IGT: Chicago @ Washington NLDS 2017 Game 5

[RacerX]

also, **** you Dusty. I hope your career has many more moments like this. #noforgivenessfor2003

#NeverForget

 

[Parade_Rain]

also, **** you Dusty. I hope your career has many more moments like this. #noforgivenessfor2003

Yes. **** you Dusty for telling Gonzalez to make an error on a routine ground ball.

 

[brett05]

Prior wasn't mental. He messed up hi shoulder on the basepaths.

He had injury issues too, but I honestly believe it was mental

 

[beckdawg]

So, having slept I had a couple of thought. #1 how big was that Baez play at home in the first? As a hitter he frustrates me so much but god his defense wins games. Also having thought about it I think i agree with how Maddon managed things. At the time I thought no way was keeping Davis in the right move. But upon further reflection... i mean if you're gonna lose you want your best guy on the mound. And to be fair the tried to get his two other favorite relievers(edwards monty) to get some outs but both struggled. Bringing in Davis in the 7th made sense because it was a huge moment where they could have lost.

Everyone is assuming the cubs are essentially handing the dodgers game one but I'm not sure. Thing about the cubs is they are a team that makes you beat them. They are never out of a game. I said before the playoffs started that I doubt any team really wants to play the cubs and that's a large reason why. It would be about the most baseball thing ever if the dodgers lose because that's just how baseball goes. Have the best pitcher of a generation on full rest vs a team that threw everyone in to win a game? Time to some how lose that game. It's really lose lose for the dodgers because if they win the talk will be "well you have to win that" and if they lose it's pretty crushing.

And my last thought is man i feel for Nats fans. I'm glad the cubs won but this series had to be crushing to them given their history. As cubs fans we know that pain. Honestly feel like the fact they started to come back only made it worse for them. And to have arguably the best player in baseball not named trout at the plate down 1 vs a tired closer and strike out.... I don't know man wouldn't surprise me if they struggle next year. Pretty soul crushing.

 

[DanTown]

Why we talking about the 03 series or the mid 00 Cubs? That team is so long and dead that it's pointless to discuss.

Cubs have a team in the NLCS for the third straight year.

With regards to Lackey, I don't see how Q wouldn't be able to go game 1 and then if Lester isn't ready then you use Lackey.

Assuming he adds Rondon to the bullpen, I would assume that either Wilson or potentially one of the bats comes off, most likely Happ. The Dodgers don't have that many lefties in the order (in fact it's one, Avilan) so considering the Cubs will start Almora in three of the four starters (Kershaw, Hill, Wood) it doesn't make sense to need to carry Happ this series. The only reason you'd take Happ is to sit Heyward but even then I think you'd start Zobrist in RF, Jay in LF, and Baez at 2B.

Prediction
Happ out, Rondon in
Gm 1 - Quintana
Gm 2 - Lester
Gm 3 - Arrieta
Gm 4 - Hendricks
Gm 5 - Quintana
Gm 6 - Lester
Gm 7 - Arrieta


There's a something brewing by the way if you get to game 4 and it's 2-1 Cubs. You'd be facing Alex Wood, at home. Wood hasn't game pitched since 09/26. Might not have the stamina to go that deep in the game and might be a guy the Cubs can get to. Remember, game 5 is in Wrigley so

 

[DanTown]

So, having slept I had a couple of thought. #1 how big was that Baez play at home in the first? As a hitter he frustrates me so much but god his defense wins games. Also having thought about it I think i agree with how Maddon managed things. At the time I thought no way was keeping Davis in the right move. But upon further reflection... i mean if you're gonna lose you want your best guy on the mound. And to be fair the tried to get his two other favorite relievers(edwards monty) to get some outs but both struggled. Bringing in Davis in the 7th made sense because it was a huge moment where they could have lost.

Everyone is assuming the cubs are essentially handing the dodgers game one but I'm not sure. Thing about the cubs is they are a team that makes you beat them. They are never out of a game. I said before the playoffs started that I doubt any team really wants to play the cubs and that's a large reason why. It would be about the most baseball thing ever if the dodgers lose because that's just how baseball goes. Have the best pitcher of a generation on full rest vs a team that threw everyone in to win a game? Time to some how lose that game. It's really lose lose for the dodgers because if they win the talk will be "well you have to win that" and if they lose it's pretty crushing.

