Archive for the ‘fantasy’ Category

Jake versus Jake

Posted: May 21, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs head west to San Francisco for a three game series that starts with Jake Arreita taking on Jake Peavy.  Dexter Fowler would lead off with a line drive single to left.  Peavy would then walk Heyward. Two men on, Kris Bryant sends a ground ball to third allowing Matt Duffy to force out Dexter.  Rizzo and Zobrist would fly out to end the inning with no runs.  Denard Span would send a fly ball about to right that would be chased down by Heyward who would make an amazing catch diving into the wall but he wouldn’t get up.  When he finally gets to his feet, the baseball crowd that are Giants fans give him an ovation, we all hope everything’s ok.  The injury delay would take Arrieta a little off his game walking Joe Panik. Duffy would fly out and Posey would send a grounder back to The Great One ending the first.  

Top two is lead off with a single by Soler then another by Montero.  Baez would try a suprise bunt to get on but is caught on a close play would be challenged but would be upheld as a sac bunt.  Arreita would help his own cause with a line drive to Center scoring Soler.  Peavy would walk Fowler to load the bases.  Tommy La Stella sends a line drive off the wall directly back to Hunter Pence, Montero would score but Jake would get caught up and tagged out at third for the second out with Fowler on third.  But that’s okay because Kris Bryant would send a 3 run homer to left!  Rizzo would single with the shift on and that would be all for Peavy.  Derrick Law replaces him to end the inning and hold the Cubs in the third.  Cubs up by 5. 

Jake the Great would have an easy 2cd but would give up a lead off single to Angel Pagan to lead off the third who then steals second and scores the Giants first run on Joe Panik’s single to right.  Matt Duffy would do the same pushing Panik to third. Buster Posey would send a long fly to left but just low enough for Soler to catch it on the wall to end the inning. 

Albert Suarez would come into the fourth, he’d put Fowler on by hitting him but that would be all the action.  The Great One would breeze through the bottom half. Suarez would do the same in the top half of the fifth and sixth. 

In the bottom of the 5th with one out, Pagan would reach on a single to third and steal second base again but Jake gets out of the inning.  Then grabs a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th.  Illinois native, from the Palos area, George Kontos comes into the 7th for a 1-2-3 inning for the books.  Jake would put a runner on but get out of the 7th.  

Kontos remains in the eighth gets the first batter out but gives up a monster home run to Ben Zobrist into McCovey Cove.  Then Soler would send one to left, back to back home runs in the eighth.  But would get out of the inning.  Cubs up 7-1.  

Travis Wood in for the bottom of the eighth gives up a double but no runs to the opposition.  Cory Gearrin enters the top of the ninth against Addison Russell striking he and the next batter out but David Ross comes into the doubling off the wall in right. Bryant hits a chopper up the middle scoring Ross.  Gearrin would exit for number 49 Javier Lopez, who would end the inning but the Cubs add one more to make it 8-1.   Clayton Richard comes in the bottom half of the ninth to bring an end to the Giants 8 game win streak.  Go Cubs Go!!!

@danzeeeman

#ItsJustMay

Posted: May 19, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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In the last game of the series in Milwaukee the Cubs Jason Hammell takes on Junior Guerra in his 4th start of the season.  Dexter Fowler leads the game off with his 4th Home Run of the season to right field.  A walk to Rizzo would be all the action for the Cubs but they’re up 1-0.  Hammel has a perfect in the bottom half. 

Guerra starts off the second against Jorge Soler and gives up a double.  Russell K’s but Montero sends a line drive to left scoring Soler!  Hammel strikes out to end the inning.  Hammel would return the favor, striking out Chris Carter to leadoff the bottom half.  Kirk Nieuwenhuis would single and move over to second when Hernan Perez walks.  Montero would try to pick off Kirk but a throwing error would send him to third. He would then score on a wild pitch by Hammel. 2-1 Cubs.  

Both men would make it through the third with just one base runner.  Guerra would have a perfect top of 4 but Hammel on a 1 and 1 count would toss one up for Chris Carter who ties the game with a line drive to center field.  After 4 it’s a tie game.  

