The Official Cubs Win The World Series Thread

[Lennys Tap]

C'mon Lenny, get it right. It's "nattering nabobs of negativism".

You're probably as old as I am, so you should know>

Oh, I remember Spiro well - when he didn't have his hand out he could really turn a phrase!

[tower912]

No one here said that.

Talking heads and sports radio.

[brandx]

Talking heads and sports radio.

Sorry, Tower. I thought you were referring to my post asking how history would judge a great pitcher who has not done well in the post-season.

[#UnleashSean]

Sorry, Tower. I thought you were referring to my post asking how history would judge a great pitcher who has not done well in the post-season.

To discuss the topic with ya. I think baseball is a lot less about winning it all then in other sports. In basketball and football one player can essentially carry a team to championships. (Jordan, Favre, Manning, Lebron, etc.) In baseball having a star player isn't enough. Either they only bat 3 to 4 times a game, or pitch one in every 5. This makes it very difficult for a team to win off just one player like Bryce Harper. So I don't think its expected or necessary for a player to do amazing and win in the post season. History is full of great players who never won. IE Ernie Banks.

[cheebs09]

To discuss the topic with ya. I think baseball is a lot less about winning it all then in other sports. In basketball and football one player can essentially carry a team to championships. (Jordan, Favre, Manning, Lebron, etc.) In baseball having a star player isn't enough. Either they only bat 3 to 4 times a game, or pitch one in every 5. This makes it very difficult for a team to win off just one player like Bryce Harper. So I don't think its expected or necessary for a player to do amazing and win in the post season. History is full of great players who never won. IE Ernie Banks.

The knock on him in the playoffs has more to do with him not pitching well rather than his team's success. I think someone mentioned his ERA was over 5.

[tower912]

Sorry, Tower. I thought you were referring to my post asking how history would judge a great pitcher who has not done well in the post-season.

No worries, brandx.     I wasn't referring to anybody here.    I heard it on two separate sports talk shows last week questioning whether Kershaw was truly elite, as his playoff record wasn't as good as his regular season record.    One game later.......

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I feel better now.

[MUEng92]

During the 2nd or 3rd inning last night when the score was 0-0, I tweeted what I thought was a weak attempt at humor and it turned out to be a premonition...

"December 2, 2016: "Remember when the Cubs went 20 straight innings without a run then erupted for 10 runs? That was awesome"

I wasted my one bout of ESP on a baseball game when I could have used it for good like winning the lottery.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

6 more wins.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

5 more wins.

[real chili 83]

The moment is soon upon us.

[jesmu84]

Kyle Schwarber back in the picture. VERY interesting

[brewcity77]

Kyle Schwarber back in the picture. VERY interesting

Love the kid, but right now (assuming the lead holds) I wouldn't bring him in. Hasn't played all year, would he even be effective jumping in at the point of the World Series?

The idea of a big DH bat is tempting, but this team wins as much because of their defense. Schwarber hurts that more than he held in that regard. Don't mess with what's working.

[brewcity77]

They got there. After 2003, I wasn't comfortable until the ump made the last punchout. Didn't think I'd ever see this. 4 more wins.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Love the kid, but right now (assuming the lead holds) I wouldn't bring him in. Hasn't played all year, would he even be effective jumping in at the point of the World Series?

The idea of a big DH bat is tempting, but this team wins as much because of their defense. Schwarber hurts that more than he held in that regard. Don't mess with what's working.

If he's a possibility it's for DH and pinch hitting only.

This front office has earned a bit of trust.

[brewcity77]

If he's a possibility it's for DH and pinch hitting only.

This front office has earned a bit of trust.

That's fair, though Maddon said on the postgame he wanted to stick with how they got there. Not sure if that was a specific reference to Schwarber, but expecting a hitter to regain his timing at this time of the season seems unrealistic.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

4 more wins.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

That's fair, though Maddon said on the postgame he wanted to stick with how they got there. Not sure if that was a specific reference to Schwarber, but expecting a hitter to regain his timing at this time of the season seems unrealistic.

I agree that timing is a concern but maybe they take him over Coghlan for the potential upside.  Will be very interesting. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

That's fair, though Maddon said on the postgame he wanted to stick with how they got there. Not sure if that was a specific reference to Schwarber, but expecting a hitter to regain his timing at this time of the season seems unrealistic.

Actually, he'd probably be in over Zastryzny.

[drewm88]

I agree that timing is a concern but maybe they take him over Coghlan for the potential upside.  Will be very interesting.

Agreed.

Not sure if they'll dump Z/what they'll do with number of pitchers, but if there's any chance at all Schwarber can help, give me him over Coghlan. Use him as a PH this week if need be, then consider him as a DH if that goes well and the series heads back to Cleveland.

You already have Almora and La Stella on the bench for defensive replacements (La Stella can bump Bryant or Baez to OF), so Coghlan's defensive advantage doesn't matter. If there's an injury that may keep out a starter but isn't bad enough to remove him from the roster (so you need an extra guy who can play OF), then you pretend Schwarber had a setback and replace him.

