IGT: Cubs vs. Dodgers Game 1(NLCS)

TB Diddler

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I never thought I would see a Manager intentionally walk Heyward. Extending the inning to force Joes hand to remove Chapman ultimately cost the Dodgers the game. Roberts strategy of making numerous bullpen moves isn't sustainable & it is surprising that the Dodgers have made it this far with this strategy. LA's bullpen is garbage.
Cubs sweep.
 

TC in Mississippi

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I hope that we never ever again see Chapman brought in in the 8th inning with runners in scoring position. I don't think we will. With regards to Joe pulling Lester, I thought it was a mistake at the time. He was still a better choice that the bullpen & the defense behind him might have been the greatest that I have ever seen in a MLB game. Russell obviously must be in the lineup for his defense but he needs to be moved down in the lineup to the 7 or 8 spot. Baez needs to be moved up the the 4 spot which will help Rizzo get better pitches to hit. This team is just unbelievable.

While it didn't go exactly as planned I thought Chapman did a very good job for coming in with the bases loaded.
 

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While it didn't go exactly as planned I thought Chapman did a very good job for coming in with the bases loaded.

I did too. He almost escaped a bases loaded, no out situation....needed k's and that's his thing. If he would've thrown a change, Gonzalez would have completed his swing 3 seconds before the ball the catcher's glove. But hindsight is always 20-20 and think of all the fun we would have missed in the bottom of the 8th.
 

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While it's very expensive to attend a MLB playoff game, this is why it's worth it....



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BaBaBlacksheep

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While it didn't go exactly as planned I thought Chapman did a very good job for coming in with the bases loaded.

I don't get how people are complaining about him being brought in for another "6 out save." They were in a jam, he inherited bases loaded with no outs, and he came away with a tie game. Him coming in wasn't about locking down the ninth like normal.... He came in to put out a fire.

And I had zero problems pulling Lester. He didn't have his A game and got saved by some insane defense.
 

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I don't get how people are complaining about him being brought in for another "6 out save." They were in a jam, he inherited bases loaded with no outs, and he came away with a tie game. Him coming in wasn't about locking down the ninth like normal.... He came in to put out a fire.

And I had zero problems pulling Lester. He didn't have his A game and got saved by some insane defense.

Yup. I felt this Chapman situation was different than the Giants one in Game 3. I didn't like that move, felt Joe had pulled Rondon too quick. This was different. They needed to get out of there with a tie game at worst. I agreed with Lester too. He was getting hit really hard yesterday.
 

beckdawg

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I think the fear is they pitch him game 3, then you can't pitch him again until game 6 and the odds you're at that point with only one Kershaw start is probably fairly low.

The other thing is they simply don't have another guy who can go for them. If Hill was fully rested I'd get the move of waiting to get to game 3 but Urias isn't a better starter than Kershaw so it's almost Clayton by default.

My thing for them anyways is if you're gonna beat a guy with a lessor guy(Urias or whomever) your best shot seemingly would be against Hendricks. And obviously I'm one of Hendricks' more vocal supporters but he's going try to ground ball people to death. He's not going dominate on a pitch level. Regardless of what happens, you're gonna have to throw Hill/Urias/whomever vs a cubs starter. So, I feel like you'd have a better chance with them vs Hendricks than Lackey/Arreita who both could go out and pitch 7-8 innings realistically if they are on. And if they burn Kershaw and lose game 2 because he's not fully effective or whatever then they are in an even bigger hole. Basically makes game 2 a must win for them and if they lose they very well might get swept.
 

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I hope that we never ever again see Chapman brought in in the 8th inning with runners in scoring position. I don't think we will. With regards to Joe pulling Lester, I thought it was a mistake at the time. He was still a better choice that the bullpen & the defense behind him might have been the greatest that I have ever seen in a MLB game. Russell obviously must be in the lineup for his defense but he needs to be moved down in the lineup to the 7 or 8 spot. Baez needs to be moved up the the 4 spot which will help Rizzo get better pitches to hit. This team is just unbelievable.
Zoberist is doing just fine and he has more discipline than Baez
 

TL1961

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Dodgers had lefty/right/right coming up. Game was 3-1 (how important was that fourth run?) and Lester simply wasn't pitching well (more line drives and fly balls, not many ground balls, third time through the order) for me to essentially forgo a chance at scoring a run. This has nothing to do with "underestimating" Jon Lester but everything to do with scoring a very important run.