Both men would have a solid fifth inning with Jason Hammel getting the only hit of the inning.  Guerra would walk Zobrist in the sixth.  Scooter Gennett would single on a line drive to Soler but Carter would go down swinging.  With one man on Kirk would take Hammel deep to center for his second home run of the season.  After 6, it’s the Brewers 4, Cubs 2. 

With one out, Miguel Montero would send one to center field but not for a home run but it’s a three bagger.  With two outs Fowler would step in looking to drive in Montero but he wouldn’t need to do much because Guerra would throw a wild pitch, Miguel would score and Fowler would end the inning with a fly out to left.  Cubs get within one, 3-4. 

Justin Grimm comes into the bottom half of 7, gets two batters out, gives up a single and is replaced by Clayton Richard, who gets the last out.  Michael Blazek comes in for the Brew Crew gets the first two outs but then walks Rizzo who moves to third on Ben Zobrist’s double.  Niether would score as Soler strikes out to end the inning. 

Clayton Richard stays is only to be pulled after giving up a hit to Scooter. Trevor Cahill would come in to get the next two batters out. Two outs man on second, Hernan singles to center scoring Scooter to put the Crew up by two. The next two batters are walked one intentionally.  Now we have Jonathan Lucroy pinch hitting for the pitcher with two outs but Cahill calms down and gets him out on strikes to end the inning.  

Tyler Thornberg comes in for the save opportunity giving much hope to the boys in blue walking both Russell and Montero.  After a visit to the mound, Tyler calms down and gets Javier Baez to strike out.  Fowler flys out on a deep fly ball to right and Heyward goes down swinging to end the game.  The Brewers take two out of three. Call it what you may but the high scoring bats have come down to earth but in the end #ItsJustMay

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A pitchers Brewal

Posted: May 19, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs would like to redeem themselves after last nights loss.  John Lackey would take on Milwaukees 26 year old right handed Jimmy Nelson.  He would start the game with a perfect 1st inning but would load the bases in the 2cd with two outs.  Zobrist singled, La Stella doubled and they intentionally walked Ross but Lackey would strikeout to end the inning.  Lackey would walk the first batter of the game but would get the next three batters and it would be smooth sailing until the 4th.  With one out Jonathan Lucroy would double to right. Chris Carter would strikeout and with the next batter in the box, David Ross would pick off Lucroy to end the inning. 

Lackey would run into trouble in the bottom of the 5th with a leadoff double to Kirk Nieuwenhuis and then a single to Domingo Santana.  Alex Presley would ground into a force out scoring Kirk. Lackey would get out of the inning.  In the bottom of the sixth he would give up a hit to Scooter Gennett.  With two outs Scooter would take to large of a lead putting him in a rundown to be caught stealing by David Ross.  

Through 7 innings the Cubs would get some baserunners but no one would cross the plate.  After 7 it would be Cubs 0, Brewers 1.  Lackey would come out for the bottom of the seventh, Adam Warren takes his place puts a runner on but gets out of the inning pretty easily.  

Nelson would stay in the game for the 8th getting the first man out but breathes life into the Cubs fans in Miller Park with a double to Jorge Soler. With Fowler at the plate and a wild pitch sends Soler to third.  Fowler would walk and that results in a pitching change.  Tyler Thornburg comes in and shuts down any chance the Cubs had at taking the league.  

Justin Grimm comes into the bottom of the 8th, getting the first two batters to watch strike three.  Jonathan Villar would walk and again with Scooter up at bat David Ross would triple out another runner to end the inning.  Still a 1-0 game.  

Jeremy Jeffress would come into close out the game starting with the man he ended last nights game, hits Anthony Rizzo.  Baez would come into pinch run with Zobrist at the plate.  Zobrist knocks one to right, making this game interesting.   La Stella would ground out to second moving the batters up.  Addison Russell would ground out also to second but scoring Baez.  The Brewers walk Montero to bring up Tim Federowicz to end the inning with a strikeout.  The game is tied at 1!

