Baseball 2016

[Jack_Pine]

Joe wants Kyle to get as many at bats as possible. He was also hesitant to move Baez up earlier, thought he might change his approach, which he did. Hopefully he goes back to being more selective.

 

[Just_Steve]

The "Fat Lady" has lost her voice.

 

[RunningBum]

Pour it on, Cubbies!

 

[ERD50]

For game 6, Schwarber is batting 2nd, and Baez moved to ninth. I like the placement, especially Baez in the 9 slot.

Yep, Baez has really gone crazy at bat, swinging at anything. Must be nerves. Maybe they have been able to talk him down on the off day. But man, his fielding has been spot-on amazing!

7-0 in the top of the 4th - that's quite a start for the Cubbies.

Full Disclosure: My DD's boyfriend is related to Baez, and has spent some time with him. But not well enough to get us WS tickets...

-ERD50

 

[Jack_Pine]

Y

Full Disclosure: My DD's boyfriend is related to Baez, and has spent some time with him. But not well enough to get us WS tickets...

-ERD50

Love that kid. Tell us more, is he a good guy?

 

[ERD50]

Love that kid. Tell us more, is he a good guy?

As far as I know, yes, he's a great guy. But DD's boyfriend hasn't seen him in years, and only met him a few times. DD's BF's father was in to see Baez play in Chicago this year, but the boyfriend was still on military duty, so didn't get to meet with them.

-ERD50

 

[hesperus]

and just like that - GAME 7
Gotta love it.
GO CUBS!

 

[easysurfer]

The fat lady went back to the dressing room .

Game 7 is gonna be crazy. All hands on deck for both teams.

My prediction: The season ends tomorrow night. That I'm certain of.

 

[easysurfer]

As players, I would put Baez and Contreras as high risk, high reward. Undisciplined at times but their pluses outweigh the minus. Unlike others who are really consistent like Zobrist and Fowler.

That was some play at the plate with Zobrist and Perez. Good old fashioned clean hard nosed baseball .

 

[ERD50]

As players, I would put Baez and Contreras as high risk, high reward. Undisciplined at times but their pluses outweigh the minus. Unlike others who are really consistent like Zobrist and Fowler.

That was some play at the plate with Zobrist and Perez. Good old fashioned clean hard nosed baseball .
...

Baez has been a disaster at bat during the WS. Swinging at really bad pitches. Gotta be nerves.

But that hasn't seemed to affect his work at 2nd base. It's really the slow-mo frame-by frame shots that show what an outstanding infielder he is. Physically, he is just so fast and so capable, and mentally, he's thinking ahead and seems to know exactly what to do with the ball to maximize the plays.

But at bat?

I can only hope he got it out of his system in the first 6 games, and is now a 'seasoned' player for game 7!

Speaking of slo-mo, from your clip it wasn't until that replay that I saw the catcher really never had possession of the ball. In real time, it looked to m like he had it, and lost it from the hit by the runner, but you can see there that it just bounced off the ground, maybe hit the catcher's glove, and then bounced off the runner. Same with Chapman's tagging 1st base, ump called the runner safe, only the replay clearly showed Chapman's foot on the bag ahead of the runner, and the call was overturned.

-ERD50

 

[RunningBum]

The fat lady went back to the dressing room .

Game 7 is gonna be crazy. All hands on deck for both teams.

My prediction: The season ends tomorrow night. That I'm certain of.

Unless it rains.

 

[Car-Guy]

After Saturday (Game 4) I didn't think it would go the distance. Very enjoyable game last night, if you are a Cub's fan, especially the grand slam. Also, the Indians outfield seemed to be having real trouble last night (several times) deciding who's going for the fly balls.

Last game of the season tonight. Go Cub's.

 

[easysurfer]

Baez has been a disaster at bat during the WS. Swinging at really bad pitches. Gotta be nerves.

But that hasn't seemed to affect his work at 2nd base.

....
-ERD50

Baez plays the game only at one speed. That's why I think he has trouble slowing his game down for those breaking balls. You never know what you'll get from him at the plate...a terrible strike out, or a winning home run like off of Cueto in the SF series.

On the field, he's a magician.

 

[RunningBum]

He hit well against SF and LA though, and "only" struck out 1 in 4 times during the regular season. Cleveland has his number, but he's not hopeless as a hitter.

 

[Jack_Pine]

He actually improved a ton this season. A few of these guys have expanded the strike zone under the post season pressure. Even Rizzo did it but made the correction. As did Russel. Maturity...................

 

[easysurfer]

He actually improved a ton this season. A few of these guys have expanded the strike zone under the post season pressure. Even Rizzo did it but made the correction. As did Russel. Maturity...................

