O/T: Cubs fans. Whose your ace?
- Thread starter TC4THREE
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All great choices. For the money, Kyle. He makes like 500K where Lester makes 20M and Arrieta makes 10M. For passion, gotta take Arrieta. But can't ever pick against Lester.... he's the Schilling of this years Cubs team. Really no wrong choice with any of those three. Good time to be a Cubs fan! This has to be their year.
No cop outs! You're the manager and all three are rested for a must-win game 7. Who are you sending out there?
Also, if all three are rested I am probably playing all three in an all-star-like lineup, and knowing I have a pretty great closer. That said, a Cubs game 7 scares the crap out of me.
PS: why am I in game 7 with my best pitchers all rested? Who lost the last few games?
PS: why am I in game 7 with my best pitchers all rested? Who lost the last few games?
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Stop this. I can't stand that people compare the Cubs and Purdue. I get it, but the Cubs have so much more going for them than Purdue does.
Yes, the Cubs haven't won a WS title in 100+ years, but the Cubs are one of the most historic programs in all of SPORTS, they play in a huge market, and can attract just about any Free Agent.
Being a Purdue fan is more equivalent to being a fan of the Brewers.
Tough call between Lester and Arrieta...I am not the biggest Lester fan, but he has been outstanding this year for the most part, and far more consistent than Arrieta...plus, he has had some quality post-season experience and success.
Hendricks has had a great year, especially at home...Arrieta has had the most disappointing year, but that is a result of such incredible expectations given the bar that he set a year ago.
I tend to think Lester is more fragile in terms of mental make-up than Arrieta...my biggest complaint with him is that he always has one mistake or two in a game, and in the play-offs, that can be the difference between winning and losing...plus, Arrieta can provide some offense.
Lester was brought in and signed to be the guy to pitch game 1 and, in theory, game 7...hard to argue with what he has done this year, especially in the second half and especially at home.
You have to go with Lester because of his playoff experience, not to mention how consistent he has been this season.
I think Arrieta is probably dealing with some arm issues considering how many walks he's given up this season and the lack of life on his fastball at times. I don't trust his stuff at the moment....and all of his spouting off seems like bad Karma.
My only worry with Hendricks is when it gets cold in the playoffs, will he be able to get as much movement on the ball and have as good of control. Otherwise i'm a big fan of him and I see him jamming a lot of hitters when the weather gets cold.
But Lester needs to be the guy...and I hope Lackey steps up as well since he has so much playoff experience.
I think Arrieta is probably dealing with some arm issues considering how many walks he's given up this season and the lack of life on his fastball at times. I don't trust his stuff at the moment....and all of his spouting off seems like bad Karma.
My only worry with Hendricks is when it gets cold in the playoffs, will he be able to get as much movement on the ball and have as good of control. Otherwise i'm a big fan of him and I see him jamming a lot of hitters when the weather gets cold.
But Lester needs to be the guy...and I hope Lackey steps up as well since he has so much playoff experience.
Which makes it even more hilarious/pathetic that the Cubs haven't won it since 1908. That's beyond terrible.
Yeah, but baseball is more of a crapshoot than any other sport, in the playoffs.
You take a 162 game season and condense it down to best of 5 and/or best of 7 series? That's a recipe for a crapshoot.
But yes lol I think it's very sad they haven't won a WS since 1908.
I'm a White Sox fan so I love that it's been since 1908. However, if they do win this year I'm never going to hear the end of it from my Cubs friends! This has been a very looooong summer for me.
I'm a Yankees fan and I understand how rough it is. It's been 7 seasons now and I'm still waiting to see their sixth in my lifetime. It's enough to drive a man crazy.
As a diehard Cubs fan (although I do like the Sox as well, and am a Yankees fan (as a Cubs fan, you have to have a team that you like/root for that actually has a chance to win), think of just how long (and enjoyable) the winter will be for you IF the Cubs don't win THIS year with respect to how things have gone and played out thus far.