Pedro Strop comes into the bottom half to get a 1-2-3 inning.  Michael Blazek comes into the 10th striking out Fowler, giving up a single to Heyward and walking Bryant.  Baez would get the force out and Zobrist would ground out to end the inning.  

We go into extra innings.  The Cubs would strike hot in the 10th with two base runners but no runs.  Pedro Strop would make it just as exciting with a walk and single but gets Ramon Flores out on a called third strike.  In the 11th, Russell would double but again no runs.  

Pedro Strop entered in the bottom of the 11th having a solid 1-2-3 inning.  Fowler would lead off the 12th with a single but would be forced out on Heyward’s single to short stop.  He would be caught stealing 2nd base, Maddon would challenge but it’s upheld.  Bryant flies out to end the inning.  Hector Rondon comes into the bottom half putting Chris Carter on first due to an error, then walks the next batter prompting a pitcher change.  Travis Wood loads the bases with another walk but puts it all together to stop anyone from crossing the plate.  

The top of 13, with one out Zobrist grabs a single off Carlos Torres who beans Tommy La Stella.  He strikes out Russell for out number 2.  They intentionally walk Montero to get to pitcher Travis Wood. This completely backfires as he scores an RBI walk. Fowler lines out but Cubs up 2-1. Wood stays in giving up s double to Villar but gets Scooter to ground out. Maddon goes to the pen bringing in Neil Ramirez who makes it exciting.  A wild pitch moves Villar to third then a walk to Lucroy but after the big K to Carter, Maddon relieves him from duty.  Clayton Richard comes in for the save and gets Kirk Nieuwenhuis to ground out to end the game.  

Now the bullpen did make the game exciting at times but held it together when the Cubs bats were silenced.  Whether it’s by 10 or 1 run, a wins a win. 

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Not much Brewing for the Cubs 

Posted: May 17, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs head to Wrigley Field North or as The Brewers would call it, Miller Park.  It actually is a great park to visit.  Carlos Zambrabo threw his no-hitter there against the Astros. 

The Cubs would be shut down perfectly through 4 by Brewers pitcher Chase Anderson.  Kyle Hendricks on the other hand, would have a perfect 1st, but walks leadoff Jonathan Lucroy to start off the second but gets the next three out.  He gets Braun to ground out to lead off the fourth but gives up a monster home run to Lucroy putting the Brew Crew up by 1.  

The Cubs would continue to be shut down until afte the first batter in the top of the sixth, when  Miguel Montero walks and steals second but that would be all the action. In the bottom half Kyle would set up Ryan Braun with two men on he smacks a single to right field adding another run to the Brewers scoreboard.  He would get Lucroy to pop out to Montero but Chris Carter would send a line drive to right center for a double driving both men in.  This would prompt Maddon to bring in Trevor Cahill to strike out the last two batters to end the inning.  He would come back for a perfect seventh.  

Chase Anderson would give up his first hit of the game a double to leadoff man Ben Zobrist but he’d shut them down again.  Cahill comes back for the bottom half and it’s perfect again.  Anderson would come back out to finish the game he started getting the first two outs.  Jason Heyward on an 0-2 count gets a hold of one sending it to right center for his first home run of the season. On a 1-0 count Kris Bryant would get a hold of one and send it to left field for his 7th homer of the season.  Jeremy Jeffres would come into the game with a save opportunity with two outs Rizzo comes to the plate looking to make it 3 home runs in a row but he goes down swinging. Cubs lose 4-2.  

I know it’s another loss but Anderson was on tonight and there was absolutely nothing to be done about it.  The silver lining of course was Cahill’s performance.  Entering the game in the bottom half of the sixth pitching lights out baseball for 2 2/3 innings could have asked for more.  Let’s get them tomorrow!

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

It’s just one loss

Posted: May 15, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs wrap up the weekend series against the Pirates with John Lester facing Garett Cole who’s seeking his 4th win of the season like Lester.  Today’s match up would be another pitchers duel.  I know that everyone loves high scoring, home run smashing games but my favorite to watch are these battles.  I usually keep my opinion out of this but win or lose I love these games.   

