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Certainly the Cubs are the favorites--they scored the third most runs in baseball and gave up the fewest. They also won the most games. They are the best team. But the Indians are good. They were expected to do well this year and they have played well all season and beat two good teams to get to the Series. So a Cleveland upset is not unreasonable. It would be a good bet. The favorites don't win as often as they "should" in baseball, I'm not sure why that's the case other than to say "anything can happen" in a small handful of games. I think the Chicago starters give them the edge and I'll be surprised if they don't make the biggest impact on the outcome. But that's why we watch--there are no sure things!
By the way, fuck football. Baseball is so much better. I'll be sad when the season is over. I don't really care who wins the Series, I just want to see some good baseball.
--M.C.
17 comments:
You had to figure that Cleveland really needed to win Game One with their ace on the hill at home. Now it might actually be a real contest. The pitching matchups favor Chicago, but a win is still a win. We'll see. This one was, in the end, lopsided. I want to see some closer contests, but I was impressed that the Indians got it done. Andrew Miller had to bend, but he did not break. What a performance he is putting on in the post-season.
Wednesday's game (tomorrow) is an hour earlier--4 pm Pacific. Rain, apparently.
In a sports contest where I don't particularly care who wins. I usually don't know who I like until the game is underway, and I find myself glad someone hit a homer or struck out a lot of batters. So yesterday I very quickly found out that, yeah, I really want the Indians to win. It was a very cool game unless you like the Cubs, then it was a nightmare.
I concur with the "fuck football" sentiment. Especially fuck this year's version of the niners, and not because of Kap, just because they're SO awful.
I am interested in Washington now mainly because QB Jake Browning is from Folsom so I've been reading about him for years. He won a gazillion games and broke national passing records in HS. He is the real deal.
I'd say Kap was the only thing that makes the niners worth reading about. Not worth viewing, though.
'Fuck Football' is a truism & needs no further elaboration.
Cubs could run the table at home after last night's win. Other than Kluber starting Game 4 I don't see the pitching matchups helping the Indians.
Oh my goodness, the Indians win in Chicago! I'm rooting for seven games. Every person I talk to is rooting for the Cubs. Finally met a Cleveland rooter tonight. Seems the front man for the band at the local bar was from St. Louis and hates the Cubs like a Giants fan hates the Dodgers. I have to say I'm impressed by Cleveland, they are 'serving notice' that they aren't just there to participate in a coronation. Cubs will have to earn it on the road now. Kluber tomorrow. Francona is going for the kill with his ace. John Lackey is on the hill for the Cubs. He's like a cockroach--can't be killed. It amazes me he is in the World Series AGAIN. This is his 23rd post-season start and 5th Series start. He's like a foot fungus, impossible to get rid of.
I'm rooting for the Indians: we beat them in 1954, plus the Cubs beat us in embarrassing fashion this season. They can wait another season and learn some humility. It's amazing to me to see Cubs fans full of themselves so soon before they even win anything, it took many a Giants fans the three championships to acknowledge how good they have been.
I've felt that the Indians had a good chance of winning WS, because they are using the Giants formula in 2010: great pitching and just enough hitting. It is funny to me to see all the headlines about how clutch Crisp was, ignoring the real clutch performance: the pitching! Another shutout! Most in history, beating the Giants, who had done it three times before (1905, 2010, 2014). Yankees also did it in 1999, I think, or was it 98? And they are missing their #2 & 3 starters too!!! Reminds me some of 2012, team looks overmatched, but the pitching comes through. Of course, still needs 2 more wins, but with Kluber probably pitching games 4&7, Indians are looking like they are in the catbird seat!
Apparently both starters being pulled before the 6th in a 0-0 game is very rare in the regular season (18 times since 1913) and had not previously happened in the post-season.
https://twitter.com/baseball_ref/status/792186574553440256
Way back in May, my cousin in St. Louis told me that Cub's fans did not know how to handle winning. They were either sure the Cubs were going all the way (after every win) or convinced they were collapsing (after any loss).
The Cubs are the Cardinals' rivals, but it is not quite like the Giants/doggers. The Cubs have been so bad for so long (up to now) that there is not quite the deep unabiding hatred that Giants fans have (at least coming from the St. Louis side).
Cubs are seriously on the ropes now! Indians pitching has been amazing. They used former Giants prospect Dan Otero in the 9th tonight. A five-run lead means you can save your closer. Cleveland needs one more win--I did not see that coming.
Remember Zo, the Cards are the Cubs Dodgers and we were the Cubs until 2010. It seemed like a lot of Dodger fans were blase about the Giants until we won in 2010, then 2012, then 2014. Hard to keep up a hatred when your side is winning (Cards, Dodgers) and the other one is losing (Cubs, Giants).
And honestly, wasn't what was said about Cubs fans the same truth about Giants fans (even some today!).
But now that the shoe is on the other foot, with LA nearing 30 years, I don't think we'll ever stop hating the Bridegrooms or wanting them to have to wait a lifetime before their next title.
This is what the Indians have been doing all through the playoffs, nothing has changed. I get why they were the underdogs, losing their #2/3 starters, but the guys they have been throwing out had been doing the job, which, for me, is the true litmus test, just because a pitcher has been good in the regular season does not mean that he'll be that way in the playoffs, as some just can't handle things the same.
I mean, the Cubs got some breaks against us, it could just as easily been the other way around, what with that HR that would have been an out if not for that basket, and the bullpen imploding in the 9th like that with a huge lead (like 2002...). And the Dodgers had a 2-1 series lead too, before their pitching gave them up. The Indians has been very dominant all the way through, with their pitching.
Cubs turn the tables on the Indians and win their must-win game. Baseball continues--back to Cleveland for Game Six.
Six years ago today the Giants beat the Rangers to win the World Series! I still get a kick out of Flemm's voice cracking when Renteria hit that 3-run homer.
C-C See-saw in full swing.
Game Seven tonight after Chicago kicks ass last night.
I do not want to see the Cubs unleashed into a powerhouse. I prefer if they are going to be good for a long time they be more like the Braves of the 90's or the dodgers of the last few years. A team that gets into the playoffs, but cannot win a world series. However, they could win one tonight, and all hell will break loose if they do. On the other hand it seemed as if the NBA found a way to give the championship to Cleveland and Lebron, hence bringing another title to that city so soon seems unfair.
I have a feeling the Cubs are poised to be the Yankees of the Midwest. At least in terms of resources, much like the Dodgers being the Yankees of the West. We'll see. Win or lose they have had back-to-back great seasons, 97 and 103 wins after being in last place in 2014.
Last night I was at the bar watching with about a dozen others and could not find a Cleveland rooter. Seems my biased beer-drinkers population sample reflects the national mood! I'm pretty neutral though I have to say the Indians winning two big games in Wrigley impressed me, and I have a soft spot for underdogs.
Pitching matchups favor the Indians tonight with Kluber and the well-rested Miller and Allen duo, with Shaw as another go-to guy. The Cubs have, presumably, Lester and Lackey available if Hendricks has trouble, and since they don't seem to trust anyone in their 'pen other than Chapman, you know he'll be out there sooner rather than later. Whether using him last night and in Game Five makes him less effective tonight is hard to say. After all it is for "all the marbles" you figure "rest" is pretty irrelevant at this point.
Certainly a fascinating Series.
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