World Series Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians

[rmilia1]

You have to pitch Hendricks in Chicago, I just would have rather had Arrieta pitch first. Francona knows Lester better than anybody, whoever makes it to first base and has any speed will probably be on third. The slow guys will be in scoring position. No matter how close Lester and Francona still are, he is going to destroy lester until this guy learns how to throw to the bases. Lester is going to try to be too fine and if the plate umpire is not having any of the just outside stuff, it can be a long night. Dont want the series to start with this tone.

I don't mind pitching Lester first. While you're right on what you say I'd have to imagine the Cubs have fine tuned whatever it is they do to help him with the running game. Honestly I would have loved to see Joe switch Jake and Lackey. Jake has struggled his last postseason starts and I believe he could really use a home start since the last 3 of those starts have been road games plus Lackey has pitched in the WS in big games and has had good postseason success. IF Cleveland wins game 1 I feel like Lackey would five us a better shot to win game 2 even if Jake has far better stuff

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I was driving into work yesterday, listening to MLB Radio on XM. I don't know who was talking, but he said that he felt if the Indians look to exploit Lester's problems with pickoffs it would be a little bit bush league.

I wanted to climb into the radio and beat that fucker's ass. What a stupid thing to say.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I don't mind pitching Lester first. While you're right on what you say I'd have to imagine the Cubs have fine tuned whatever it is they do to help him with the running game. Honestly I would have loved to see Joe switch Jake and Lackey. Jake has struggled his last postseason starts and I believe he could really use a home start since the last 3 of those starts have been road games plus Lackey has pitched in the WS in big games and has had good postseason success. IF Cleveland wins game 1 I feel like Lackey would five us a better shot to win game 2 even if Jake has far better stuff

This.

 

[Kevin12773]

I'm with Jexas. I would be nervous about starting Schwarber if I was a Cubs fan. He hasn't seen major league pitching in a calendar year. Cleveland pitching shut down the Red Sox bats.

You're forgetting those 8 quality at bats in April this year

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

You're forgetting those 8 quality at bats in April this year

Mea culpa.

 

[williewilliejuan]

I was driving into work yesterday, listening to MLB Radio on XM. I don't know who was talking, but he said that he felt if the Indians look to exploit Lester's problems with pickoffs it would be a little bit bush league.

I wanted to climb into the radio and beat that fucker's ass. What a stupid thing to say.

Why would it be bush? They should run on him until he proves he can stop them with a bounce throw.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

mess

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Why would it be bush? They should run on him until he proves he can stop them with a bounce throw.

It wouldn't be bush. I think he was trying to say that Lester's kind of handicapped in that regard, and they shouldn't take advantage. I'm not 100% sure what the guy was thinking. It's just stupid.

It's a part of his game that's not good. If a pitcher has a pitch that isn't real good, should hitters lay off that pitch because it'd be a little bush to go after it?

It's just a stupid line of thinking. If I was Jexan, I'd call him a dunce.

 

[whywork2]

Is Heyward on the roster? That guy has been killing the Cubs.

He's made some super catches in the outfield and saved a quite a few runs in the last series. It's a give and take. You give up hitting and gain a lot on defense up the middle.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Indians are almost 2-1 under-dogs.

The Cubs rotation- Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, Lackey is much deeper and better than Kluber, Bauer and his finger, Josh Tomlin, and Ryan Merrit.

The Cubs lineup is miles ahead of the Indians with big time corner sluggers in Bryant and Rizzo, great young players like Baez and Contreras and Russell. The Tribe's best overall player (though Lindor has now taken that crown) has not even played but about a dozen games this year- in Michael Brantley.

The Indians lose one of their 2 sluggers in Chicago- either Napoli or Santana- as neither can play anywhere but first base.

In the first two series the Indians had a major bullpen advantage- but in this series the Cubs have Chapman- who is by far the best reliever the Indians will have seen in the playoffs.

