Archive for the ‘post season’ Category

Grab your Broom, it’s a Sweep!

Posted: May 29, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio, Uncategorized
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Game 3, Phillies throw 24 year-old Vince Velasuez to the Cubs, who number 3 John Lackey takes to the mound.  Lackey throws two perfect innings compared to Velasquez, who gives up three singles in the first to Dexter Fowler, Jason Heywrad and Anthony Rizzo who’s single brings in Fowler for the first run of the game.  Miguel Montero leads off the second inning with a 2-0 fly ball that hits the right field score board.  

Lackey would start the third off by walking Tyler Goeddel but he’d get his counterpart Velasquez to pop out and then strikes out both Peter Bourjos and Odubel Herrera.  Velazquez would get Fowler and Heyward out but would give up a single to Kris Bryant.  Then Anthony Rizzo would walk.  Ben Zobrist would continue his hitting streak with his 7th home run of the season putting the Cubs up by 5.  

John would give up a lead off double to Freddy Galvis but gets Andres Blanco to ground out.  Maikel Franco would walk.  Tommy Joseph would step two the plate with one out and opportunity to cut down the Cubs lead.  He ends up sending a ground ball to Zobrist to Rizzo for an inning ending double play.  Vince gets his first 1-2-3 inning of the day.  In the fifth, Lackey would give up two singles and a walk but gets out of the inning.  Vince would walk to Fowler to lead off the fifth.  Fowler would be forced out at second on Heywards ground ball but Heyward would advance to second on an error by Galvis. Bryant would single to center racking up his 37th RBI of the season.  Velazquez would get Zobrist to strike out.  Montero would send a soft line drive to left scoring Bryant.  Brett Oberholtzer would replace Vince to end the inning with Russel’s force out.  Cubs up 7-0.  

Lackey would have an easy  1-2-3, 6ht inning.  Brett would get the first two outs but would walk the bases loaded but would get out of the inning without adding any more runs.  Lackey would get the first two outs of the 7th then gives up a solo home run to Tyler Goeddel.  He would give up a walk but then ends the inning with a pop out.  David Hernandez would enter the game and give up a walk to Montero then a single to Russell but Matt Szczur would ground into an inning ending double play.  

Travis Wood replaces Lackey in the top of the 8th getting the first two batters out but then gives up a single to Andres Blanco.  Joel Maddon would visit the mound bringing Pedro Strop I no the game getting Maikel Franco to ground out.  Colton Murray enters the bottom of the 8th striking out Tommy La Stella, then Fowler would line out to center.  Another pitching change for the Phills, Hector Neris strikes out Jason Heyward.  

Justin Grimm enters the game in top of the ninth.  He would give up a lead off home run to Tommy Joseph but would get the next three batters out no problem ending the game and the Phillies chance to take one of the three games.  Grab your brooms because it was a sweep!  We start a four game series with the Dodgers on Memroial Day.  

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Cubs show no Brotherly Love

Posted: May 28, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 2 of the Cubs home stand against Phillies.  Kyle Hendricks takes on Jared Eickoff, with both men looking to get thier third win of the season.  Kyle would make it through three innings without a blemish.  Jared wouldn’t be SE lucky.   Dexter Fowler on a 3-1 count would send a fly ball that would have just enough on it to be a home run to start the day off.  Then Jason Heyward would send a fly ball to to right for a double.  With two outs, Ben Zobrist stretches his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI.  After 1, Cubs up by 2.  

With one out in the bottom of the second, both Addison Russel and Kyle Hendricks would single but Fowler would fly out to make it two outs.  It’s okay, because Heyward would hit his second double of the day scoring Russell but Kyle would be thrown out at the plate.  Cubs up 3-0.  

The bottom of the third would see Anthony Rizzo get hit by a pitch with one out.  On two outs and Soler at the plate, Rizzo would get caught stealing second.  The fourth inning would see Kyle give up his first hit of the day to Freddy Galvis but that would be all for the Phills.  Jerad would get his first clean inning getting all three batters out in a row and repeat it in the bottom half of the fifth where Hendricks would give up another hit in the top half.  

Kyle would hit Galvis in the top of the sixth but no runs cross the plate. Kris Bryant would lead off with a single. Zobrist would single and Soler would walk.  Miguel Montero would ground out but Bryant would score.  With the inning over, the Cubs are up 4-0.  Hendricks would give up a two out double but no runs.  Andre Bailey enters the game stopping the Cubs from scoring any more runs.  

