IST:Cubs vs. Cards

[FrankieLyrical]

We will once we knock their asses out of the playoffs

5 games. Just sayin

 

[TL1961]

5 games. Just sayin

Not keep them from getting in. They are in.

Knock them out in a playoff series.

 

[TL1961]

And I have not given up on catching them, either.

 

[Bear Pride]

Yep, just like when Castro stabbed Ramirez play that was probably a game saver. But, at least you gave props unlike certain peeps


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First and foremost, I'm a Cubs fan, and not a Castro hater. I will always still believe that Russell and Baez are our best middle infield. However, as you point out, the most impressive thing about Castro has been his defense lately. Even Joe has commented on that a few times.

Just show the brilliance of Joe to bench him, and the professionalism of Castro to wake up and react the way that he has. It only makes the Cubs stronger and better. I have total confidence that Joe will manage this the right way.

Castro deserved to get the start and then Russell came in and saved the game with his glove. I expect that Joe will continue to juggle the lineups moving forward. The awesome thing is that no matter who gets the call, the Cubs all pull for each other, and they all have their moments. Sign of a deep, great team.

 

[Bear Pride]

And I have not given up on catching them, either.

It's really gonna be exciting. Cards have nothing but division games left. They still have a 3 game series with the Bucs, and I bet the Brewers and Cincy would Love to play spoiler. Cubs just need to keep winning is all. I really think they have a shot at the division.

 

[TL1961]

It's really gonna be exciting. Cards have nothing but division games left. They still have a 3 game series with the Bucs, and I bet the Brewers and Cincy would Love to play spoiler. Cubs just need to keep winning is all. I really think they have a shot at the division.

Cards finish with three against the Braves, who are the worst team in baseball right now.

 

[Bear Pride]

Cards finish with three against the Braves, who are the worst team in baseball right now.

Oooops, you're right, I forgot that last series in October for some reason. I can't seem to get the number of games right no matter what I do?

 

[wklink]

Catching the Cards will be extremely hard. Short of them completely melting down they will take the division but they aren't going into the playoffs looking like the unbeatables they were a few years ago. They kinda look like the 2008 Cubs to me.

We have to get by the Pirates, if we can do that then the Cards are beatable. LA scares me but once we get to that point it is going to be a blast.

 

[SilenceS]

Being a Saints fan these days has to be about as fun as being a Bears fan.

Little better and we won a ship in 09. Give me another 20 years and Ill still be a Saints fan. lol

 

[SilenceS]

I don't feel like looking but whoever said they didn't care for Maddon's comments. I totally disagree. The Cubs are the Cards little brothers. They own us. they have dominated the division for so long. Theo said something along the lines a while back that it was the same this with the BoSox and the Yanks and he said it took one series in a crucial time to tell his club. We aren't the little brothers. We can beat you any day of the week and that when the BoSox believed. I remember specifically I was talking to one of my friends. He goes the Yanks got this series on lock. That was when they were up 3-0 in the series. I looked at him and said if anyone is going to break that mob streak of never coming back its the Sox. Why? Because life is like that. It takes great losses to get great triumphs. I believe this with this team. Im not going to say they are going to win the World Series but this team believes they can do anything. They are young and dumb and the deepest team in the league. They don't even know how good they are going to be, but they are going to come out every day and they are going to compete. They aren't going to bow down. They are going to fight and I believe that was Maddon message. We aren't going to take the Cards shit. We are going to fight back. Like I said before, the Cubs realize they may be the little brother but the little brother can whoop big brothers ass now. Cards sense it. Trust me. Lance Lynn showed weakness with his ump is giving Haren calls over him. They know they have a fight on their hands and don't mistake it. The Cards aren't going to bow down either but I like the Cubs chances.

