Posts Tagged ‘Chicago Cubs’

Cubs rule the Diamondbacks

Posted: June 3, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in sports
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The Arizona Diamondbacks enter the friendly confines with sophomore Archie Bradley at the rubber taking on John Lackey who’s looking for his sixth win of the season.  Lackey would start the game off with a strikeout and knock out the rest of the batters to end the top of the first.  The young right hander strikes out Fowler & Heyward but gives up a two out double to Kris Bryant.  Bryant wouldn’t score as Rizzo grounds out to end the inning.  In the second, Lackey would give up a single to Wellington Castillo and would walk Chris Owings but gets the next two batters out to end the inning.  Zobrist leads off with a ground out.  Tommy La Stella sends a double to left but stays there as Miguel Montero walks.  Archie does strike out Baez & Lackey to end the inning.  Both men would have a perfect third inning. 

The top of the fourth would see Jake Lamb & Wellington but Chris Owings grounds into a inning ending double play.  Rizzo leads off the bottom half with a walk but Ben grounds into a 4-6-3 double play and La Stella strikes out to end the inning. 

The fifth would have both pitchers almost mirroring each other getting the first batter out and striking out the next two batters to end the inning. 

Lackey continues with a perfect sixth in the top half.  Archie strikes out Fowler but gives up a single to Heyward.  Then he strikes out Bryant but then gives up a two out double Rizzo, his 11th of the year scoring Jason.  The Diamondbacks intentionally walk Zobrist but strikes out La Stella again.  Cubs up 1-0

Lackey comes back out for the seventh getting the first two men out but walks Owings.  Yasmany Tomas singles giving Arizona some hope but Maddon brings in Adam Warren who ends the inning.  Jake Barrett replaces Bradley striking out the first two batters but walks Soler.  With two men out and a man on first, Fowler pops out to end the inning.  

Pedro Strop enters the eighth inning scoring a 1-2-3 inning.  Zac Curtis enters the game in replace of Barrett.  He gets Heyward to ground out but hits Bryant.  Rizzo singles but trying to make it a two bagger is tagged out.  Maddon challenges the tag but it’s upheld. Zobrist is intentionally put on.  Silvio Bracho comes in and gives up a huge two out double to Addison Russell putting the Cubs up by 3.  They decide to walk Montero.  Javier Baez is up with two outs and two men on and sends a sharp line drive to center scoring two more runs.  Tim Federowicz reaches on an error and Fowler is hit by a pitch but Heyward strikes out to end the eighth.  Cubs 6-0. 

Justin Grimm enters the top of the ninth giving up a leadoff double to Paul Goldschmidt.  But then shuts down any hope for the Dbacks by getting Lamb to ground out and striking out the next two batters to end the game.  

Lackey goes 5 2/3 innings striking out 9 walking 2 and giving up 5 hits.  Warren, Strop and Grimm finish the game giving up only one hit and striking out 3.  

@DanZeeeMan
The Podcast

Cubs can’t Dodge this loss

Posted: May 31, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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Jake Arrieta’s 11th start of the season and he is looking for his 10h win of the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Scott Kazmir, who is looking for his 5th win of the season.  Jake would start the game off getting the first two batters in the first but would give up a line drive single to center field by Adrian Gonzalez.  That would be all the action after Joc Pederson strikes out to end the top half.  Dexter Fowler would lead off with a walk but he forced out at second on Jason Heyward’s ground ball to second base.  Bryant would strike out but with Anthony Rizzo at the plate, Heyward would steal second base. Then Rizzo would reach after being hit by the pitch.  Ben Zobrist would strike out to end the inning.  Jake would almost have a 1-2-3 second inning but Miguel Montero’s fielding error would allow Yasmini Grandal to reach first and then Montero’s throwing error would advance him to second base.  It would be Kazmir who would score the perfect inning.  In the top of the third, Jake would get the first two batters out but give up a single to Corey Seager but get Gonzalez o end the inning.  Fowler would get the only hit in the bottom half of the third but get picked off trying to snag second to make it a 1-2-3 inning.  