Hendricks has a 1-2-3 top half of the eighth.  Elvis Araujo enters the game for the Phillies preventing the Cubs again from adding to thier lead. Hendricks comes back out to stop what he started but gives up a lead off double to Galvis, who’s had Kyles number all day.  He would advance to third on Maikel Franco’s ground out to second.  Kyle would then strike out Ryan Howard but in the dropped third strike, Montero would throw to first but the throw back from Rizzo would not be in time to catch Galvis at home.  Kyle would end the game after that with a ground out.   He would pitch a complete game giving up 5 hits, walking no one but striking out 7.  Great outing for Kyle, proving he deserves his spot in the rotation and giving the pen a day off.  

Go Cubs Go!!!

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Walk off without a W

Posted: May 23, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Cubs continue thier road trip in St Louis, where John Lackey takes on Adam Wainwright at Busch Stadium.  The only hit in the first is credited to Ben Zobrist for a single.  Lackey would get Matt Carpenter to ground out but then he’d go on to strike out the next 5 batters in a row. 

In the bottom of the third, Lackey would give up a single to Randal Grichuck, then he’d hit Kolten Wong. Wainwright would move them up with a sac bunt. Then he’d load the bases with another walk to Carpenter.  Aledmys Diaz would send a fly ball to Soler but the run still scores.  Matt Holiday would strike out to end the inning.  Cubs down by 1. 

Top of 4, Zobrist leads it off with a single.  Rizzo grounds out and Soler gets hit by a pitch.  Miguel Montero sends a line drive to center to score Ben.  Baez throws down a suprise bunt and reaches with no one covering 1st.  Russell would send a sharp ground ball to short scoring Soler but forcing out Baez.  Lackey would ground out but the Cubs are up by 1.  

Lackey would start the bottom half with a walk but turns it around when Brandon Moss lines out to Rizzo who touches 1st base for an unassisted double play. Lackey gets out of the inning after Molina reaches on an error.  

The Cubs add to their lead after 1 out when Bryant and Zobrist walk and Rizzo gets an RBI single.  That would be the end of the scoring but the Cubs are now up by 2, 3-1 after 5 and a half.  Lackey makes it a quick 1-2-3 bottom half.  Cubs up 3-1 after 5.   

Cubs would challenge Wainwright with a couple base runners but he would finish the inning despite Mike Matheny making a trip to the mound.  Lackey would give up a single to Holiday  but close out the 6th.  

Seung Hwan Oh comes into the seventh for a 1-2-3 to stop the Cubs from adding to the scoreboard.  After 7, 3 hits and 80 pitches, Lackey gives up a 2 run homer to Matt Adams to tie it all up at 3.  He’d get out of the inning but we’ve got a new ballgame.  

Kevin Siegrist enters the 8th inning to hold the Cubs puts Montero on by a walk, Russell reaches on a force out but no one would cross the plate.  Adam Warren replaces Lackey for a solid 1-2-3 inning.  Still tied at 3.  

Trevor Rosenthal, the Cardinals closer allows a lead off single to Fowler to start the ninth.  Kris Bryant would strike out but Fowler makes it all the way to third on a single up the middle by Zobrist.  Rizzo would smack a soft blooper to third, diving, Carpentar would make the grab and almost simultaneously tag third for the Cards unassisted double play.  Adam Warren stays in the game getting the first two outs no problem.  Two outs, Randal Grichuk takes Warren deep for a walk off home run.  

I’d just like you, would love for the Cubs to win but I hope it just happens now and not in October, this slump of course.  #ItsJustMay

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

NLCS Preview?

Posted: May 22, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, Minor League Baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 3 puts Kyle Hendricks up against Madison Baumgardner who gets the first two batters out, Fowler and Rizzo but then hits Kris Bryant. Then gives up a single to Ben Zobrist and loads the bases by walking Jorge Soler. With Addison Russell up to bat, I noticed the Marlins fan sitting behind home plate. Back to the game, Russell gets a hitters count and fowls off a couple but ends up watching strike 3 at the knees. Hendricks would have a similar bottom half but only puts two men on and gets out of the inning with out any damage. From the second through the fourth both men would only give up a hit a piece keeping this pitchers duel going.  
The Cubs would go down in order in the top of 5.  Kyle would start the bottom half by walking Gregor Polanco with the pitcher spot up next.  At first it would appear that he is pitching around Baumgardner as if he’s a power hitter but at this moment he sends a line drive just out of reach for Soler for a double scoring the first run of the night and his first double.  Kyle would finsh the inning but Giants are up 1-0.  He would come back out for the sixth but after a walk and a pop out, Kyle is replaced by Travis Wood.  After giving up a walk, he’d close out the inning and pitch a perfect seventh.  