Personally...I still think this Cubs team is a bit flawed, never mind the looming pressure and history that they will have to fight and overcome as well...I think they are good enough to indeed win the World Series, but, they just as easily could be done at any point along the way to getting there and I would not be shocked in the least.
Totally agree...just had that same conversation with my son tonight...they are play-off tested and experienced, and, if they win tomorrow night, the Cubs will see Cueto on Friday and Samardzija on Saturday...and head to SF then and get Bumgarner on Monday...they could just as easily win that series as they could be swept.
My dad is from Wisconsin and is a Purdue alum, so I have ties to both as well...welp.
Great stuff on Hendricks evolution:
https://theathletic.com/21039/2016/...w-kyle-hendricks-became-a-cy-young-candidate/
https://theathletic.com/21039/2016/...w-kyle-hendricks-became-a-cy-young-candidate/
Cubs have their work cut out for them certainly...in my mind, Game 1 is huge.
Personally, I don't have a great feeling regarding the series.
Agree here.....though, one would expect the Cubs to be favored, the Giants seem to get on these "rolls" every other year ('10, '12, '14), ignited by a dominant pitcher. Having to use Bumgarner in the WD game I think is probably the difference. I'll say the Cubs in
four (edited.....thanks to NVB)
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It is a five game series.
Holy cow....thanks for the correction.
Well that tells you how much I've followed baseball post season the last few years.....at a glance....okay.....Cubs in four.
It has the makings of a good series certainly.
The Cubs bullpen is a huge question mark...lots of big arms, and capable of being dominant, but Strop is coming back from injury, as is Rondon (who has scuffled a bit and is pitching in a new role), and Chapman has not been as lights out as one might expect. They have depth and quality arms, but they have been pretty inconsistent.
Problem is that Bumgarner is not just capable, but almost likely (especially if necessary) to throw a CG, and potential CG shutout...should be a great matchup in Game 3 between him and Arietta.
A huge bonus that the Cubs will only have to see Bumgarner once in the series, but, they need to take advantage of that obviously.
The Cubs have their rotation set up nicely...now guys just have to perform. They have done so all year...hopefully they continue to.
Agree but with Bumgarner only getting one start in the series then the Giants have to win 2 games with their other starters.
As far as the bullpen, I believe the Cubs bullpen is far better than Giants. It's not perfect and I believe Chapman might ultimately blow a game or two in the postseason (depending on how deep they can get) but the Giants bullpen has been horrific. The Cubs may look back and wish they had ponied up a little bit more for Andrew Miller when all this is said and done because as a Yankees fan he always felt like the most reliable guy to me and he has some postseason experience to draw on.
I don't see Samardzija starting a Game 5. I would think that game is Cueto's because I don't think they bring Cueto back to pitch Game 4 on 3 days rest. I haven't seen the SF starters for Games 2 or 4 yet but my guess is that they go with Samardzija for game 2 (since he's familiar with pitching in Wrigley although I'm not sure how he's done against the Cubs since he got traded away) and Moore for Game 4 (his home/road splits were very favorable to home at least when he was pitching with Tampa).
If it does go to 5 games, Bumgarner would be on 2 days rest so I could see them using him for an inning or so but I doubt he'd go much longer than that. He's only 27 so they aren't going to want to risk major damage to his arm in a divisional round playoff series.
I see this series as 3-1 Cubs with the Giants taking the Bumgarner game. I think the Giants take a lead into the 8th/9th inning in one of the first two games in Chicago and their bullpen blows it.
The Cubs have a curse against them winning the World Series that seems like it'll never end. But they also have one of the best managers in Joe Maddon and probably the best team they've had in years, maybe ever. I trust Maddon will have this team ready for a run...This is the year.
Agree...and had mentioned that in another post in this thread, as a huge break to only see Bumgarner once in the series...that said, if they lose twice in Chicago and then see him in SF on Monday, it is almost a moot point.