The first 6 innings would see Lester shutting down the third place Bucs aside from a walk to David Freese in the first and a walk in the second to Framcisco Cervelli. The Cubs would start off with a leadoff double by Dexter Fowler for his 14th of the year.  That would be all until Addison Reed singles in the second and again until Ben Zobrist’s double in the fourth.  The fifth and sixth innings would be 1-2-3 innings for Cole.  Just three hits through 6 with no runs is today, not at all common place for the Cubs.  

Lester would continue his battle in the 7th making it exciting with a one out single to Starling Marte but would strike out Cervelli.  With two outs Jung Ho Kang would send a fly ball to Heyward that would turn into an RBI double prompting Maddon to pull Lester after 109 pitches through 6 2/3.   Adam Warren would come into close the inning out but would start with a walk.  Maddon would decide to have Warren intentional walk Gregory Polanco to get to Gerrit Cole.  He would ground into a force out to end the inning but would come into the bottom half and shut the Cubs down once again.  

Pedro Strop would come into the 8th giving up a single to Jody Mercer but would get the next three batters out, no problem.   Cole would stay in for the bottom half and all attempts by the Cubs to come back would be shut down.  

Hector Rondon would come into the ninth and immediately strikes out Cervelli.  The only run of the game was driven in by Jung Ho Kang, with one out he would send a fly ball to left center for his 4th home run of the season.  Josh Harrison would single and Polanco would walk again. Travis Wood replaces Rondon as Matt Joyce pinch hits for Cole. Wood gets the out but Maddon pulls him for Justin Grimm who walks Mercer but strikes out McCutchen.  Cubs down 2-0.  

Pirates closer Mark Melancon comes in for the save opportunity but walks Fowler and gives up a single to Heyward.  Bryant would fly out for the first out.  Rizzo would send a fly ball to right that’s scored as a sac fly scoring Fowler.  Zobrist comes to the plate for an opportunity to tie the game or get a walk off homer.  Heyward would steal second to prevent a force.  Zobrist with two outs would hit a ground ball to second ending the game.  

Now I know it’s a loss in the books but I still think it was a great outing for Jon Lester and the versatility of the bullpen.  Joel Maddon has 162 games to figure out how the bullpen works for the playoffs.  With the way they are playing, I feel there is no doubt that they will be in the playoffs and he needs to figure out this bullpen.  Again, I know it’s a loss but Cubs fans, take it easy, #ItsJustMay

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A Little More Rope

Posted: May 15, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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If you are a San Francisco Giants fan, you will remember the off-season comments being tossed around concerning the acquisition of Jeff Samardzija, also known as The Shark.

“His 4.96 ERA last season [2015] was the worst of his career.”
“Look at that 6.86 K/9 ratio; what’s up with that besides walks?”

“He reached career highs in hits allowed (228), earned runs (118) and home runs (29), while posting an 11-13 record in 32 starts.”

“He plunked a dozen batters in 2015…” 

Samardzija himself said, “I was tipping my pitches.”

During one fatal stretch leading up to his two final starts of the 2015 season, he went 1-8 with a 9.24 ERA, giving up a career-high ten earned runs to Oakland on September 15th, in a 17-6 loss.

To many fans it seemed as though the Giants were somewhat bottom-fishing, especially after losing the prize, Zack Greinke, who signed with Arizona. Granted, Johnny Cueto is a star[fish], which is why The Shark’s signing paled in comparison.
On this date in 2015, Samardzija was 2-2, with a 4.88 ERA, almost exactly what it would turn out to be for the season (4.96). Today, he is 5-2 and his ERA is a svelte 2.88, while his WHIP is a minuscule 1.12.
Whereas we are only approaching the one-quarter mark, Samardzija seems to get better each time he takes the mound. Friday night’s eight-inning effort saw him yield six singles, a Jake Lamb double, and the first career triple by starting pitcher Shelby Miller.
In all Friday, at Chase Field in Arizona, he surrendered one earned run, walked none and struck out three. Earlier in the season he pitched eight full innings of two-run ball in Colorado. Those who said he “would have to post decent numbers, pitching in AT&T Park,” are correct to a certain extent. 
They just ought not to have shortchanged him. 