The Cubs would only get a hit in the seventh by Matt Szczur.  In the top of the eighth, Baez would pinch hit for Wood and hit a soft bouncer to Brandon Belt who would be out of position and run back forcing Baez to step out of the runners box for an automatic out which didn’t really appear that way.  Immediately, Maddon would be out there livid and yelling at the first base umpire telling him he’s f*^%ing better than that.  I thought he was going to be tossed. Mad Baum would get one more out and then walk Rizzo prompting Bruce Bochy to pull him for Cory Gearrin who gets Bryant to line out.   

Pedro Strop would enter the bottom half getting the first out.  With the shift on for Duffy he would knock one down the line just out of Rizzo’s reach. He’d get Posey to watch the third strike and get Brandon Belt to send a grounder right into Rizzo’s glove coincidently touching first base to end the inning.  

The Cubs have one more half of an inning to take the series.  Santiago Casilla comes in to face Ben Zobrist who would take him deep to the center field warning track roughly 395 feet that Denard Spsn would hop to snag out of the air for the first out.  Jorge Soler showing patience would get a full count but would swing at one just below the knees for a strikeout.  Addison Russell is 0-3 looking to get his first hit and keep the Cubs alive but would strike out for the fourth time in a row. 

Cubs bats seem to have cooled off in May but the pitching has been solid especially in the pen.  It’s the Cardinals tomorrow, they need to turn it around.

@DanZeeeMan

Cubs get Cain’ed

Posted: May 21, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Game 2 in San Fran puts the 4 and 2, Jon Lester against the winless Matt Cain and the best in the west, Giants.  Dexter Fowler would lead off his third game with a single but would be thrown out trying to steal second base.  Kris Bryant would single also but Cain would get out of the inning.  Lester would put Denard Span on with a base on balls, but he would get out of the inning.  Cain would put two men on but neither would cross the plate.  Lester would get the first two batters in the bottom half of the second but would give up a single to Brandon Crawford.  Then he walks Gregor Blanco.  Two men on with the Cain at the plate.  With a 3-2 count, Matt sends a long fly ball just out of reach for Fowler sending both men across the plate giving Cain a double.  Span K’s to end the inning but the Giants are up by 2.  

With one out in the top of 3, Kris Bryant on a 3 and 2 count would send a long fly ball over Span’s head for his ninth homer of the year.  Zobrist would single and Soler would walk but with two outs Javier Baez would fly out.  Joe Panik would lead off the bottom half with a double to left field.  He would move to third on Kelby Tomlinson’s sac bunt that Bryant would pick up and throw to Rizzo.  Buster Posey who at the moment is 1 and 25 takes Lester deep to left center breaking his slump and getting his 5th home run of the year.  Matt Duffy sends a line grounder to Addison Russell that bounces off him to left field.  He would then steal second base.  Trevor Brown would double to left scoring Duffy.  Maddon challenges the tag and it’s overturned giving Brown an RBI single.  Crawford would walk prompting Maddon to visit the mound replacing Lester with Trevor Cahill who gets out of the inning.  Giants up 5 to 1.  Matt Cain would continue to hold the Cubs to 1 run through 6.  

Trevor Cahill would put two runners on in the fourth but would get through the fourth and the fifth.  Clayton Richard would come into the bottom of the sixth for a 1-2-3 inning. Hunter Strickland enters the top of the seventh getting the first two batters out but gives up a single to Fowler and walks Bryant.  Josh Osich would come into the game and strikes out Rizzo to end the inning.  Justin Grimm enters the bottom half and puts Tomlinson and Posey on but after a visit to the mound, gets out of the inning.  

Osich still in gets an out but gives up a double to Soler.  Bruce Bochy decides to go with Cory Gearrin, who gives up an RBI single to Baez.  Russell grounds out.  With two outs Tommy La Stella comes into the game pinch hitting for David Ross and reaches first on a walk.  Bochy makes another change bringing in Javier Lopez to face Tim Federowicz to end the inning. Cubs 2, Giants 5.  