 

[Bear Pride]

I don't feel like looking but whoever said they didn't care for Maddon's comments. I totally disagree. The Cubs are the Cards little brothers. They own us. they have dominated the division for so long. Theo said something along the lines a while back that it was the same this with the BoSox and the Yanks and he said it took one series in a crucial time to tell his club. We aren't the little brothers. We can beat you any day of the week and that when the BoSox believed. I remember specifically I was talking to one of my friends. He goes the Yanks got this series on lock. That was when they were up 3-0 in the series. I looked at him and said if anyone is going to break that mob streak of never coming back its the Sox. Why? Because life is like that. It takes great losses to get great triumphs. I believe this with this team. Im not going to say they are going to win the World Series but this team believes they can do anything. They are young and dumb and the deepest team in the league. They don't even know how good they are going to be, but they are going to come out every day and they are going to compete. They aren't going to bow down. They are going to fight and I believe that was Maddon message. We aren't going to take the Cards shit. We are going to fight back. Like I said before, the Cubs realize they may be the little brother but the little brother can whoop big brothers ass now. Cards sense it. Trust me. Lance Lynn showed weakness with his ump is giving Haren calls over him. They know they have a fight on their hands and don't mistake it. The Cards aren't going to bow down either but I like the Cubs chances.

I agree. I know a lot of people like to give me shit here. I realize a lot of people don't like me. And I realize a lot of people think I'm full of shit. But I have to say, I saw this coming. This is exactly why I thought the Cubs would excel any expectations.

They had too much firepower that they were adding to the roster. People questioned their in experience. To me, the only thing was the pitching. When they signed Lester, that told me they could compete now. I admit, both Hendricks and Hammells have been short of what I thought, but Jake has made up for that for me.

But you hit the nail on the head, and this was one of my main points in the beginning of the year. The Cubs players don't know that they are not supposed to be this good so soon. I saw the addition of Maddon, to go with these young studs the Cubs were developing, and it all made sense to me.

Maddon is great at working with young players, and the Cubs had the most young players of anyone. It was the perfect storm, imo. I think this holds true up to now. The Cubs are young, and they believe. I've played on teams like that. The confidence breeds like a virus.

Sometimes, the team doesn't even have to be the best if they have the funk, and the confidence. I think what we're seeing is that the Cubs have that, but they also have the talent. If people don't realize yet, the Cubs have the talent to win a World Series THIS YEAR!

They have the talent to "Shock the World"!

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I agree. I know a lot of people like to give me shit here. I realize a lot of people don't like me. And I realize a lot of people think I'm full of shit. But I have to say, I saw this coming. This is exactly why I thought the Cubs would excel any expectations.

They had too much firepower that they were adding to the roster. People questioned their in experience. To me, the only thing was the pitching. When they signed Lester, that told me they could compete now. I admit, both Hendricks and Hammells have been short of what I thought, but Jake has made up for that for me.

But you hit the nail on the head, and this was one of my main points in the beginning of the year. The Cubs players don't know that they are not supposed to be this good so soon. I saw the addition of Maddon, to go with these young studs the Cubs were developing, and it all made sense to me.

Maddon is great at working with young players, and the Cubs had the most young players of anyone. It was the perfect storm, imo. I think this holds true up to now. The Cubs are young, and they believe. I've played on teams like that. The confidence breeds like a virus.

Sometimes, the team doesn't even have to be the best if they have the funk, and the confidence. I think what we're seeing is that the Cubs have that, but they also have the talent. If people don't realize yet, the Cubs have the talent to win a World Series THIS YEAR!

They have the talent to "Shock the World"!

I'll give you credit, you've had optimism all year long. I can't speak for anyone else but sometimes that seemed to fly into the face of logic and I don't root for teams like that. I'm Glum of the Lilliputians (I'm old, it's an old reference consult the Google) I haven't been without optimism but I saw and still see flaws, I took baseball history into account ( no team has made the postseason with 4 rookie starters since 1901) and I know that rookies are inconsistent. The flaws are real but the baseball history piece has been largely managed away by Joe Maddon. And it's not liked flawed teams haven't made and won in the playoffs before. I agree with SilenceS on the big brother/little brother point. It's clear this team doesn't fear the Cardinals. In those early season games Joe and the players talked about respecting them a lot, now they are demanding to be respected back. That's an important shift. Respect is earned and they've earned it. By the way I really want this game today. I still don't think the Division is in play but if it's at 4 with 13 left it is a race and the team will believe it's in play. That matters.