The VAST VAST majority of the country will be rooting for the sentimental favorite Cubs. If Tribe fans thought it was bad listening to the TBS guy kiss Boston's and Toronto's ass and barely give the Tribe a chance---- how the national media is going to slobber all over the Cubs will be 10x worse.

Despite all that- I cant help but feel the Tribe is going to continue to shock the baseball world and pull this off. The only real mistake I saw the Indians make this postseason was Shaw in Game 4 in Toronto when he made an error. The Tribe is playing ultra-clean baseball- making every play, doing the little things. There only major advantages are from their defense and their base running, and their manager. If they can continue to do the little things right- and continue to play solid fundamental baseball I think they win this thing in 6 Games.

 

[Battlelyon]

Cavs underdogs
Indians underdogs

Biggest day in Cleveland sports history

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Indians are almost 2-1 under-dogs.

The Cubs rotation- Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, Lackey is much deeper and better than Kluber, Bauer and his finger, Josh Tomlin, and Ryan Merrit.

The Cubs lineup is miles ahead of the Indians with big time corner sluggers in Bryant and Rizzo, great young players like Baez and Contreras and Russell. The Tribe's best overall player (though Lindor has now taken that crown) has not even played but about a dozen games this year- in Michael Brantley.

The Indians lose one of their 2 sluggers in Chicago- either Napoli or Santana- as neither can play anywhere but first base.

In the first two series the Indians had a major bullpen advantage- but in this series the Cubs have Chapman- who is by far the best reliever the Indians will have seen in the playoffs.

The VAST VAST majority of the country will be rooting for the sentimental favorite Cubs. If Tribe fans thought it was bad listening to the TBS guy kiss Boston's and Toronto's ass and barely give the Tribe a chance---- how the national media is going to slobber all over the Cubs will be 10x worse.

Despite all that- I cant help but feel the Tribe is going to continue to shock the baseball world and pull this off. The only real mistake I saw the Indians make this postseason was Shaw in Game 4 in Toronto when he made an error. The Tribe is playing ultra-clean baseball- making every play, doing the little things. There only major advantages are from their defense and their base running, and their manager. If they can continue to do the little things right- and continue to play solid fundamental baseball I think they win this thing in 6 Games.

Indians have a significant advantage in the bullpens.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Cavs underdogs
Indians underdogs

Biggest day in Cleveland sports history

I love that gif. It's one of my go-to's.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I was driving into work yesterday, listening to MLB Radio on XM. I don't know who was talking, but he said that he felt if the Indians look to exploit Lester's problems with pickoffs it would be a little bit bush league.

I wanted to climb into the radio and beat that fucker's ass. What a stupid thing to say.

Oh, FFS...

Teams ran like hell against the Mets pitchers this season. They all SUCK at holding runners, and they were - rightly - exploited for it. Their job is to get better at it, not bitch about it.

But all those guys are much younger and have time to develop the skill; Lester probably isn't going to change at this point.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

He's made some super catches in the outfield and saved a quite a few runs in the last series. It's a give and take. You give up hitting and gain a lot on defense up the middle.

That's a good point. There's also the possibility that he could hit.

He's another example of how "king shit" prospects sometimes shit the bed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's garbage, I'm just saying that he's nowhere what people thought he'd be when he was a prospect.

For every Mike Trout, there're dozens of A1 prospects that flame out.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

But all those guys are much younger and have time to develop the skill; Lester probably isn't going to change at this point.

It's my understanding that he can't throw to first. Like a mental issue. I think he has a seizure when he tries, or somesuch.

 

[Carnzo]

Going to be a historic series. I will feel for the looser's fans but as a baseball fan it hardly gets better than this.
In the end (7 games I hope) all baseball fans win.

 

[dougplayer]

Yep run on lester. Every time. Get big leads. Bother him. Got to.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

It's my understanding that he can't throw to first. Like a mental issue. I think he has a seizure when he tries, or somesuch.

Oh, he got that Chuck Knoblauch's disease?

Then i understand a little bit why radio-dude thought it would be bush, but he's still wrong.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Slink, just put down 500 V's on Kluber and a smaller portion on the under.

Don't disappoint me...