Travis Wood comes into the game giving up a single to Crawford but gets out of the inning unscathed.  Dexter Fowler leads off the top of the ninth against Santiago Casilla sending his 5th home run of the season to right.  Casilla would thrn it around and get Bryant, Rizzo and Zobrist to go down in order to end the game, 5-3 Giants.  

The Podcast
@danzeeemman

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

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

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

Posted: May 10, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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So the Cubs had yet another rainout giving me the night off but we go with the same two men in the rotation.  John Lester would take on young right hander Ceasar Vargas. Both men would easy 1st innings and Lester would carry that into the 2nd.  Vargas would get Rizzo to ground out to leadoff the inning.  Zobrist would send a line drive to to right landing the first hit of the game.  Javier Baez would lay down a surprise perfect bunt advancing Ben to second.  Addison Russell would send a line drive over the right fielder getting himself a double but on the throw home Russell would try to get to third not realizing that Baez was still on third.  He would slide into third but the throw and questionable tag would make two outs.  David Ross would walk but Lester would end the inning on a fielders choice.  

Lester would start the inning with a pop out but would walk former White Sox, Alexi Ramirez.  Then with two outs, he would hit John Jay but get Will Myers to strike out.  Dexter Fowler would lead off with a smack up the middle for a single.  With the shift on, Heyward would take the pitch and put in play with nobody at third.  With no men out and a slight shift in the outfield, Chris Bryant would pull a double down the line in left, scoring both runners. Rizzo would send one right back at the pitcher but with Ramirez covering second, he stops a possible single and another run scored but Kris would advance to third. Zobrist would squeeze one right in between 1st and 2cd scoring Bryant.  With one out, Baez would send a line drive to left in an inning that looks more like batting practice.  The Padres would intentionally walk Russell. With bases loaded, David Ross would send Matt Kemp through the warning track making the grab but Zobrist would tag and score.  Lester would fly out to end the inning. Cubs after 3, 5-0.  

With two outs in the top of the fourth, Melvin Upton, Jr would not only get the first hit but also the first run with a solo shot to left field.  Fowler would lead off the bottom half with a walk but would be out on Heyward’s fielders choice scored 4-6.  Rizzo would get his first hit of the game pushing Jason the third base.  Zobrist would make it 3-3 for the night knocking in Heyward, Rizzo to third.  Baez woul fly out to Kemp to end the inning.  Cubs, 6-1

Top of 5, Lester goes in with a solid lead, giving up a first pitch single to Jose Pirela.  Ramirez would double to center scoring Jose thier second run of the night.  However, after reaching second, Ramirez would be taken out of the game.  John Jay would double to right scoring pinch runner Adam Rosales.  Lester would get Myers to fly out and get Matt Kemp to watch strike three go by.  Cubs 6, Padres 3.  

Luis Perdomo would come into the fifth and get Addison Russell to strikeout.  Ross would send a bouncer back to the pitcher and Lester would end the inning with a ground out.  In the top of the sixth, Lester would have an easy 1-2-3.  Fowler would lead off with a walk but get caught up in Heyward’s double play and Bryant would strikeout to end the inning.  

Trevor Cahill would come into the 7th and strike out his first batter, walk his next, then get a called third strike.  Clayton Richard would come in for Cahill and give up a single to John Jay, prompting another pitching change for the Cubs.  Pedro Strop would come in and we finally got an update on Alexi who left with an injured leg.  First pitch Will Myers sends a shot screaming to Baez and would reach on an error to load the bases for Matt Kemp who would fly out to end the inning.  Rizzo would leadoff with a walk and Zobrist with his fourth hit of the night. With one out Russell would finally hit that triple to right field scoring two.  Cubs add to thier lead 8-3.  

Top of the eighth coming up.  Justin Grimm would come in and walk Derek Norris and give up a single to Melvin.  No outs two men on, he gets Brett Wallace swinging on strike three.  Pirela would single to load the bases and that would be all for Grimm.  Adam Warren would come in and strikeout Adam Rosales but gives up a monster grand slam to Alex Dickerson, his first home run of the season.  John Jaynwould ground out to end the inning.  Cubs 8, Padres 7.  Bottom of the eighth just one run separates the two.  Mike Quackenbush comes into the bottom of the eighth and has a 1-2-3 inning.  

Padres will get there last chance to tie or take the lead otherwise this game is over and we play two tomorrow.  Hector Rondon comes into the game and gets Will Myers looking.  Then gets Matt Kemp swinging.  Derek Norris steps into the box and grounds out to short to end the game!  Eight in a row!   “Go Cubs Go!”

@danzeeeman

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