To me, this is a no-brainer if he's at all ready.

[Tugg Speedman]

Steve Bartman Probably Isn’t Going to Throw Out the First Pitch At Wrigley Field
2016-10-24 16:41:12.307 GMT


By Matt Bonesteel
    Oct. 24 (Washington Post) -- The movement to have disgraced
Cubs fan Steve Bartman throw out the first pitch at a World
Series game this year has been picking up steam ever since the
North Siders clinched their first berth in the Fall Classic in 71
years on Saturday night. Yahoo's Jeff Passan says it's all about
finally turning the page on one of the darkest moments of the
Cubs' star-crossed history, especially because Bartman has
actively avoided the spotlight except for the apologetic
statement he issued after the events of Oct. 14, 2003, when he
got in the way of Moises Alou during Game 6 of the National
League Championship Series.

    "Chicago owes Steve Bartman an apology," Passan writes. "And
nothing would be quite as fitting as watching him throw the first
pitch in the World Series he always hoped he'd get to see."

    It's an opinion shared by the Chicago Tribune's John Kass.
    "He paid for it with all the hatred and anger poured on him
that night when the Cubs blew a chance to get into the series in
2003. All he did was reach for a foul ball," he writes. "What
happened afterward wasn't his fault. The Cubs blew the game, but
Bartman was tossed into the maelstrom, and all the anxiety and
fear of Cubs Nation rained down on him."

    Bartman has more or less disappeared since that fateful
night, turning down numerous offers to cash in on his infamy.
According to CNN, one hotel company offered him a six-week
Florida vacation; Bartman instead asked for gift certificates,
which he donated to charity. And now it looks like he'll be
staying in the shadows as the Cubs shoot for their first World
Series title since 1908.

    "The likelihood that he would return to throw out a first
ball or anything like that is probably slim, none and no chance,"
Frank Murtha, his longtime friend and spokesman, told CNN.
"Steve's goal in all this has been to return to a normal life,
and the fact that we're still talking about it 13 years after the
fact is nothing short of bizarre."

    And so we're left only with Bartman's apology from 13 years
ago and the feeling that there's probably no one cheering harder
for the Cubs to end all these years of misery.

    "Had I thought for one second that the ball was playable or
had I seen Alou approaching I would have done whatever I could to
get out of the way and give Alou a chance to make the catch,"
Bartman wrote. "To Moises Alou, the Chicago Cubs organization,
Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, and Cub fans everywhere I am so truly
sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart."

[GGGG]

God just leave the guy alone and stop pretending that he needs some sort of public apology to set things right.  It is clearly something he doesn't want.  He just wants to be ignored.

[MerrittsMustache]

God just leave the guy alone and stop pretending that he needs some sort of public apology to set things right.  It is clearly something he doesn't want.  He just wants to be ignored.

Agreed. He easily could have cashed in on his infamy but he chose not to. He just wants to be left alone.

I know for a fact that he's been to Wrigley several times in the last 13 years. No one would recognize him unless he wore the hat, headphones, turtleneck and glasses. Even then, people likely wouldn't even believe it was him anyway. I truly hope that he'll be in attendance for at least one game this weekend. The guy is a HUGE Cubs fan. The best thing for him would not be to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, it would be for the press to stop mentioning him and let him be just another Cubs fan who's enjoying the hell out of this season.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Agreed. He easily could have cashed in on his infamy but he chose not to. He just wants to be left alone.

I know for a fact that he's been to Wrigley several times in the last 13 years. No one would recognize him unless he wore the hat, headphones, turtleneck and glasses. Even then, people likely wouldn't even believe it was him anyway. I truly hope that he'll be in attendance for at least one game this weekend. The guy is a HUGE Cubs fan. The best thing for him would not be to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, it would be for the press to stop mentioning him and let him be just another Cubs fan who's enjoying the hell out of this season.

Well hopefully Saturday night's win puts an end to the poor guy being mentioned incessantly every time the Cubs make the post-season, which will hopefully be a fairly regular occurrence.

I was at the game on Saturday but also recorded the broadcast.  Of course Smoltz couldn't help but mention it on a foul ball to that general area in the 9th.  So annoying. 

[warriorchick]

Agreed. He easily could have cashed in on his infamy but he chose not to. He just wants to be left alone.

I know for a fact that he's been to Wrigley several times in the last 13 years. No one would recognize him unless he wore the hat, headphones, turtleneck and glasses. Even then, people likely wouldn't even believe it was him anyway. I truly hope that he'll be in attendance for at least one game this weekend. The guy is a HUGE Cubs fan. The best thing for him would not be to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, it would be for the press to stop mentioning him and let him be just another Cubs fan who's enjoying the hell out of this season.

I don't know how he could have "cashed in" with putting his personal safety in jeopardy.  Didn't he have to move out of town, and if I heard correctly, legally change his name?