So why the difference and more importantly, how were the Giants able to figure out-over the winter-that they could expect this kind of production from The Shark in 2016?
According to Nick Doran, who wrote a piece over the offseason for the Dynasty Guru, it includes several small negatives, which combined to create the bigger discrepancies. Doran listed the move from the National League to the American League as one reason, because Samardzija had to face a designated hitter each game, instead of the pitcher a couple of times per game.
Next Doran mentioned the shift from Wrigley Field to U.S. Cellular, which he called “a tougher place for pitchers.” He then went on to talk about the White Sox having the 28th Defensive Efficiency Ratio, which when compared to the defense of San Francisco, cannot be glossed over.

Doran elected to disregard the speculation about pitch-tipping, because he felt that it was impossible for all of the other clubs to be aware of it, without the Sox also having that information. It’s just too hard to keep something like that under a team’s radar because bad news travels faster than an Aroldis Chapman fastball.

What he thought more likely to have contributed to 2015’s shaky season, was the fact that Samardzija doubled the use of his cutter, while simultaneously reducing the number of times he used his sinker. The results played havoc with his career stats and the Giants were astute enough to be able to make that observation and draw their own conclusions.

With one of the best pitching coaches in baseball, in Dave Righetti, the Giants felt certain that they could get Samardzija back on the winning track. One-fourth of the season does not a full year make, but at least the issues that plagued The Shark last season, have not reared their ugly heads so far and bitten him in the backside.

In fact the combined stellar starts of all three of the rotation’s top pitchers, including Madison Bumgarner (4-2, 2.72 ERA) and Johnny Cueto (5-1, 2.97 ERA) have given manager Bruce Bochy a little more rope, when it comes to not hanging himself on the decision to stick with Jake Peavy and Matt Cain.

Both pitchers are gaining confidence and throwing better than they have at any time so far this season. Peavy’s effort Saturday night in Arizona, was his best start of the season, and that followed Cain’s last start against the Toronto Blue Jays, also his best effort, even if it was in a losing effort.
Better to encounter technical difficulties early in the season, while there is still plenty of time to correct them, than to find out too late that the ship has sprung a leak.

By then it may turn out necessary to spend so much time bailing out water, that it results in abandoning ship, which means missing the playoffs.

The Giants cannot afford to do that because they have an engagement with the Chicago Cubs, one which will determine the National League Pennant winner.

As it is, Peavy and Cain will get the opportunity to face the Cubs in the upcoming series beginning this coming Friday, at AT&T Park. I like the fact that San Francisco will first confront the Cubs with the fourth and fifth members of their rotation, because if they can succeed with the lower end, imagine how well they could be expected to do with the upper end.

And if the Giants cannot compete, then they can consider going back to the drawing board.
Until then, keep that drawing board locked up and throw away the key, because the key is pitching and both Cain and Peavy have been infused with a coating of graphite.
Hopefully, they’ll use it to unlock the mysteries of how to stop the Cubs’ offense.
@bellspringsmark

We played 2!

Posted: May 11, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, Sports Time Radio
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Thanks to the Big Jack for recapping game 1 of the double header.  Game 2 pitts easily rattled John Lackey vs Drew Pomeranz.  Now earlier on The Podcast I picked the Cubs to take game 2.  I really haven’t heard much out of Drew for awhile, so to my surprise he pitched a great game as did John Lackey.  

Lackey would start the game off and retire the first 14 batters he faced through 5 innings.  Pomeranz would give up a single in the first to Jason Heyward and Kris Bryant but would get out of the inning with a double play ball.   He would walk Baez in the second but would cruise through 4 and put two base runners on in the top of the fifth. As I said, Lackey would retire his first 14 batters but on an 0-1 count to catcher Christian Betancourt would give up a monster home run to left.  Betancourt’s eye on the ball out of the playing field would rattle Lackey to give up a single to Pirela but would get out of the inning with out anymore damage.  

