men from the bases to score.

I don't follow during the season, but for the Cub's sake, I hope the Indian's pitching staff is not so deep!

What was with Contreras? I was yelling at the TV. A Major League player, in the World Series, and he doesn't run all out after a hit? Stands there and watches, assuming it was out of the park? Nothing to be gained by doing that. Announcers were thinking he could have pulled a triple out of it. I hope he got a balling out from the coach.

It didn't matter in the end, but that just doesn't seem like pro ball to me.

VIDEO: Willson Contreras Humiliates Himself With Premature Bat Flip | 12up

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

He was getting g lot of calls but his consistent placement kind of led the umpire to the calls. He was very good.

I will be fine if we don't see that umpire again, though.

That umpire, like Lester had a really bad first inning. For Lester, especially with two outs. But the ump wasn't the reason the Cubs lost. Kluber is the real deal.

A hit here, a hit there when Miller were in a jam the 7th and 8th and the outcome could have been different. I almost jumped out of my seat and thought Schwarber creamed the ball (how did he miss?) when he struck out with a chance to tie the game. If he's healthy, I say play him in left at Wrigley. Glad to see his bat back -- he almost had a homer with that double high off the wall.

It's do or die for the Cubs tonight.

 

[ERD50]

...

It's do or die for the Cubs tonight.

It is?

You mentioned this early in the playoffs. I don't really follow sports, but wouldn't the first "do or die" game refer to the first potentially decision making game? That would be game 4 at the earliest in the World Series, right?

A win for the Cubs tonight could mean the series ends in Chicago, giving them the home field advantage if they take those games as well. But that's getting ahead of ourselves (hopefully not another 107 years ahead of ourselves!).


-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

It is?

You mentioned this early in the playoffs. I don't really follow sports, but wouldn't the first "do or die" game refer to the first potentially decision making game? That would be game 4 at the earliest in the World Series, right?

A win for the Cubs tonight could mean the series ends in Chicago, giving them the home field advantage if they take those games as well. But that's getting ahead of ourselves (hopefully not another 107 years ahead of ourselves!).


-ERD50

I say do or die, because if the Cubs lose tonight, then they have to win 4 out of the next 5 games to take the series. Not impossible, but a tall task.

Fair warning, as a fan, if they go down 0-3, I'd probably break down each remaining game and say they still have a chance to run the table. That's what I was saying last season down 0-3 to the Mets. But realistically, how did that turn out?

Yes, if the Cubs win tonight, then the pressure really shifts to the Indians as there is no guarantee there'd be another game played in Cleveland.

 

[eytonxav]

Boy that slider was wicked. And the placement of the pitches. Goes to show that it's not all about 100+ MPH fastballs for effective pitchers.

Remember Whitey Ford with the Yanks..I don't ever remember him throwing any pitch that was straight and he was tough to hit.

Absolutely! I know several major league players and they have told me that its movement and change of speed that gives them the most trouble hitting. In Kluber's case he has that coupled with excellent velocity, and command of his pitches.

Take Cole Hamels, great velocity, but if his command is off, he gets shelled.

 

[ERD50]

I say do or die, because if the Cubs lose tonight, then they have to win 4 out of the next 5 games to take the series. Not impossible, but a tall task. ...

I've always taken that term "die" to mean they are dead in the series, not just 'ailing'.

If they still have a path to win the series after this game, no matter how difficult the odds, the game is not 'do or die'.

It's just a misuse of the term, and you keep scaring me, 'cause I'm thinking this could be it! Don't do that to me!

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

Absolutely! I know several major league players and they have told me that its movement and change of speed that gives them the most trouble hitting. In Kluber's case he has that coupled with excellent velocity, and command of his pitches.

Take Cole Hamels, great velocity, but if his command is off, he gets shelled.

Arrieta's 2nd half of the season been a struggle not having the command anywhere near to last year or the first half. He may go a few innings, then lose the command around the 5th inning. Just hope he has enough stuff tonight's game.