Jake would get his first perfect inning in the top half of the fourth but not before Joel Maddon had to challenge the tag at first on Trace Thompson.  Scott would record the same in the bottom half.  Jake would lead off the fifth by walking Grandal who would be forced out on Carl Crawford’s ground ball to short stop but he would be forced out on Kazmir’s inning ending double play.  Kazmir would continue to silence the Cub’s bats with his third consecutive perfect inning.  Both men would only see three batters each in the sixth inning.  

Jake would start the seventh inning off by getting the first two batters out but would walk the next three batters to load the bases for pitcher Scott Kazmir.  Dave Roberts would not hesitate to pinch hit for him with Justin Turner who would strike out to end the inning and bring us to the stretch.  The Cubs continuing the tradition of baseball would use the video board to show Vin Skully singing the seventh inning stretch, in honor of Harry Carrey, which was a pretty cool moment.  Sorry, I cannot give an other word for it.  They also congratulated him on 67 years in the business.  Joe Blanton would enter the game in the bottom half of the seventh and continue the silencing of the Cubs bats.  

The top of the eighth would bring in Clayton Richard for the Cubs who would make the game interesting by giving up three straight singles to Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Gonzalez who drives in Utley for the first run of the ballgame prompting Maddon to go to the pen and bring in Adam Warren.  He would get Joc to fly out for the first out of the inning but walk Trace to load the bases.  With Howie Kendrick up to bat, Warren would bring it to a full count getting him to fly out to Heyward but it would be scored as a sacrifice fly as Seager would score run number two of the the evening.  Yasmani would pop out to shortstop Addison Russel to end the inning.  Blanton would continue what Kazmir started with his second consecutive perfect inning.  Dodgers 2-0.

Maddon would bring Warren back out for the top of the ninth and give up two singles Crawford and pinch hitting Enrique Hernandez.  Man now on first and third and Maddon goes back to the pen for Trevor Cahill.  He would get Utley to strike out but gives up a three run homer to Seager.  Cahill would get Gonzalez to ground out and Pederson to fly out to end the inning.  The Cubs only have one more shot to win this game with Tommy La Stella leading off agains Adam Liberatore.  Adam gets La Stella and Fowler to fly out and Heywrd would go down swinging to end the game, 5-0 Dodgers.

Jake would go seven innings striking out 8 walking 4 and only giving up 2 hits.  Richard and Warren wouldn’t be so lucky giving up four rounds on five hits but they didn’t give up a walk.  Two more games to go.  Let’s Go Cubs! 

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

A W for the Boys 

Posted: May 30, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in baseball, fantasy, post season, sports, Sports Time Radio
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The Dodgers are in town coming off a pretty hot streak winning 6 of 7, starting today with Memorial Day.  Alex Wood challenges Jason Hammel.  Hammel starts off getting the first two batters out but Justin Turner reaches on an error, Heyward drops the shallow fly ball.  He would walk Adrian Gonzalez but gets Joc Pederson to pop out in fowl territory.  Ben Zobrist leading off with Fowler getting the day off, walks but that would be all for the first inning.  It would be a quick top of the second for Hammel.  Wood catches Jorger Soler looking at strike 3.  Addison Russell would single to right and then advance on Javier Baez’s quick bunt to 1st.  David Ross would single to left to load the bases for Jason Hammel who would go down on a called 3rd strike.  Up for his second at bat but this time with bases loaded, Zobrist strikes out.  

We’d have a short delay at that start of the second with what appeared to be an issue with Hammel’s hamstring after throwing one warm up pitch ending his day.  After commercial break the Cubs have Travis Wood entering the game to pitch to Alex Wood getting him to strike out then getting the next two batters out.  Heyward would leadoff the third with a K but Bryant would single despite the shift to the left side of the infield.  Rizzo would line one at Adrian Gonzalez who tags first.  Jorge Soler would reach first on a base on balls. Addison lines out to short to end the inning.  