Lackey would come into the 6th and strike out the first two batters and get Will Meyers to fly out.  The seventh inning would also be a 1-2-3 inning for him.  Now the Cubs did get a couple base runners in these innings but no one crossed the plate.  Lackey would go into the eighth and give up a leadoff single to Betancourt but would get out of the inning.  

Brad Hand would come into the bottom of the eighth and strikeout the first two batters but would walk Heyward.  With two outs, Kris Brysnt would send one high into the sky shortstop, Alexi Ramirez would at the last second drop it.  Anthony Rizzo would walk to load the bases!  Two outs, bases loaded, Jorge Soler has the chance to put the Cubs in the lead but goes down swinging.  

Travis Wood started the 9th getting Jon Jay to fly out but Maddon would seize the opportunity to bring in Hector Rondon.  He would strikeout Meyers and get Matt Kemp to ground out to end the inning.  Former Cub, Fernando Rodney would come in for a possible save and would give up a lead off single to Javier Baez.  With the infield in, LaStella would send a sharp groundball to third with an opportunity to turn two, they only get the force out at second.  Ryan Kalish would pinch hit for Ross and would ground out to second but with Tommy running the double play is broken up.  Zobrist with two outs and Tommy on second, he can tie the game.  Rodney feeling the pressure goes to a full count but gets former Rays teammate to ground out to him.  What a game!  Now I know the Cubbies lost but you’ve got to love a pitchers duel.  

Lackey would go 8 innings with only 3 hits, 1 run, no walks and 7 strikeouts.  Combined for the 9th inning, Wood and Rondon would put no runners on and close out the game.  Again they didn’t win, but still a great game to watch.  Today just wasn’t thier day and it’s the first time they’ve lost consecutive games this season.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ve never seen a Cubs team like this! 

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

To the Sky and Back

Posted: May 8, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Both the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs sit atop their respective divisions, one-fifth of the way through the 2016 season, the Cubs’ hot start approaching historic proportions. Their 23-6 record to begin the season, is the best since the 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers started off also winning 23 of their first 29 games.
One successful component both of these teams have in common, is a pitching staff that knows its way around the batting cage. Giants pitchers lead all of MLB with eleven RBIs, while the Cubs are right behind with ten. Former Cub Jeff Samardzija leads his staff with five; Jake Arietta and Jason Hammel have three apiece.
Did you see Jeff Samardzija break the bat over his leg, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds last week? It’s not the first time I have witnessed this in an MLB game, but it is the first time I have ever seen a pitcher do it. What it says about Samardzija is threefold: He is a fierce competitor, he will display his emotion in much the same fashion as Jake Peavy and he is one strong individual.

Can you imagine how much that would hurt if the bat did not break?

Speaking of hurt, the Cubs and Giants were among at least twenty teams scouting Tim Lincecum, who spent the off-season rehabbing from a degenerative hip issue. He had arthroscopic surgery last fall and showcased his pitching repertoire Friday in Scottsdale.

Lincecum, who reportedly hit 91 on the radar gun, was 7-4 for San Francisco last season, with a 4.13 ERA and a WHIP of 1.48. He has made it clear that he wants to start, so of course, the Dodgers were also at the showcase. 

From Giants fans’ perspective, could anything possibly be worse than seeing a sneering Timmy, throwing scuds at Giants players, while they flailed helplessly? I think not. It would make Juan Uribe’s defection to LA after the 2010 season pale in comparison, and that one was brutal. 

Interestingly, the Cubs first selected Lincecum in the 48th round of the 2003 draft, but he went on to attend the University of Washington and was subsequently selected in the tenth round by the Giants in 2006. 

Timmy’s credentials include back-to-back Cy Young Awards (2008-09), and he was crucial in two of the three Giants World Championships. With both the Cubs and Giants leading their respective divisions, acquiring Lincecum would be as much about preventing him from going to a rival, as it would be about improving the team.

Though earlier when Lincecum expressed the desire to start, Bochy made it clear that he wanted to give both Jake Peavy and Matt Cain as much time as they needed, to pitch their way back into form. Now, with Peavy’s ERA at nine, right where it was all through spring training, and Cain’s at 7.86, Bochy has to be reevaluating his thought process.
One thing in the Giants’ favor is that when asked where he would most like to end up, Lincecum’s immediate choice was San Francisco. Let’s face it, like Pablo Sandoval, Timmy achieved super hero status regardless of how he performed.

