IST: Cubs @ Cardinals

9/25 7:15 PM CDT
Lester (11-8,4.56 ERA) vs Weaver (7-1, 2.05 ERA)

9/26 7:15 PM CDT
Arrieta (14-9, 3.43 ERA) vs Martinez (12-11, 3.63 ERA)

9/27 6:08 PM CDT
Lackey (11-11, 4.67 ERA) vs Wacha (12-8, 4.0 ERA)

9/28 6:15 PM CDT
Hendricks (7-5, 3.14 ERA) vs Lynn (11-8, 3.47 ERA)

Hmm, wonder if the red birds have any fight left in them...

Why wouldn't they? 2.5 back for a wild card spot.

As fans should note, it's very easy for a series to get away from you in a way that even though you think you're going to do fine, it's easy to watch a four game series just never really give you an option to win. I understand the Cubs are highly likely to make the playoffs and have never really feared they wouldn't (closest I came was they may not after the Brewers series in early September) but they rebounded nicely, won the games they needed to, and here we are.

It's a shame this board's activity almost is opposite of the team: it does well and people don't post but when they lose they come here and say sorts of grand proclamations about the team. There's a ton to talk about with this team (what your lineup is, who are your arms you trust in the bullpen, who do you not want to see in the game, how would you set your rotation) that is massively different than last year when you basically knew what they were going to do in terms of what the lineup and rotation was.

Big game for Lester tonight..
He needs to show he ready for the playoffs..

Im looking for him to go a solid 7+ tonight

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DanTown said:

It's a shame this board's activity almost is opposite of the team: it does well and people don't post but when they lose they come here and say sorts of grand proclamations about the team. There's a ton to talk about with this team (what your lineup is, who are your arms you trust in the bullpen, who do you not want to see in the game, how would you set your rotation) that is massively different than last year when you basically knew what they were going to do in terms of what the lineup and rotation was.

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I think it's more a case of the board being manic in that its the end of the world when they lose and all aboard the hype train when they win. When things are going well I don't have a ton to say personally other than keep doing what you're doing. I find it interesting discussing what to do when a team is losing because obviously something needs to change.

beckdawg said:

I think it's more a case of the board being manic in that its the end of the world when they lose and all aboard the hype train when they win. When things are going well I don't have a ton to say personally other than keep doing what you're doing. I find it interesting discussing what to do when a team is losing because obviously something needs to change.

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But this isn't last year where there was no debate, I mean there are a ton of questions about this team that can be had. Last year, sure, it didn't lend itself to a discussion because you really only were going to play six guys for sure (Zo, Bryant, Fowler, Baez, Russell, and Rizzo), a seventh guy was going to rotate (Cogs, Soler, and Heyward), and then an eighth was basically dependent on the starter (Contreras, Ross, Montero).

This year, you could make a reasonable argument to start as many as 11 regular hitters

Jay, Bryant, Rizzo, Happ, Zobrist, Russell, Heyward, Almora, Zobrist, Schwarber, Contreras and that doesn't even count doing something super crazy like Avila at C and Willson in LF.

Who is your playoff rotation? I could hear an argument for any of the five making it and I could hear an argument for three different guys to be #1.

Who's your bullpen? I could hear an argument for as many as five different guys as the top two relievers behind Davis and as many as seven guys as in the top 3.

Who are you going to keep on your bench when the roster shuts down from "40" to 25?

I simply don't buy there isn't discussion to be had about this team at this point in the year.

And we are on the board early!! 3-0 go Cubs

I think the cubs bats came ready for this game..
Or
Maddon promised a couple days off if they clinched early


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Feel bad for Weaver, as if t he Cubs were picking on him.

Javy Hobbs knocks the cover off the ball.....LOL, haven't seen that in quite awhile. With all the HR's this year, makes you wonder about ball construction.

great start

Boom

KB has 297 batting avg, 29 HR and only 73 RBI, something very wrong with the leadoff spot

Let's hope Lester can get a quality start in. We'll see.

What's your guys's opinion on that stat btw?

Boom

No clue what to think, except, why is Weaver still pitching batting practice to our Cubs?

It will suck if we win tonight and lose tomorrow and the Brewers lose. We clinch without celebrating on their field.

DanTown said:

This year, you could make a reasonable argument to start as many as 11 regular hitters

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Maybe you didn't catch this but I already talked about this in one of the IGTs. The gist of what I said was play match ups with everyone but Contreras, bryant, russell, Heyward and Rizzo. Javy and Almora dominate LHP. Schwarber and I believe Zobrist have struggled vs LHP so probably sit them. In LF you can go Happ or Jay whomever you deem fit. Vs RHP I'd probably play Happ in CF early and maybe move him to LF later if you get a lead. I'd start Schwarber in LF and probably zobrist at 2B unless you really want Javy's defense. For example, you might argue playing him at 2B with Lester given his limited defense. Might also make that case to help with run game for Arrieta too.

Who is your playoff rotation? I could hear an argument for any of the five making it and I could hear an argument for three different guys to be #1.

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Think this is fairly obvious it's just a matter of order. I imagine they match up Lester vs Scherzer, Arrieta vs Stras, Q vs Gio and Hendricks vs whoever their #4 guy is. Given performance think you could argue for moving Lester back some but I imagine you're going to see either L/R/L/R or R/L/R/L in some fashion. And given Lester's playoff history and Q's lack there of don't think you want him starting game 1 on the road. Plus it sets you up in the case that if Scherzer dominates your 3 best guys in terms of performance are still available and if Lester pitches a good game and matches him you're really in a good position. If Lester doesn't pitch well it's probably a game you would expect to lose.

Who's your bullpen? I could hear an argument for as many as five different guys as the top two relievers behind Davis and as many as seven guys as in the top 3.

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I'd imagine it's the guys they've mostly used minus grimm and +lackey as a BP guy and + one other bench bat. Think the bench will be interesting for the playoffs. If they do indeed go with 13 bats and 12 pitchers, think you're talking avila/contreras, Rizzo/Javy/Zobrist/Russell/Bryant, Schwarber/Happ/Jay/Almora/Heyward all being locks. Presumably the last bat is La Stella though they are currently carrying 5 catchers so who knows if maddon goes a 3rd C especially when you consider happ can also cover infield.

A.C. Milan said:

KB has 297 batting avg, 29 HR and only 73 RBI, something very wrong with the leadoff spot

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27 hits 135 AB with RISP
Also 2 hits in 11 AB with bases loaded
Hitting 2nd in order ahead of 8 hitter and pitcher

Think
That has a lot more to do with his RBI total being low ...

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