MLB Playoffs

[CTWarrior]

It is unlikely, but I would not give up on the Cubs just yet.  I hate the pitching matchup for them tonight, but if they can find a way to win, they have fully-rested Lester and extra-rested Arrieta for games 5 and 6, and if it ever gets to game 7, given their recent history of choking, Mets will be awfully tight.

First things first, gotta find a way to win tonight.  Need to score early and take a lead for a change.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I don't see them closing out the series at Wrigley. Probably mets in 6.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Boras client.  They typically don't do extensions before free agency.

I'm well aware, although a number of his clients have signed extensions prior to free agency.  If the Cubs present an offer that Arrieta deems fair and he wants to stay here he'll sign. 

[Benny B]

It is unlikely, but I would not give up on the Cubs just yet.  I hate the pitching matchup for them tonight, but if they can find a way to win, they have fully-rested Lester and extra-rested Arrieta for games 5 and 6, and if it ever gets to game 7, given their recent history of choking, Mets will be awfully tight.

First things first, gotta find a way to win tonight.  Need to score early and take a lead for a change.

The problem for the Cubs isn't getting through games 5 and 6... the problem is being rewarded with facing deGrom in Game 7 if it gets that far.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

The problem for the Cubs isn't getting through games 5 and 6... the problem is being rewarded with facing deGrom in Game 7 if it gets that far.

They can only take it one game at a time.  Find a way to win tonight and then you have a chance with Lester and Arrieta coming up.  It's obviously a long shot but I'm not giving up yet.  They had DeGrom on the ropes in the first couple of innings last night but weren't able to capitalize. 

And bring on robo ump for balls and strikes. 

[buckchuckler]

I'm well aware, although a number of his clients have signed extensions prior to free agency.  If the Cubs present an offer that Arrieta deems fair and he wants to stay here he'll sign.

Really?  Which ones?  I certainly thought it was his policy to never do that. 

[wadesworld]

Right now the Mets have the 3 best pitchers in the series.  I'll never say never, but I don't see this one going back to NY.

[JWags85]

Right now the Mets have the 3 best pitchers in the series.  I'll never say never, but I don't see this one going back to NY.

I assume you're saying DeGrom, Syndergaard, and Harvey.  But thats silly, cause Harvey finished the year weakly and was pedestrian against the Dodgers.  He had a good outing in Game 1, but outside of Arrieta struggling in Game 2, saying Harvey is the better pitcher is pretty baseless.  I'd take a rested Arrieta off a bad start over anyone was but DeGrom right now for the Mets.

[wadesworld]

I assume you're saying DeGrom, Syndergaard, and Harvey.  But thats silly, cause Harvey finished the year weakly and was pedestrian against the Dodgers.  He had a good outing in Game 1, but outside of Arrieta struggling in Game 2, saying Harvey is the better pitcher is pretty baseless.  I'd take a rested Arrieta off a bad start over anyone was but DeGrom right now for the Mets.

I guess if you consider 2 earned runs over his 3 starts after rejoining the rotation to end the year in 17 2/3 innings with 24 Ks to 1 walk and 14 hits for a WHIP of 0.849 and an ERA of 1.02 then yes, you're right, Harvey "finished the year weakly."

Include his 2 Playoff starts and the numbers are giving up 8 runs, 25 hits and 5 walks while striking out 40 in 30 1/3 innings for an ERA of 2.37 and a WHIP of 0.989 with 1.32 K/IP and a K/BB ratio of 8:1 then yes, you're right.  Very pedestrian numbers...

That's not a knock on Arrieta in the least bit.  The Mets pitchers have been pitching lights out all year, and it has been even better in the stretch run.  Arrieta has given up 4 ER in each of his last 2 starts.  deGrom, Syndegaard, Harvey, and Matz have combined to do that 0 times in 8 Postseason starts.

I will stick to my statement that the Mets have the 3 hottest starters in this series.

[MU B2002]

I guess if you consider 2 earned runs over his 3 starts after rejoining the rotation to end the year in 17 2/3 innings with 24 Ks to 1 walk and 14 hits for a WHIP of 0.849 and an ERA of 1.02 then yes, you're right, Harvey "finished the year weakly."

Include his 2 Playoff starts and the numbers are giving up 8 runs, 25 hits and 5 walks while striking out 40 in 30 1/3 innings for an ERA of 2.37 and a WHIP of 0.989 with 1.32 K/IP and a K/BB ratio of 8:1 then yes, you're right.  Very pedestrian numbers...

That's not a knock on Arrieta in the least bit.  The Mets pitchers have been pitching lights out all year, and it has been even better in the stretch run.  Arrieta has given up 4 ER in each of his last 2 starts.  deGrom, Syndegaard, Harvey, and Matz have combined to do that 0 times in 9 Postseason starts.

I will stick to my statement that the Mets have the 3 hottest starters in this series.

Tsk Tsk...
But that's not what you said.

Right now the Mets have the 3 best pitchers in the series.  I'll never say never, but I don't see this one going back to NY.

 You said 3 best pitchers in the series.  And maybe you are right, DeGrom, Thor, and Familia.

[wadesworld]

Tsk Tsk...
But that's not what you said.


 You said 3 best pitchers in the series.  And maybe you are right, DeGrom, Thor, and Familia.

Tsk Tsk...you forgot the right now.  AKA, the hottest 3 pitchers.  At the moment.