San Francisco’s embracing of Timmy as a Bay Area icon, included a spirited campaign following the 2009 season to “Let Timmy Smoke,” following Lincecum’s citation for indulging in cannabis. It was an indication, prior to any of the three title runs, that Giants fans were willing to follow their diminutive pitcher to the sky and back.

After signing a two-year contract for $35 million prior to the 2014 season, Lincecum failed to live up to heightened expectations, but all would be summarily forgotten, were Timmy to don the Orange and Black again.

All fans have to do is think back to that dominating 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves in the 2010 NLDS, when Lincecum struck out fourteen batters and helped lead San Francisco to a 3-1 series win over the Braves. 
Or if that doesn’t work, then ponder Timmy’s role as a key reliever in the 2012 World Series.

As a starter or as a reliever, Lincecum was able to disregard the bright lights and distractions that post-season play features, and that is a characteristic that is attractive to all contending teams.
Considering both the Cubs and Giants are contenders, this battle to sign Lincecum may just be the most important one of 2016.
Mark O’Neill

National Beat Down in Chi Town

Posted: May 7, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Nationals seek to redeem themselves with Max Sherzer taking on the third J in the rotation, John Lackey.  He would start the first inning off by striking out Mr Fantasy’s guy Ben Revere but would give up the first run of the game with a solo home run to left center field by Anthony Rendon.  Would this be that kind of day for Lackey?  He wouldn’t let the hype behind Harper scare him because he’d get him to ground out and then end the inning striking out Ryan Zimmerman.  Fowler would not lead off with a swinging strikeout.  Heyward would walk but Max would get through the inning no problem after that.  Nationals 1-0.

Daniel Murphy would start the second with his 11th double of the season.  Wilson Ramos would single to Javier Baez.  Scherzer would add to his lead with a ground ball single to right. Lackey would only give up that run.  Ben Zobrist would show his patience at the plate by leading off with a walk.  The hot hand, Tommy La Stella would send a fly ball to right center for his second home run of the season.  Max would see four more batters to end the inning.  

Lackey would see his first 1-2-3 inning of the day to start the third.  With two outs, Anthony Rizzo would step in the box a knock his 10th homer of the season to right field.  Zobrist couldn’t let Tommy and “Tony” be the only ones because he knocks his 4th dinger of the season to right also.   

Lackey would get into a little trouble in the fourth giving up a leadoff single to Daniel Murphy and then beaning Danny Espinosa who appears to have a target on him for whatever or no reason what so ever.  Sherzer would see his first 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the fourth.  Lackey would have a smooth 5th but not Max.  With one out, Heyward would double to right.  After Brysnt goes down swinging, Antony Rizzo would end up at first with a walk.   2 men on and 2 out, Ben Zobrist steps to the box, he must have been a big believer in #ItsJustApril, because he’s making up for it in May with his second of the day and fifth on the season with a home run to right, he puts the Cubs up by 5.  It would t stop there, Tommy would knock a triple to Harper, working backwards for the cycle.  Cubs 7-2

Besides the single to Murphy, Labkey would have another solid inning, if they keep the lead, he’s acquired himself a quality start.  David Ross would start the bottom half with a double to right. Lackey would get him over to third with a quality sacrifice bunt back to new pitcher Blake Treinen.  Fowler would finally join in the action with a single to center, scoring David Ross but Heyward would end the inning with a double play.  

Lackey would come out for the seventh and instead of hitting Edpinosa, he would go down swinging.  He would also get Stephen Drew to go down on strikes and Revere would end it with a grounder back to Lackey.  Oliver Perez would be the third pitcher of the day for the Nats and get Bryant to ground out.  He would walk Rizzo and before walking Zobrist would throw a wild pitch and a passed ball would get Rizzo to third.  He would get Tommy to ground into a double play to end the inning.  