The moves were not moves that were bad UNTIL THE PLAYERS didn't execute. Montgomery giving up a hit to a lefty. Strop walking Utley. Bryant not getting an out on the ground ball. These are all things that are not in Joe Maddon's control; he's put his players in a place to succeed and they didn't get it done. Chapman comes in and gets exactly what you need in that situation which is two strike outs. Ross didn't work any off-speed stuff in to Gonzalez so Gonzalez had plenty of opportunity to time a fastball (even 102) and he got a pitch in a good place to simply extend and shoot up the middle.

When I think a manager makes a mistake, I think he made the mistake before the outcome. I just don't see lifting Lester to drastically improve your chances of scoring and asking your bullpen to get 9 outs as a huge thing.

It's a bad move to have me pinch run, even BEFORE I have to run.

I do NOT blame a manager for a move if the players fail to execute. I am not one of those. I said it BEFORE Jorge batted, while knowing full well he could have launched one to give the Cubs a 5 run lead.

The reason it was a bad move was -

Chapman is already being used heavily, and getting to the pen an inning early only guarantees that Chapman pitches earlier.

Hendricks pitches Game 2, and you KNOW you need a lot of work from your pen in that one.

Lester was still pitching well. You do NOT take out a pitcher having success to try and pad a lead for the pen. If the pitcher is done, and you take him out, fine. But Lester was definitely not done. And Joe took him out not due to the pitching but due to the situation on offense.

If a starter shows signs he's finished, and Joe relieves for him, and the pen doesn't hold it. that doesnt make it a bad move. I didn't second guess.
 

anotheridiot

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Even Miggy said he did not plan to bat. He thought for sure he was just being wasted for Contrares against the lefty.

I cannot see how anyone did not notice the hard contact. Listen to Joes after game conference. Lester would have gone out in the 7th against three guys that had the Dodgers best at bats against Lester. If the cubs are up big with Lesters next start, Joe is making the same move.
 

TL1961

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I never thought I would see a Manager intentionally walk Heyward. Extending the inning to force Joes hand to remove Chapman ultimately cost the Dodgers the game. Roberts strategy of making numerous bullpen moves isn't sustainable & it is surprising that the Dodgers have made it this far with this strategy. LA's bullpen is garbage.
Cubs sweep.

I think that was a good move that didn't work out because his pitcher failed to execute - on an 0-2 pitch.

If Miggy K's, Chapman is out of the game. I'd pitch to Miggy. K potential and a slow runner. Not a bad strategy, that fortunately for us, blew up in his face.
 

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I never thought I would see a Manager intentionally walk Heyward. Extending the inning to force Joes hand to remove Chapman ultimately cost the Dodgers the game. Roberts strategy of making numerous bullpen moves isn't sustainable & it is surprising that the Dodgers have made it this far with this strategy. LA's bullpen is garbage.
Cubs sweep.

They have a good bullpen, I recommend not falling behind them past the 6th inning. They have won those games easily all year.

I think the decision to force Chapman out was the right move. Montero is a .200 hitter with a bad back. lol. Barely made the roster for this series. He managed that inning real hard, so the buck is going to stop with him, but I'm not going to fault him for revolving a Cubs staff that was also getting thin.
 

TL1961

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You are a 100% correct. He reads plays better than anyone I have ever seen and this isnt me being a fan boy. He has grown into this. He didnt flash this completely in the minors.

My brothers and I talk constantly about "baseball IQ" and get frustrated by those who simply don't have an ounce of it. That was my primary issue with a certain SS we had. And many before him.

Baez is smart. Baseball smart. Added to his ability - that's a great combination.
 

TL1961

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They have a good bullpen, I recommend not falling behind them past the 6th inning. They have won those games easily all year.

I think the decision to force Chapman out was the right move. Montero is a .200 hitter with a bad back. lol. Barely made the roster for this series. He managed that inning real hard, so the buck is going to stop with him, but I'm not going to fault him for revolving a Cubs staff that was also getting thin.

When someone posted here that Montero had a sore back, I initially thought the Cubs were using that as a way to leave him off the roster for this series, but allowing him to save face.

He sure made a heck of an impact in his one AB.

Depth at every position.
 

fatbeard

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Lester was not pitching well. The Dodgers were hitting him hard but with no BABIP luck. Lifting him was absolutely the correct move and the fact that this is even a controversy is simply baffling.
 

BaBaBlacksheep

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Rizzo and Russell are 2 for 39.

Hopefully one of these two gets it going soon.
 

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