Travis Wood has a 1-2-3 4th inning. Alex Wood gets the first two batters out then walks David Ross.  Ross would make the last out being caught trying to snag second base.  Wood has another 1-2-3 inning.   We need some runs in the bottom half.  Zobrist woul leadoff with what should have been a single turns into a three bagger on an error by Puig giving Ben a single and continuing his hitting streak to 16 games.  Heyward would hit a slow roller to Gonzalez getting an infield hit scoring Ben.  Anthony Rizzo sends a breaking ball to Puig, Heyward challenges the arm, on the relay to Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal appears to close his glove too soon and drops the ball allowing Jason to score.  Russell K’s to end the inning but the Cubs are up 2-0. 

Travis Wood starts the top of the sixth as Alex Wood is removed for a pinch hitter but it would be yet another 1-2-3 inning.  Louis Coleman comes in and gets the first two batters out.  Matt Szczur pinch hits for Wood but strikes out to end the inning.  

Justin Grimm enters the game to continue to hold the Dodgers to one hit.  Casey Fein enters the game in relief to also make it a 1-2-3 inning.  Pedro Strop prevents the Dodgers from scoring and getting a hit in the eighth.  J.P. Howell starts the bottom half of the eighth by hitting Rizzo.  Tim Federowicz makes it two outs with a 6-4-3 double play.  Russell belts a single to center to keep the inning alive.  Manager Dave Roberts enters the game getting Baez to pop out.  Hector Rondon Comes in to get his 9th save of the season!  Cubs Win! 

There hasn’t been an update on Hammel yet but I’m hoping it will be minor but the other way to look at it, is this what we can expect for the second half of the season which has been his pattern.   Travis Wood took four innings striking out four but gave up no hits or walks.  Grimm, Strop and Rondon all took three innings giving up no hits or walks also combining for four strike outs.  

I personally can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a Cubs team play this well and continuously.  One down three to go!  

@danzeeeman
The Podcast

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

Cubs Hammel the Cards

Posted: May 24, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in sports
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Game 2 of one the top rivalries in baseball and the Cubs hope to break thier 3 game losing streak with Jason Hammel facing Michael Wacha (who I should not have started on my fantasy team).  

Dexter Fowler leads off the game with his 15th double of the season and would move to third as Jason Heyward grounds out.  Fowler would cross the plate for the first run of the evening when Kris Bryant smacks one into left field.  Anthony Rizzo singles the Wacha loads the bases unintentionally walking Ben Zobrist.  Then Jorge Soler reaches first for an RBI walk. After Rizzo is forced out at home on Addison Russell’s ground ball to first base, David Ross would double bringing in two more runs. Then Jason Hammel helps his own cause doubling to center bringing in two more runs.  Batting around the order, Fowler lines out to end the inning.  Cubs score 6 to start the game. 

It would appear Wacha would curb the Cubs, until the 5th inning when Ben Zobrist leads off with a double, then Soler takes him deep to center field for his 4th home run of the year.  Wacha would be pulled for Tyler Lyons, who would get into trouble but would get out of the inning.  

Jason Hammel would prove tonight that he is for real and a deserved pitcher in this rotation. In 7 1/3 innings he would strikeout 4, walk 3 and give up only 4 hits.  Two of the hits would be doubles in the 8th allowing his only earned run of the night.  That’s when Maddon would take him out for Justin Grimm to end the 8th. 

Dean Kiekhefer would come into the 9th to hold the Cubs from adding to thier total. He’d hit Baez but get Soler to fly out. Russell would ground out on a very close call at first that Maddon would challenge to be overturned for a single.  Tim Federowicz pinch hits for Ross hit a soft fly ball to center scoring Baez.  Matt Szczur pinch hits for Grimm belting a stand up triple deep into center adding two more runs.  Then Fowler singles making it a 12-1 game.  Bryant would go down swinging to end the inning.  

