World Series IGT: Chicago Cubs @ Cleveland Indians Game 2

[cubsmann]

Yea, I would expect a combo of Strop Wood Chapman in the later innings. I think Joe may have lost faith in Rondon. He clearly has an issue. All his pitches are flat and I dont the explosion anymore.

I don't know whats up with Rondon but I wouldn't pitch him with the game on the line. The Cubs have so many other options in the late innings (Wood, Grimm, Edwards Jr, Strop, and Montgomery). All the pitching staff needs to do is get the game to the 8th inning with the lead and Chapman will slam the door. Its a great feeling to have. Hendricks will likely pitch 7 or 8 innings and give up less than 3 runs. The offense just needs to jump on the Indians like they have been all post season and its game over. I'm thinking Cubs win the series in 5

 

[Ej63090]

I don't know whats up with Rondon but I wouldn't pitch him with the game on the line. The Cubs have so many other options in the late innings (Wood, Grimm, Edwards Jr, Strop, and Montgomery). All the pitching staff needs to do is get the game to the 8th inning with the lead and Chapman will slam the door. Its a great feeling to have. Hendricks will likely pitch 7 or 8 innings and give up less than 3 runs. The offense just needs to jump on the Indians like they have been all post season and its game over. I'm thinking Cubs win the series in 5

If we win with Lackey Saturday I think they should win in 5.

I'm guessing Cubs in 6 or 7. Kluber's arm should be dead by 7.

 

[CSF77]

Kyle should win his. Not betting against Kluber. Lester should bounce back. That leaves Jake on game 6.

Kluber is the only guy they have that can quiet the bats.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

Kyle should win his. Not betting against Kluber. Lester should bounce back. That leaves Jake on game 6.

Kluber is the only guy they have that can quiet the bats.

This is true - but look at how much better we fared against Kershaw the second time we faced him. He made our guys look silly in Game 2. With the exception of Baez's warning track fly out, we couldn't square him up all night. Then the second time, we crushed him.

Look, Kluber's a great pitcher and he's been dealing all post season. But don't tell me his already good stuff wasn't exasperated by a totally inept ump with a moving strike zone. I counted 5 obvious balls called for strikes. From a situational stand point, some of those calls changed the out come of specific at-bats.

Hollandsworth said it himself on ESPN1000 -- we'll see him again and our batters won't look silly the next time. I would not write off Game 4 against Kluber.

 

[fatbeard]

Was thinking about this last night trying to put Francona's plan into context: The Indians' only real viable path to victory in this series is to pitch Kluber three times and hope that he wins all three starts, two of which will be on three days' rest, and even if he is able to do that (which would be one of the greatest postseason pitching performances in modern history--better than Bumgarner's two starts and a relief appearance in '14) they still have to find a way to steal another game. To my knowledge, Kluber has never pitched on three days' rest, let alone done it twice for a total of three starts in nine days. It's like 1890's baseball. I totally understand why Francona feels he has to do it this way, but talk about pinning your hopes on a wing and a prayer...

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Was thinking about this last night trying to put Francona's plan into context: The Indians' only real viable path to victory in this series is to pitch Kluber three times and hope that he wins all three starts, two of which will be on three days' rest, and even if he is able to do that (which would be one of the greatest postseason pitching performances in modern history--better than Bumgarner's two starts and a relief appearance in '14) they still have to find a way to steal another game. To my knowledge, Kluber has never pitched on three days' rest, let alone done it twice for a total of three starts in nine days. It's like 1890's baseball. I totally understand why Francona feels he has to do it this way, but talk about pinning your hopes on a wing and a prayer...

That's how they've gotten this far though. I give them a lot of credit because Boston was a better team on paper as was Toronto and now the Cubs. I will not underestimate these guys.

 

[Diehardfan]

Was thinking about this last night trying to put Francona's plan into context: The Indians' only real viable path to victory in this series is to pitch Kluber three times and hope that he wins all three starts, two of which will be on three days' rest, and even if he is able to do that (which would be one of the greatest postseason pitching performances in modern history--better than Bumgarner's two starts and a relief appearance in '14) they still have to find a way to steal another game. To my knowledge, Kluber has never pitched on three days' rest, let alone done it twice for a total of three starts in nine days. It's like 1890's baseball. I totally understand why Francona feels he has to do it this way, but talk about pinning your hopes on a wing and a prayer...

Don't know if they will beat him or not but if he doesn't get an umpire that gives him 4 inches on either side of the plate, they will at least hit him and not strike out 15 times.

 

[czman]

To be fair, the ump in game two was awful as well. He gave the Cubs a lot more favorable calls and did not give the same zone to Bauer.

I am all for a electronic strike zone based on players heights. Right now I think the zone is static. The technology is there to bring objectivity to the game and I hope it happens in the next 5-10 years.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

That's how they've gotten this far though. I give them a lot of credit because Boston was a better team on paper as was Toronto and now the Cubs. I will not underestimate these guys.

Cleveland is good and I'm sure our guys are not under estimating them. But we are deeper and more talented team. And as this series progresses, it becomes increasingly more difficult for a less talented team lacking depth to win 4 games. Losing game 2 was a devastating blow for Cleveland. If they lose Game 3 and need to win 3 out of 4 against us -- that is a monumental task.

The longer the series goes, the more exposed Cleveland gets. Losing game 2 hurt them really, really bad.

 

[Boobaby1]

Cleveland is good and I'm sure our guys are not under estimating them. But we are deeper and more talented team. And as this series progresses, it becomes increasingly more difficult for a less talented team lacking depth to win 4 games. Losing game 2 was a devastating blow for Cleveland. If they lose Game 3 and need to win 3 out of 4 against us -- that is a monumental task.

The longer the series goes, the more exposed Cleveland gets. Losing game 2 hurt them really, really bad.

It will hurt them more if the Cubs can win with Hendricks, as I think the Cubs fans will get to Kluber if Lackey can keep them in the game.

I think game three is a must win for Chicago, as it would make it that the Indians would have to win 3 of 4, and the Cubs would have to play .500 baseball to win it.

Would love nothing more than the Cubs to have Lester throwing game 5 in Wrigley with a chance to slam the door and win it all.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

It will hurt them more if the Cubs can win with Hendricks, as I think the Cubs fans will get to Kluber if Lackey can keep them in the game.

I think game three is a must win for Chicago, as it would make it that the Indians would have to win 3 of 4, and the Cubs would have to play .500 baseball to win it.

Would love nothing more than the Cubs to have Lester throwing game 5 in Wrigley with a chance to slam the door and win it all.

If we are up 3-1 at Wrigley with Lester pitching - Good Night, Cleveland.

 

[Boobaby1]

If we are up 3-1 at Wrigley with Lester pitching - Good Night, Cleveland.

Yep! But to get to 3-1, we desperately need tomorrow.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

If we are up 3-1 at Wrigley with Lester pitching - Good Night, Cleveland.

Let's please not get ahead of ourselves. Right now the odds say we have a good chance at tomorrow's game bu.t are the underdog on Saturday going against Kluber. I'm assuming the series will be tied 2-2 on Sunday and, yeah, Lester going against Bauer? I like those odds.