MLB Playoffs

[brandx]

Great job by Maddon. I don't know of any other manager who would do what he did in that game.

Schwarber in RF; Bryant in LF; LaStella at 3B - all had started 6 or fewer games at those positions all year.

Or go back to switching Russell and Castro. That is the kind of move - mid-season - that can tear teams apart.

[jesmu84]

Great job by Maddon. I don't know of any other manager who would do what he did in that game.

Schwarber in RF; Bryant in LF; LaStella at 3B - all had started 6 or fewer games at those positions all year.

Or go back to switching Russell and Castro. That is the kind of move - mid-season - that can tear teams apart.

Which is ironic because Bryant and LaStella didn't matter from an offensive standpoint. And the best defensive plays at 3B were when Bryant was in the game.

[Henry Sugar]

How awful was that TBS broadcast though?

It was horrid.

I may seriously go radio next game. If only I had a way to DVR the radio.

[JWags85]

Let's not get carried away. The Pirates went 17-21 vs Cubs/StL with 13 games decided by 1 run. Not exactly dismal.

For reference...
Cubs vs Pit/StL: 19-19
Cardinals vs Cubs/Pit: 21-17

My mistake, I knew their record against the Central wasnt' great, without the breakdown I assumed they struggled against the Cubs and Cards cause I knew the Cubs had the season series comfortably.

And of course Wades can't resist a Chicago shot.  If Cubs fans were acting like that (and I'm sure the pink hats and crew at the DraftKings Fanzone, or whatever the hell that was, would) I'd say the same thing.  I won't mention the Brewers fans that constantly mocked the Cubs and their "sorry franchise" during their time in the sun.  They hadn't won a playoff series in 30 years and they responded by telling me that I was salty that the Brewers owned the Cubs and now that Attanasio was in charge, that wouldn't change.

But enough of that, I'm gonna enjoy October baseball for the first time in years.

[RushmoreAcademy]

How awful was that TBS broadcast though?

+1
I was lucky to avoid a lot of it by being in a room full of my loud friends, but the parts I heard were painful.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

My mistake, I knew their record against the Central wasnt' great, without the breakdown I assumed they struggled against the Cubs and Cards cause I knew the Cubs had the season series comfortably.

And of course Wades can't resist a Chicago shot.  If Cubs fans were acting like that (and I'm sure the pink hats and crew at the DraftKings Fanzone, or whatever the hell that was, would) I'd say the same thing.  I won't mention the Brewers fans that constantly mocked the Cubs and their "sorry franchise" during their time in the sun.  They hadn't won a playoff series in 30 years and they responded by telling me that I was salty that the Brewers owned the Cubs and now that Attanasio was in charge, that wouldn't change.

But enough of that, I'm gonna enjoy October baseball for the first time in years.

Every team has their insufferable fans. ( See Wade with the Packers) usually I'm not too fond of Cubs fans overall but at the bar I was at last night only one guy bothered me, he pulled a Jae Crowder it's over throat slash in the 7th inning. But the other cubs fans were nothing but respectful and happy. They even called that other cubs fan out reminding him that they are indeed still the Cubs.

I'm a Sox fan but always a chicago fan. So go cubs. Plus my mom would be ecstatic if the Cubs actually won.

[GGGG]

How awful was that TBS broadcast though?

Too "bro-ey." 

They should just use Brian Anderson

[wadesworld]

My mistake, I knew their record against the Central wasnt' great, without the breakdown I assumed they struggled against the Cubs and Cards cause I knew the Cubs had the season series comfortably.

And of course Wades can't resist a Chicago shot.  If Cubs fans were acting like that (and I'm sure the pink hats and crew at the DraftKings Fanzone, or whatever the hell that was, would) I'd say the same thing.  I won't mention the Brewers fans that constantly mocked the Cubs and their "sorry franchise" during their time in the sun.  They hadn't won a playoff series in 30 years and they responded by telling me that I was salty that the Brewers owned the Cubs and now that Attanasio was in charge, that wouldn't change.

But enough of that, I'm gonna enjoy October baseball for the first time in years.

Fans boo at every single baseball stadium when their team gets hit by a pitch.  I don't know why you'd be surprised that it'd be a little more passionate in a do or die game that is sold out and emotions are high.  But hey, maybe Cubs fans cheer on and encourage opposing pitchers when a Cub is hit in Wrigley  .

The fact that the Brewers are a joke of a franchise doesn't change the fact that the Cubs are a sorry franchise at all.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Fans boo at every single baseball stadium when their team gets hit by a pitch.  I don't know why you'd be surprised that it'd be a little more passionate in a do or die game that is sold out and emotions are high.  But hey, maybe Cubs fans cheer on and encourage opposing pitchers when a Cub is hit in Wrigley  .

The fact that the Brewers are a joke of a franchise doesn't change the fact that the Cubs were a sorry franchise at all.

Fixed that for you. 

[GGGG]

Yeah I think the Cubs are going to be good for awhile.  They have a bunch of talent in their system and will have even more revenue after the Wrigley renovations are done.  Smart of them to get off their reliance on the high priced free agents (hello Yankees!!!) and work on a more balanced system developing their own with a FA here and there to fill holes.

[jesmu84]

My mistake, I knew their record against the Central wasnt' great, without the breakdown I assumed they struggled against the Cubs and Cards cause I knew the Cubs had the season series comfortably.

And of course Wades can't resist a Chicago shot. If Cubs fans were acting like that (and I'm sure the pink hats and crew at the DraftKings Fanzone, or whatever the hell that was, would) I'd say the same thing.  I won't mention the Brewers fans that constantly mocked the Cubs and their "sorry franchise" during their time in the sun.  They hadn't won a playoff series in 30 years and they responded by telling me that I was salty that the Brewers owned the Cubs and now that Attanasio was in charge, that wouldn't change.