Were Harvey, deGrom, and Syndergaard all better throughout the year than Arietta?  Nope.  But right now they are pitching better than Arietta is.

[JWags85]

I guess if you consider 2 earned runs over his 3 starts after rejoining the rotation to end the year in 17 2/3 innings with 24 Ks to 1 walk and 14 hits for a WHIP of 0.849 and an ERA of 1.02 then yes, you're right, Harvey "finished the year weakly."

Include his 2 Playoff starts and the numbers are giving up 8 runs, 25 hits and 5 walks while striking out 40 in 30 1/3 innings for an ERA of 2.37 and a WHIP of 0.989 with 1.32 K/IP and a K/BB ratio of 8:1 then yes, you're right.  Very pedestrian numbers...

That's not a knock on Arrieta in the least bit.  The Mets pitchers have been pitching lights out all year, and it has been even better in the stretch run.  Arrieta has given up 4 ER in each of his last 2 starts.  deGrom, Syndegaard, Harvey, and Matz have combined to do that 0 times in 8 Postseason starts.

I will stick to my statement that the Mets have the 3 hottest starters in this series.

Looking back at his end of regular season splits, I confused actual performance with the buzz around him.  Specifically him getting hit well though not a ton of runs against the Reds and then him pulled early on the pitch count against the Nats.

I stand by what I said about the Dodger game.  I'm not lumping his end of season in with playoffs.  In the playoffs, he had 1 good start and 1 decent start.  He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings.  It wasn't disastrous but it wasn't great from an "ace".  Just like DeGrom wasn't bad last night, but he wasn't hot.   But I get your overall point.

[wadesworld]

Looking back at his end of regular season splits, I confused actual performance with the buzz around him.  Specifically him getting hit well though not a ton of runs against the Reds and then him pulled early on the pitch count against the Nats.

I stand by what I said about the Dodger game.  I'm not lumping his end of season in with playoffs.  In the playoffs, he had 1 good start and 1 decent start.  He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings.  It wasn't disastrous but it wasn't great from an "ace".  Just like DeGrom wasn't bad last night, but he wasn't hot.   But I get your overall point.

Fair enough.  Again, it's not a knock on Arietta, but the Mets starters have been, for the most part, lights out lately.  I personally don't see it going back to NY as a result, but I could certainly be wrong.  And hey, if anybody can make this thing interesting, it's a bunch of young 20-somethings who don't know that they're not supposed to win 4 straight games.

[jesmu84]

Saw an interesting stat about how poor the Cubs hit fastballs that are 94+ mph. Synd, DeGrom, Harvey all average over that this year. Makes sense. Last night, DeGrom noted how the Cubs seemed to have been keying in on his fastballs, so he switched tactics and threw more breaking - that appeared to work as the Cubs best inning was 1.

[wadesworld]

I was just thinking about how all the young pitchers for the Mets throw hard.  I have no stats to back this up, but I feel like pitching staffs that have the most success in the Playoffs seem to have mostly hard throwing starters.  That could be completely wrong, but it just seems that way to me.

[brandx]

I was just thinking about how all the young pitchers for the Mets throw hard.  I have no stats to back this up, but I feel like pitching staffs that have the most success in the Playoffs seem to have mostly hard throwing starters.  That could be completely wrong, but it just seems that way to me.

Don't know about playoff specific, but there is plenty of evidence that hard throwers have more success.

BABIP (batting average on balls in play) is pretty consistent for pitchers, be they hard throws or breaking ball pitchers. so being able to strike out a lot of guys does make a difference. Can't get on base when you strike out a lot. A guy who strikes out 180 times a year is putting the ball in play a lot less than a guy who strikes out 80 times. And, so the guy who strikes out 80 times, on average will get about 30 more hits a year.

This is one reason why a team like the Cards is so successful. 250 less Ks than the Cards.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Don't know about playoff specific, but there is plenty of evidence that hard throwers have more success.

BABIP (batting average on balls in play) is pretty consistent for pitchers, be they hard throws or breaking ball pitchers. so being able to strike out a lot of guys does make a difference. Can't get on base when you strike out a lot. A guy who strikes out 180 times a year is putting the ball in play a lot less than a guy who strikes out 80 times. And, so the guy who strikes out 80 times, on average will get about 30 more hits a year.

This is one reason why a team like the Cards is so successful. 250 less Ks than the Cards.

While the Cubs do strike out a ton, their OBP was equal to St. Louis' for the season and they had a higher OPS.  I imagine it is even a bigger difference in the second half as the Cubs' offense was mediocre for the first few months of the season.   

Hopefully as some of their young hitters mature they can cut down on the Ks but swing and miss will always be a part of the game for guys like Bryant and Schwarber.  That's ok when you also draw walks and hit for power.   

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

What a piss poor showing. Oh well, better team is gonna win this series.

[buckchuckler]

Schwarber has looked a lot like a DH the last couple days. 

[wadesworld]

Schwarber has looked a lot like a DH the last couple days.

Yes.

[🏀]

Schwarber has looked a lot like a DH the last couple days. 

Looks like a guy that's barely played the OF.

[MUsoxfan]

Life is good today

[Benny B]

Delicious schadenfreude in today's USA Today.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Life is good today

Did you accept that the Sox are and will continue to be irrelevant?  Good for you!

[tower912]

Cubs fans better hope the time off didn't give their team time to cool off and start thinking.   

Ahem.    Momentum sapped.    The team that played most recently carried their momentum and emotion into the series.    Cubs never got started.