 

[easysurfer]

I've always taken that term "die" to mean they are dead in the series, not just 'ailing'.

If they still have a path to win the series after this game, no matter how difficult the odds, the game is not 'do or die'.

It's just a misuse of the term, and you keep scaring me, 'cause I'm thinking this could be it! Don't do that to me!

-ERD50

The term "do or die" does get thrown away loosely.

But another way to look at looks like who might win is "Would you bet on them?" If I was a gambler, no way would I place a bet down 0-2 or 0-3 but still have some hope left. Odds get slimmer with very little room for error.

 

[easysurfer]

Looks like game #2 could be a quite sloppy. Weather calls for rain about 2 hrs into the start and the decision pretty much is to play through the weather no matter what. Could be interesting .

 

[Jack_Pine]

Some are talking that they may nit game in because of late rain. Would have to fifnish tomorrow, that would be inter sting. BTW, I was not saying the ump was the reason they lost just that his calls lacked accuracy.

 

[easysurfer]

Tied up 1 game each. Looks like now we have a series .

 

[Car-Guy]

Much better second game, if you are pulling for the Cubs. I'm sure the city merchants of Cleveland (not the team) now hopes for a six or even seven game series. $$$

 

[easysurfer]

Much better second game, if you are pulling for the Cubs. I'm sure the city merchants of Cleveland (not the team) now hopes for a six or even seven game series. $$$

From Cubs perspective, stealing home field, now best out of 5 surely does sound better than must win 4 of 5.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Was confident they would win after Pete Rose predicted they would lose in the pregame show. That dude has become a caricature of himself.............

 

[RunningBum]

I've always taken that term "die" to mean they are dead in the series, not just 'ailing'.

If they still have a path to win the series after this game, no matter how difficult the odds, the game is not 'do or die'.

It's just a misuse of the term, and you keep scaring me, 'cause I'm thinking this could be it! Don't do that to me!

-ERD50

It must kill you to watch any TV broadcast, because "do or die" or "must win" always refers to when losing a game would make it extremely difficult to come back from. Not mathematically impossible. What you are talking about is an elimination game.

Yeah, it's a misuse, but if a team had 3 losses in a 7 game series and an announcer calls it a "do or die" game, they would be sneered at and called Captain Obvious.

What kind of reaction do you have when a football game goes into "sudden death"?

That said, I don't know if I'd have really called game 2 "do or die" with 3 games coming in Chicago. I'm glad they won, but if they lost they could still sweep the home games, and then just have to win 1 of 2 back in Cleveland.

I was second guessing two of Maddon's decisions in the series. As poorly as Arrieta had been pitching over the last month, I thought they should start Lackey yesterday and pitch Jake in game 4. This would take advantage of his hitting ability and also limit him to one game pitching. I also thought adding Schwarber was a mistake, that his timing couldn't be back after a long layoff. I guess that's why they pay Maddon the big bucks, not me, as he got both decisions absolutely right.

I wouldn't put Schwarber in the field in Chicago. He could be nearly as valuable pinch hitting in a key situation, with less injury risk or defensive liability. That said, at 6 months post ACL surgery I was cleared for everything, and he probably is too, though they had been saying he was only cleared to bat and run bases.

 

[RunningBum]

Much better second game, if you are pulling for the Cubs. I'm sure the city merchants of Cleveland (not the team) now hopes for a six or even seven game series. $$$

Look at the impact in Chicago:

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/201...er-charge-100-cubby-bear-indians-clark-street

Some of the bars are charging $250 to watch the game in the bar. More to get a table!

 

[Car-Guy]

Look at the impact in Chicago:

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/201...er-charge-100-cubby-bear-indians-clark-street

Some of the bars are charging $250 to watch the game in the bar. More to get a table!

Stubhub still shows tickets for the game 3 are available. $2,200 to $30,000. If you can wait until they go back to Cleveland they show tickets prices as low as $1245. What a deal! Pretty hard to believe anyone would be paying those prices.