But enough of that, I'm gonna enjoy October baseball for the first time in years.

Like clockwork. I actually really like wades outside of any Chicago discussion. Inferiority complex or overcompensation - not sure which.

[wadesworld]

They'll be good no doubt, but 1 year where you win the 2nd Wild Card doesn't turn your franchise from 108 years of being a joke to suddenly not being a sorry franchise.

[wadesworld]

Like clockwork. I actually really like wades outside of any Chicago discussion. Inferiority complex or overcompensation - not sure which.

Meh.  If you guys really think that any other team's fans in the world would react differently than the Pirates fans did, then I'm fine with you guys thinking I have an inferiority complex or overcompensation.  Their players got hit by pitches.  They booed.  Find me a stadium where that won't happen and maybe I'll consider the possibility that one of those two descriptions fit me.

[MerrittsMustache]

Like clockwork. I actually really like wades outside of any Chicago discussion. Inferiority complex or overcompensation - not sure which.

I've seen the Cubs play in 9 different stadiums other than Wrigley (including several games in StL). The only two where the home fans took major exception to the large number of Cubs' fans in attendance were Milwaukee and the South Side. It might be an inferiority issue or perhaps only the most loud and obnoxious Cubs fans travel to those games because everywhere else is relatively welcoming.

[jesmu84]

I've seen the Cubs play in 9 different stadiums other than Wrigley (including several games in StL). The only two where the home fans took major exception to the large number of Cubs' fans in attendance were Milwaukee and the South Side. It might be an inferiority issue or perhaps only the most loud and obnoxious Cubs fans travel to those games because everywhere else is relatively welcoming.

I was just referring to wades taking shots at Chicago teams in nearly every thread about sports or players - Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Cutler, etc.

This is what I was referring to:

Ahh, the chirping that comes when your team finally wins a "Playoff game" for the first time in 12 years.

I hope I have that opportunity as a Brewers fan within that time frame.  Not holding my breath, though.

[TallTitan34]

When the Cubs got up 3-0, the Pirates panicked. I actually think that subbing Alvarez for Rodriguez early got "we need offense!" in their heads and they started pressing. Arrieta didn't have his best but the Pirates helped him out a lot with some awful at bats. That tension obviously boiled over when Watson plunked Arrieta...which was a stupid thing to do considering, at that point, the Pirates only had 5 baserunners and 2 got on via HBP.

Tons of confidence in Arrieta going forward. Lester and Hammel? Not as much. Should be a fun series with StL!

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

[GGGG]

They'll be good no doubt, but 1 year where you win the 2nd Wild Card doesn't turn your franchise from 108 years of being a joke to suddenly not being a sorry franchise.

I don't think they are "108 years of being a joke."  They have gone 108 years since winning a championship.  Those are two different things.

[JWags85]

Fans boo at every single baseball stadium when their team gets hit by a pitch.  I don't know why you'd be surprised that it'd be a little more passionate in a do or die game that is sold out and emotions are high.  But hey, maybe Cubs fans cheer on and encourage opposing pitchers when a Cub is hit in Wrigley  .

The fact that the Brewers are a joke of a franchise doesn't change the fact that the Cubs are a sorry franchise at all.

Id have expected them to get excited, lord knows they weren't loading up on baserunners otherwise.

[wadesworld]

I was just referring to wades taking shots at Chicago teams in nearly every thread about sports or players - Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Cutler, etc.

This is what I was referring to:

Blackhawks?  More like Bulls.  Other than the Kane investigation I don't think I've ever said anything about hockey on here.  I don't pay one iota of attention to hockey.  And with the Bulls it's pretty much just Derrick Rose.  Turns out, Jimmy Butler feels about the same as I do about him.  And turns out that some of Cutler's former Hall of Fame teammates feel the same about him as I do.  So there's that.

I don't think they are "108 years of being a joke."  They have gone 108 years since winning a championship.  Those are two different things.

They haven't been to a World Series since 1945.    They have won a total of 3 Playoff series since then.  For a big market team, they have essentially been a joke for 108 years.

[jesmu84]

Blackhawks?  More like Bulls.  Other than the Kane investigation I don't think I've ever said anything about hockey on here.  I don't pay one iota of attention to hockey.

Fire? Sky?

[wadesworld]

Fire? Sky?

Huh?

[MerrittsMustache]

Blackhawks?  More like Bulls.  Other than the Kane investigation I don't think I've ever said anything about hockey on here.  I don't pay one iota of attention to hockey.  And with the Bulls it's pretty much just Derrick Rose.  Turns out, Jimmy Butler feels about the same as I do about him. And turns out that some of Cutler's former Hall of Fame teammates feel the same about him as I do.  So there's that.

What about his current teammates who voted him a team captain?

[jesmu84]

Huh?

Two more Chicago teams. Just a joke.

[MerrittsMustache]

I was just referring to wades taking shots at Chicago teams in nearly every thread about sports or players - Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Cutler, etc.

This is what I was referring to:

I guess it wasn't very clear but I was supporting you. Many Brewers fans (like wades) and many Sox fans hate all things Cubs and tend to blame that hatred on the obnoxious Cubs' fans, despite the fact that very few other fanbases have anywhere close to that same level animosity even if their stadiums are filled with Cubs fans.

[wadesworld]

What about his current teammates who voted him a team captain?

Guess it just goes to show why they're 1-3.

Must've been the enhanced leadership ability he showed in the offseason.  Kind of like when his teammates and coaches were saying he had taken a huge step forwards going into last season and he was ready to have an MVP season