And my last thought is man i feel for Nats fans. I'm glad the cubs won but this series had to be crushing to them given their history. As cubs fans we know that pain. Honestly feel like the fact they started to come back only made it worse for them. And to have arguably the best player in baseball not named trout at the plate down 1 vs a tired closer and strike out.... I don't know man wouldn't surprise me if they struggle next year. Pretty soul crushing.

I thought letting Hendricks bat down a run when he's going one more inning was highly suspect. That to me is a simple move where you can go to Montgomery and have him go for 6 batters (you were at their 9 spot) and try and keep the game close with Scherzer coming in.

I didn't like the decision to hold on Werth and then watch Harper hit a double down the line. If Rizzo is back of the bag and shading the line, he probably at least knocks that ball down and keeps it to 1/2 instead of 2/3.

I also didn't like playing Zobrist when his spot in the lineup was due up 7th and you're up runs in the bottom of the sixth. Probably would have double switched in Happ for the defense there and the potential that Monty can buy me a few more outs when I was so dangerously thin on relievers I trusted. Happ (if he's a few steps deeper than Zobrist because he should have been deeper) maybe catches that Murphy ball but at the very least I know I had my best LF I had left in the game.

I definitely don't go to Q to come in mid-inning and face the top of their order. If I go to Q, I'm starting the inning and letting him go fresh. Joe tried to sneak Edwards through that inning but considering his struggles in the past game to throw strikes, that''s too high a risk.

To be fair to Joe, a lot of moves that looked bad looked that way because his pitchers were highly ineffective. There wasn't one guy all night where I said "he's throwing a good ball right now".

 

[beckdawg]

I thought letting Hendricks bat down a run when he's going one more inning was highly suspect. That to me is a simple move where you can go to Montgomery and have him go for 6 batters (you were at their 9 spot) and try and keep the game close with Scherzer coming in.

I didn't like the decision to hold on Werth and then watch Harper hit a double down the line. If Rizzo is back of the bag and shading the line, he probably at least knocks that ball down and keeps it to 1/2 instead of 2/3.

I also didn't like playing Zobrist when his spot in the lineup was due up 7th and you're up runs in the bottom of the sixth. Probably would have double switched in Happ for the defense there and the potential that Monty can buy me a few more outs when I was so dangerously thin on relievers I trusted. Happ (if he's a few steps deeper than Zobrist because he should have been deeper) maybe catches that Murphy ball but at the very least I know I had my best LF I had left in the game.

I definitely don't go to Q to come in mid-inning and face the top of their order. If I go to Q, I'm starting the inning and letting him go fresh. Joe tried to sneak Edwards through that inning but considering his struggles in the past game to throw strikes, that''s too high a risk.

To be fair to Joe, a lot of moves that looked bad looked that way because his pitchers were highly ineffective. There wasn't one guy all night where I said "he's throwing a good ball right now".

On the pitching decision I tend to go with your last line. Guys gotta execute. If Hendricks plays better he goes 5-6 innings saving a lot of trouble. That saves you Strop and Duensing for later. If Monty gets people out he goes at least one maybe 2 and saves you Edwards and Q. And Obviously if Edwards pitches better Davis is fresher.

On the Harper play, I'm not 100% fresh on that but I will say that playing on allows Contreras to back pick which later in the game mattered.

 

[Parade_Rain]

And my last thought is man i feel for Nats fans. I'm glad the cubs won but this series had to be crushing to them given their history.

They've only had history since 2005. The Cubs fans suffered since 1908. Let's keep things in perspective.

 

[DanTown]

On the pitching decision I tend to go with your last line. Guys gotta execute. If Hendricks plays better he goes 5-6 innings saving a lot of trouble. That saves you Strop and Duensing for later. If Monty gets people out he goes at least one maybe 2 and saves you Edwards and Q. And Obviously if Edwards pitches better Davis is fresher.

On the Harper play, I'm not 100% fresh on that but I will say that playing on allows Contreras to back pick which later in the game mattered.

He wasn't holding on Lobaton and back picked him; with Werth he was actively at the bag. Also, you're far more likely to back pick a trail runner than a lead runner.

 

[anotheridiot]

Game 1 starter is a tough decision. I'd predict it's Lackey and I have no strong feeling one way or the other if that's the right thing to do.

There is no way I would think this would happen, but the pitchers are a mess right now and it makes the most sense. It also makes since Maddon did not use him at all in any of the 5 games, not even get him up to force a baker move. If he does not start game 1 I see no reason to put him on the roster. He will be there supporting his team mates regardless.