Clayton Richard enters the bottom of the ninth.  He would load the bases on three straight hits, the first reaches on an error.  Ruben Tejada scores an RBI on a sac fly to right then Randal Grichuck singles to center adding another run.  He gets Kolten Wong to ground out but then hits Brandon Moss to prompt Maddon to bring in Trevor Cahill to end the game.   Great win tonight for the Cubs!!

@DanZeeeMan

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

It Only Takes One Weak Link

Posted: May 22, 2016 by Sports Time Radio in sports
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The San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs have split the first two games of their May series, with the rubber match set for Sunday at AT&T Park. Madison Bumgarner will oppose Kyle Hendricks for the series win and bragging rights for the next three months, until the two teams meet again the first three days of September.

The series thus far represents the best argument that the National League can present for avoiding the designated hitter. Not only did Jake Arrieta single in the first run of the Cubs’ 8-1 win on Friday night, Matt Cain doubled in the first two runs on Saturday night, en route to a 5-3 Giants win.
Cain’s hit was the first for him in 46 plate appearances, but Giants pitchers overall have thirteen runs batted in, leading the Cubs in this department by four runs. In comparison the last-place Atlanta Braves have had two RBIs contributed by pitchers.

That helps explain why both the Cubs and Giants occupy first place in their respective divisions, and is not so much a diss on Atlanta. The reality is that pitchers are not traditionally expected to do anything beyond pitch; some managers will not even allow their pitchers to either swing a bat, or run out a ground ball.

In assessing the upcoming series Friday afternoon, prior to the start of the first game, I pointed out to Big Jack on SportsTimeRadio that the pitching matchups that were in place would never be duplicated during a playoff run. Jake Peavy versus Jake Arrieta? I don’t think so.
Matt Cain versus Jon Lester? This is not much better but the Giants were able to rise to the occasion and get to Lester early. These lopsided pairings do provide some entertaining outcomes, but there is simply too much on the table during the playoffs to allow them.

To a certain extent, Kyle Hendricks opposing Madison Bumgarner is a similar David/Goliath confrontation, with MadBum having won his last four starts, while Hendricks is 1-3 in his last six. To his credit Hendricks has a 2.74 ERA during the stretch and has allowed only two home runs all season.
Because I have been promoting the notion that the Cubs and Giants are destined to meet in October, I am more apt to think in terms of the big picture. Realistically, Arrieta is on another plane, with his string of 22 consecutive [regular season] starts, allowing three runs or less.

The run is impressive from so many different perspectives, it boggles the mind. That being said, it must also be pointed out that the playoffs cannot be compared to the regular season, because Jake the Great will not face Jake the Terrible, as he did Friday night.

No, Jake the Great will oppose MadBum, if there is any possible way that Bruce Bochy can make it happen. Johnny Cueto will face Jon Lester and oh yeah, there’s that Jeff Samardzija guy probably going up against Jason Hammel. That way, with the pitching more equitable, other components of the game will have to determine the outcome.

Both Chicago and San Francisco have impressive defensive numbers, with the Giants having committed a total of 19 errors for the season, while the Cubs have racked up 23. Neither team has been assessed an error during the current series.

Everything being magnified during October, it could be a Brandon Crawford/Addison Russell gem, or a player-yet-to-be-determined’s error that hands the victory to Arrieta or Bumgarner.

There is no way to quantify experience, except to count the number of championship rings that the individual players wear. Those who have spent more time under the magnifying glass that is October, will be better prepared to handle the pressure.
I am not one to make bold predictions; I told Dan that I did not see a sweep in store for the current series but that on paper the Cubs were clear favorites. They have an astonishing road record of 15-6.

I said that if the Giants could bag one of the first two games, by any means possible, they would stand a good chance of being able to take the series. I would not have thought that Lester would prove to be the weak link, but it is immaterial. It only takes one.  Jake Peavy is the Giants’ weak link.

Sunday night, once more on national television, we will get to see the finale. I might be inclined to give the nod to San Francisco but recent history suggests I not.

Kyle Hendricks is said to have gathered up a whole slew of stones to go with his sling, so maybe I’ll just hold off on the prediction and say,
…nothing.

@bellspringsmark

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

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