He added the no stride approach for some at bats. I like him batting ninth for now. If he get's on, then that makes him a table setter for Fowler and Schwarber. If not, that's okay too just have to play him for his defense.

I just hope in game 7 the team isn't caught fishing again at Kluber's breaking pitch.

 

[anethum]

Here's a great story about Bill Murray giving a ticket to a random Cubs fan who was outside of the stadium and seeking a ticket for last night's game. She got to sit next to him during the game.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...gional-hp-cards_rhp-card-sports:homepage/card

 

[easysurfer]

Unless it rains.

The forecast does call for chance of rain. But not enough to mess up the game...hopefully .

 

[GrayHare]

"Let's not kid ourselves, however, regarding the enduring legacy of this postseason... It will be the way that one of the underpinnings of modern sabermetric thought busted into the mainstream in a big way: the postseason that ace relievers, not 'closers' per se, became used more more optimally, in 'game' situations rather than merely 'save' situations."

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-legacy-of-the-2016-postseason/

 

[Jack_Pine]

Problem (for me, as a Cub fan) is Cleveland's relievers are their strength. Last night I was cautiously optimistic. Tonight I am pessimistic but hopeful.

Either way hopefully the Cubs have a 5-7 year window. that is what Theo built them for.

 

[ziggy29]

Problem (for me, as a Cub fan) is Cleveland's relievers are their strength. Last night I was cautiously optimistic. Tonight I am pessimistic but hopeful.

That's the concern I see, too. If Cleveland was to lose Game 6, they did it the best way they could -- losing in a blowout. That meant they didn't use their best arms in the pen and can have all of them rested for tonight.

Add to that the fact that the Cubs used Chapman last night, which puzzled me (then again, managers tend to overuse and overmanage with their pen in the WS), and I'd say Cleveland has the significant advantage if it becomes a battle of bullpens. I'm sure the Cubs could coax 1-2 innings and/or 30-40 pitches out of Jon Lester tonight since it would normally be his day to throw between starts anyway, which may help.

 

[easysurfer]

Problem (for me, as a Cub fan) is Cleveland's relievers are their strength. Last night I was cautiously optimistic. Tonight I am pessimistic but hopeful.

Either way hopefully the Cubs have a 5-7 year window. that is what Theo built them for.

I think very well could be whichever team gets the first run wins sitting on the lead. I'm hoping that Hendricks has a dominating game like in past games this season and then turns the ball over to Chapman (yes, Maddon using him so much last night was puzzling) and surely hope the Cubs don't fall behind and have to climb out of facing the Indians' pitching, especially Miller.

 

[ziggy29]

I think very well could be whichever team gets the first run wins sitting on the lead. I'm hoping that Hendricks has a dominating game like in past games this season and then turns the ball over to Chapman (yes, Maddon using him so much last night was puzzling) and surely hope the Cubs don't fall behind and have to climb out of facing the Indians' pitching, especially Miller.

The problem is, this is the World Series. No matter how well they are pitching, in the modern era, how often do you see a starter go more than 6? Even if they have only thrown 80-90 pitches, as soon as they give up one hit or walk that deep in the game..... gone.

That said, if Maddon has less trust in his other relievers he could try to use Hendricks long enough to get straight to Chapman, but after Chapman threw last night, I doubt he'd could go more than 20-30 pitches.

If they fall behind early and it gets to Miller time, that's pretty much doomed the Cubs in the past, but we'll see.

 

[easysurfer]

The problem is, this is the World Series. No matter how well they are pitching, in the modern era, how often do you see a starter go more than 6? Even if they have only thrown 80-90 pitches, as soon as they give up one hit or walk that deep in the game..... gone.

That said, if Maddon has less trust in his other relievers he could try to use Hendricks long enough to get straight to Chapman, but after Chapman threw last night, I doubt he'd could go more than 20-30 pitches.

If they fall behind early and it gets to Miller time, that's pretty much doomed the Cubs in the past, but we'll see.

Probably last pitcher going a long long time in World Series was Madison Bumgarner. Well, actually, the pitcher for the Mets last year. I would have left him in too, but he ended getting hit in the 9th. But like you said, give up one hit in later innings then here comes the hook. I hope Maddon didn't over manage and using Chapman too much and depending on using starters like Lester and Lackey as relievers instead.

Hoping somehow the Cubs can take an early lead like game 6 then make the pitching matchups thing non issue.

Of course, the game will probably be a pitchers dual and heat break city for one team. Just a hunch .

 

[Ronstar]

The Cubs will probably throw Hendricks, Lester, and Arrietta at the Indians before putting Chapman in