Chavez Ravine is a huge park and leaving Schwarber or Zobrist in the outfield will hurt us. At least Happ gives you some speed in left field and Martin is just there later when he does not have to bat.

 

[CSF77]

He had injury issues too, but I honestly believe it was mental

Prior had a calf injury. That caused him to use his upper body more. That was when Greg Maddux came over.

Wood was injury prone before this. There was speculation on mechanics on their follow through. About their arms releasing the torque generated and it was the same impact as bashing their arms into a brick wall 100 times.

Stras’ injury brought up the W issue but that was part of the power generation.

Dusty was a factor but you have to put blame on other factors

 

[CSF77]

On Lackey I would pitch him game 1. I take it as Kershaw repressing the O vs anything the staff does. Dodger stadium naturally represses HR’s anyways so if Lackey is on that game he can get away with some mistakes there that he couldn’t at Wriggley

I’m looking at it as a 7 game and trying to steal 1 from them away. Not acting like game 1 dictates anything.

 

[ijustposthere]

Honestly, not sure how they get past the Dodgers with this BP. This team got guts though, I'll give them that. I'm still pretty satisfied after last year and being in the playoffs again. This is a bonus for me right now. It's a pretty damn good time to be a Cubs fan. We've only seen one playoff series loss out of the last seven. That's pretty remarkable.

 

[ijustposthere]

Prior had a calf injury. That caused him to use his upper body more. That was when Greg Maddux came over.

Wood was injury prone before this. There was speculation on mechanics on their follow through. About their arms releasing the torque generated and it was the same impact as bashing their arms into a brick wall 100 times.

Stras’ injury brought up the W issue but that was part of the power generation.

Dusty was a factor but you have to put blame on other factors

Dusty had a penchant for overusing his starters in meaningless moments. He did it with Scherzer this year two days after they clinched the division apparently. 115 pitches I think I saw on the Nats board.

 

[chibears55]

Rotation will be..

Lackey
Lester
Hendricks
Quintana
Arrieta
Lester
Hendricks

Position players stay same

Rondon maybe gets added over Wilson..

Be real guys, their not going to shut down Edwards over a bad series..
Just might not see him in back to back games again without an off day early in series..


I mean their not gonna sit Bryant for striking out 10 times hitting just 2 for 20 and 2 RBI..

No.. their gonna hope both will turn it around next series

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[TL1961]

Maddon isn't insane. He needs a pitcher he can trust. After that series, he doesn't have it. He's like Wilson, but he isn't a LHP, so he's replaceable with Rondon. Rondon has more experience. Strop will get more of the calls Edwards was getting.

Yeah, I am starting to think he could drop him.

I would be fine seeing Rondon added. Am I the only one who has confidence in him? Joe needs to be slower to switch. He is set on left-right at times (as are many), but he ends up pulling some guys so early, the later options are gone.

Strop should have stayed in last night, for example.

But they could all make it easier on Joe by not walking batters!

 

[Omeletpants]

I want to know what role the pitching coach has in these 2 walk and wild pitch relief innings.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Yeah, I am starting to think he could drop him.

I would be fine seeing Rondon added. Am I the only one who has confidence in him? Joe needs to be slower to switch. He is set on left-right at times (as are many), but he ends up pulling some guys so early, the later options are gone.

Strop should have stayed in last night, for example.

But they could all make it easier on Joe by not walking batters!

It is really strange how none of the guys threw as well as we know they can last night. Thankfully Davis had stones and Maddon had no one of interest left to bring off the bench.

 

[TL1961]

Rotation will be..

Lackey
Lester
Hendricks
Quintana
Arrieta
Lester
Hendricks

Position players stay same

Rondon maybe gets added over Wilson..

Be real guys, their not going to shut down Edwards over a bad series..
Just might not see him in back to back games again without an off day early in series..


I mean their not gonna sit Bryant for striking out 10 times hitting just 2 for 20 and 2 RBI..

No.. their gonna hope both will turn it around next series

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

Lester in Game 2 is a possibility in Joe's mind, most likely. But Quintana should go Game 2 and get everybody back to normal rest. We are not winning a series with too many going on short rest. Q threw 12 pitches Thursday (though he was up once prior in pen)

 

[TL1961]

We need 2016 Justin Wilson.