After 7 solid innings, Clayton Richard would replace Lackey, would get the first out of the inning but walk Bryce Harper.  He’d strike out Zimmerman but give up a single to Murphy prompting a visit to the mound to bring in Justin Grimm.  Grimm would allow Richard’s runs to cross the plate with a Jayson Werth double.  He would acquire two runs himself with a line drive home run to left center.  Espinosa would not get hit, but would go down watching strike three cross the plate.  

New pitcher Shawn Kelly would replace Perez and have a quick inning with Baez, Ross and Soler. The Cubs bullpen would prove this season to be able to close games out.  Hector Rendon would start with pinch hitter for the pitcher, Chris Heisey, by striking him out.  Revere would ground out!  Big hitter, Anthony Rendon looking to keep the Nats in the game swings for the fences, striking out but the dropped ball recovered by Ross is thrown to Rizzo to end the game!  Cubs win! Cubs Win!   

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

One over the Nats!

Posted: May 6, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals come to the friendly confines for a four game series.  This series has playoff implications or possibly a preview of the NLCS?  Kyle Hendricks seeks to get his second win of the season against hot throwing, 3-0 Joe Ross.  Now, the Big Jack had questioned whether or not Maddon would have Kyle throwing or avoiding Harper, well it looked like it would start with the avoidance of the young hot MLB star with a walk in the first but that would be the only base runner of the inning.  Joe Ross would take to the rubber and lead off his half of the inning by striking out Dexter Fowler.  Tommy La Stella would double but that would be all the action in the 1st.  Both men would get through the next two innings pretty easily.  Joe Ross would end the bottom of the 3rd with another strikeout to Dexter Fowler, who would not agree with the last call, while arguing the call he would be ejected from the game!  Jason Heyward would take his place.

Bryce Harper would lead off the fourth and draw another walk from Kyle but would catch Harper and pick him off at 1st base for the first out.  He would essentially make it a 1-2-3 inning.  Bottom of the fourth.  La Stella would lead off with a single. Kris Bryant would double to center.  With two men on, former Cubs manager, Dusty Baker would decide to put Antony Rizzo on first.  Ben Zobrist would single to Harper, grabbing two more RBI’s on the season.  Attempting to challenge Harper’s arm, Rizzo would get gunned down at third for the first out.  Ross would end the inning by getting Ryan Kalish to ground out and striking out Addison Russell.  Cubs up 2-0.

Both pitchers would make it through the fifth inning but not without hitting a batter each.  First Kyle would hit Danny Espinosa, then Ross would return the favor by losing a slider and hitting Kyle.  Hendricks would not pitch around Harper in the top of the sixth and give up a single, but that would be all the action for the Nats in the 6th.  Ross would have a 1-2-3 inning.  Clayton Richard would come into the game in the top of the 7th striking out Daniel Murphy.  Playing the numbers, Joel Maddon would make another move bringing in Justin Grimm to face Jason Werth and Wilson Ramos to end the inning.

Joe Ross would get into a little bit of trouble giving up a lead off walk to Kalish and then two outs later a walk to Jorge Soler.  Sammy Solis would come for relief and get out of the inning.  Pedro Strop would come into to the 8th and hit Danny Espinosa, then walk Clint Robinson.  He would strike out Michael Taylor and then get Anthony Rendon to ground into a double play.

Felipe Rivero would replace Solis for the Nats and immediately give up a single to Tommy La Stella, but would strikeout Bryant and get Rizzo to flyout.  With a man on and two outs, Ben Zobrist would smack his third home run of the season, picking up two more RBI’s for the night.  Kalish would get hit by a pitch prompting yet another pitching change.  Addison Russell would double scoring Kalish and the Cubs are up 5-0 after 8.  Travis Wood comes into pitch the 9th with a leadoff walk to Harper, his third of the day.  Wood would get the next two batters out.  With a man on and two out Jayson Werth would smack a fly ball to left and this would clear the Ivy for his sixth homerun of the season.  Maddon would make the change to bring in Rondon to close out the game and he would getting Wilson Ramos to line out to Rizzo to end the game and my prediction to come true that the Cubs would take the first of four.

@DanZeeeMan

The Podcast

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