IST: Brewers at Cubs (8/11-8/13)

CSF77

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You're discounting experience here. The Pirates have been here before, the Cubs kids haven't. If the Cubs make the playoffs they will be beating tremendous odds just by that act. No team with 4 rookies with 300 PA (yes Schwarber will probably get there by the skin of his teeth) has ever gone to the postseason. Not. Ever. I'm not saying you can't beat those odds, in fact I think they're likely to, but every step becomes harder. On paper Pittsburgh us the best team in the division but could very well finish in third place. That makes them very dangerous in a one game playoff. I don't think any logical case as to why the Cubs could beat the Pirates really holds much water, at least to me, because if our boys do make it logic goes out the window and we're still talking about a very, very young team. That all said, whether it would be Lester or Arietta starting, I think they could win that game because...baseball.

I get that. But I think it matters less in this case. 2008 Maddon turned the Rays around and got that team into the W.S. Those players were in the same boat.

It comes down to momentum. And believing in their talent. This team seems to have matured. They are closing out games now. The play offs are just the next step.

My doubting side believes they will come up short. But, Maddon seems to be able to pull off the impossible. This kind of turn around this quick. I expected .500 this year. 2008 no one expected the Rays to ever amount to anything. Well Maddon made that team a force to be dealt with.

I'm starting to learn to have a open mind with this team because these kids are talented and now Maddon has them believing in them selves. I don't think they are going to just go away this year. They might just get better.
 

TC in Mississippi

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I get that. But I think it matters less in this case. 2008 Maddon turned the Rays around and got that team into the W.S. Those players were in the same boat.

It comes down to momentum. And believing in their talent. This team seems to have matured. They are closing out games now. The play offs are just the next step.

My doubting side believes they will come up short. But, Maddon seems to be able to pull off the impossible. This kind of turn around this quick. I expected .500 this year. 2008 no one expected the Rays to ever amount to anything. Well Maddon made that team a force to be dealt with.

I'm starting to learn to have a open mind with this team because these kids are talented and now Maddon has them believing in them selves. I don't think they are going to just go away this year. They might just get better.

I think they are getting better and I'm not saying they can't win a game against Pittsburgh I'm just saying the usual arguments don't apply. I had this team in the 83-87 win range. I'm pretty convinced they will win at least 90. That's incredible. If you would have told me this team would be 16 games over .500 on August 13 I would have askd you to turn over the drugs. I'm really taking this team one game at a time and see where it takes us. This team is fun to watch, beyond that everything is a bonus.
 

beckdawg

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God the NL central is crazy this year. STL is the best team in baseball. Pit is the 3rd best team and the cubs are the 4th best.
 

CRM 114

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081215_chc_rizzo_catch_med_y9bmr8qk.gif
 

Boobaby1

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Not that big of a deal. I did something similar to that when someone tossed me a chicken wing at Hooter's the other night. :smug2:
 

JZsportsfan

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God the NL central is crazy this year. STL is the best team in baseball. Pit is the 3rd best team and the cubs are the 4th best.

Should be like that for awhile too.

Gonna be hard to compete in this division for the next few years
 

brett05

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Should be like that for awhile too.

Gonna be hard to compete in this division for the next few years

As long as FA is equally distributed, I think you are right. But it seems that way in all three NL divisions.
 

TC in Mississippi

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Should be like that for awhile too.

Gonna be hard to compete in this division for the next few years

Agreed but I think Pittsburgh will fall out in a year or two because of salary concerns but don't sleep on the Reds. They should be back in the discussion in about two years. Some nice prospects in the system and they did well in the Cueto deal. Plus I'd never count Walt Jocketty out for long
 

Parade_Rain

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You're discounting experience here. The Pirates have been here before, the Cubs kids haven't. If the Cubs make the playoffs they will be beating tremendous odds just by that act. No team with 4 rookies with 300 PA (yes Schwarber will probably get there by the skin of his teeth) has ever gone to the postseason. Not. Ever. I'm not saying you can't beat those odds, in fact I think they're likely to, but every step becomes harder. On paper Pittsburgh us the best team in the division but could very well finish in third place. That makes them very dangerous in a one game playoff. I don't think any logical case as to why the Cubs could beat the Pirates really holds much water, at least to me, because if our boys do make it logic goes out the window and we're still talking about a very, very young team. That all said, whether it would be Lester or Arietta starting, I think they could win that game because...baseball.
I understand why you say that, but experience in a one game playoff is overblown, imho. Often times young people are oblivious to the environment around them. The young Cubs also weren't supposed to win this year. They were just supposed to compete. They would be going into the one game playoff as the team with nothing to lose. If they lose, it was expected. If they win, it's a pleasant surprise. They don't have any pressure on them (which is also something Maddon is good at).
 

SilenceS

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Eh, its different now a days. Kids have been playing in pressure situations in front of big crowds most of their life. That is a big thing being talked about around the majors this year with the influx of young talent. They aren't scared of the spotlight because they have been in it most of their lives. Im not going to compare to a ml playoff game but its a bit different then back in the day where a kid could have no exposure to any spotlight or real high pressure situation until they reach the majors. Those days are long gone.
 

TC in Mississippi

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You both have points but sometimes experience is important if for no other reason that young players just haven't seen everything that can happen in a game, especially a postseason game, yet. I think that matters and there is a pretty large sample size over decades of baseball to back that up. I will say that these rookies are among some of the most mature rookies I've ever seen though. They never seem to get too up or too down and obviously Maddon is a part of that and the fact that those very qualities are something this FO looks for. Now they're in the middle of something no one expected them to be in the middle of. Let's see how they do.
 

ijustposthere

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A playoff series, it definitely matters. A one game playoff, don't think there's a big difference. I'm with Parade, in a one game playoff, they're probably more oblivious to the atmosphere. A playoff series, they might start to feel it building.
 

CSF77

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I'm not rooting for the Cards. But against the Pirates.

Need to see the Cubs chasing the Cards now.
 

zack54attack

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1 run that inning. Not bad.
 

zack54attack

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Oh boy Lester.
 

Diehardfan

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I think it's pretty obvious why he doesn't throw over there, also why Ross catches him. Those throws to first are very Steve Blass like...hard to believe that it's coming an All-star pitcher like Lester.
 

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