I think the Cubs bullpen is deeper certainly, but again, it just has not been consistent...very capable for sure, and could legitimately be dominant for that matter if/when they are sharp.
Like you, I think the Cubs would have loved to have gotten Miller, but, the Yankees allegedly refused to even consider trading him to the Cubs unless Schwarber was included in the deal, and that just was not going to happen.
Personally, while they did not "need" him, they might regret not going after Matt Moore more than they did, especially given that he had ties to Maddon...may regret that even more after Game 2 on Saturday.
The Cubs have proven themselves to be very good...and they are more than capable...but, they are the Cubs...and the Giants have been hot, have been through this multiple times and are capable as well.
I think Game 1 is huge...having been swept by the Mets to end things last year, just getting a win would alleviate some pressure, and it would make it so that Game 2 did not become an imperative "must win" game. If they win Game 1, I like the Cubs in 4...maybe 5, but if they lose Game 1, I like the Giants chances.
I thought that I had already saw Cueto in Game 1, Moore in Game 2, Bumgarner in Game 3 and Samardzija in Game 4 (tentatively).
Bumgarner will be hard pressed to pitch more than once...although if it came back to Chicago for a Game 5, I could see him throwing an inning or two if need be...the guy is a horse.
Like say, Game 1 to me is huge...I like Lester at home in that one, and I like Hendricks at home in Game 2...he was good in the playoffs a year ago, has been good all year this year...and been really good at home in particular.
I like the potential of the Arrieta matchup in Game 3 with Bumgarner, but have to lean towards Bumgarner given how good and dominant he has been.
I don't think anything that happens regarding how it plays out will surprise me...I could see the Cubs sweep, just as easily almost as I could see the Giants do the same...I could see the Cubs in 4/5, just as easily as I could see the Giants do the same.
The Cubs bullpen could indeed be the difference...in a positive sense, or a negative one.
Should be a really good series though and I am looking forward to it.
Giants bullpen for the playoffs will not be the same as for the regular season. So I disagree that it is not good. They will be tough on the Cubs. And Moore will give the Giants 3 quality starters for these games. The travel days spread it out so these 3 will pitch more than you are expecting.
Well we will have to disagree then. The bullpen is a big reason they were so awful in the second half. They couldn't do the job consistently in the regular season and playoffs outs are tougher than regular season outs. If I were a Giants fan I'd be very uncomfortable if the bullpen needed to get multiple innings with only a slim lead.
Bullpens have become the story tonight. I wasn't stunned that Chapman blew a save but I'm stunned that a lefty had the big blow against him. I was literally ripping Bochy for leaving Gillaspie in there and then he rips a triple. Guess that's why Bochy has won three WS and I haven't.
The fact that Romo blew the save didn't surprise me whatsoever. As I said before the series started, the Giants bullpen is garbage.
This game is very important to the Cubs. They are going to win this series either way but wrapping it up tonight would allow them to set up their rotation for the next round. Lose tonight and they go to tomorrow facing a game that will be largely dependent on Matt Moore's control. They lose tomorrow then you burn Lester in game 5 to wrap up the series. Either Washington or LA have rotations that could present problems if the Cubs aren't set up with their optimal rotation.
The fact that Romo blew the save didn't surprise me whatsoever. As I said before the series started, the Giants bullpen is garbage.
This game is very important to the Cubs. They are going to win this series either way but wrapping it up tonight would allow them to set up their rotation for the next round. Lose tonight and they go to tomorrow facing a game that will be largely dependent on Matt Moore's control. They lose tomorrow then you burn Lester in game 5 to wrap up the series. Either Washington or LA have rotations that could present problems if the Cubs aren't set up with their optimal rotation.
I was at the game last night.....Other than having to sit there for 5 hours with drunk Giants fans yelling......Chapman blowing it SUCKED.....Only if he could come up with something off speed... Bryants HR was amazing ...But it was ride or die with Montgomery ..Rizzo needs to get a hit