 

[beckdawg]

Thought of the early morning:

The cubs are 7-10 vs the cards this year and 10-6 vs pit which means they are 69-45(.605) vs the other 27 MLB clubs this year which would put them on pace for roughly 98 wins had they not played the best 2 teams in baseball so often. All I can say is good luck to the other teams in the playoffs though sadly if I'm not mistaken the WC winner will be playing the central division winner.

 

[beckdawg]

'm Glum of the Lilliputians (I'm old, it's an old reference consult the Google)

You're not *that* old. I don't remember the exact reference but I'm like 90% certain that's gullivers travels and I'm 32.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

You're not *that* old. I don't remember the exact reference but I'm like 90% certain that's gullivers travels and I'm 32.

Adventures of Gulliver cartoon. It ran 1968-1969. I'm glad you got the reference though, I guess ol Glum has made his way into pop culture.

 

[Parade_Rain]

...Sometimes, the team doesn't even have to be the best if they have the funk, and the confidence. I think what we're seeing is that the Cubs have that, but they also have the talent. If people don't realize yet, the Cubs have the talent to win a World Series THIS YEAR!

They have the talent to "Shock the World"!

What the Cubs don't have is a #3 pitcher. It'd interesting to see how Maddon is working around the lack of SP depth, but that is the weakness on this team, IMHO.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Thought of the early morning:

The cubs are 7-10 vs the cards this year and 10-6 vs pit which means they are 69-45(.605) vs the other 27 MLB clubs this year which would put them on pace for roughly 98 wins had they not played the best 2 teams in baseball so often. All I can say is good luck to the other teams in the playoffs though sadly if I'm not mistaken the WC winner will be playing the central division winner.

Only one of the three best teams in the NL, as it stands right now, will even have a chance to play in the NLCS. That makes a strong case for playoff reseeding but I'm not sure if I'm in favor of that quite yet. I'd like to first see a 3 game WC series and then look at reseeding.

 

[CSF77]

What the Cubs don't have is a #3 pitcher. It'd interesting to see how Maddon is working around the lack of SP depth, but that is the weakness on this team, IMHO.

Azl dealt with that in 2001. They got lucky and got a quality start out of their #3 to give Johnson an Shilling a breather. But that was the W.S. and it was all hands moment.

Yes they need a #3 upgrade but IMO they need to keep Cahill in the pen. He has been nails in long relief roles. He has really is starting to make me think on his potential value now.

The biggest challenge Maddon will have is slimming down to 25 again. There are too many adding to this team right now and it is hard to take out a element that may end up being a factor that will be needed in a series.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Only one of the three best teams in the NL, as it stands right now, will even have a chance to play in the NLCS. That makes a strong case for playoff reseeding but I'm not sure if I'm in favor of that quite yet. I'd like to first see a 3 game WC series and then look at reseeding.

The WC series and subsequent games would still eliminate 2 of the top 3 records in baseball up front. I think I'd want both a re-seed and best two out of three, even if that series is two division winners.

 

[CSF77]

The WC series and subsequent games would still eliminate 2 of the top 3 records in baseball up front. I think I'd want both a re-seed and best two out of three, even if that series is two division winners.

The issue there is giving too much him off to the Div leaders. It is supposed to be a advantage to win their Div. Giving them 3-5 days off is a disadvantage. While the WC teams are keeping up the intensity.

1 game is fine. It puts the WC at a disadvantage by using up their ace in the 1 game. It is supposed to force teams to try to win their Div vs going into cruse control after they secure a spot.