2018 Playoffs

[bluestreak]

That was horsecrap by Baez.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

So the Cubs can just break the rules now.  Cool.

[bluestreak]

So the Cubs can just break the rules now.  Cool.

It’s been clear to me that MLB wants the Cubs to win this game. Arenado clearly could have thrown out gimpy Contreras.

[bluestreak]

Ended up working in Rox Favor. Hamels now out and last bench player burned.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Offenses look positively Natinal-esque

[skippy1999]

Offenses look positively Natinal-esque

Seriously, kind of nice to not be gnashing my teeth over it.

[bluestreak]

If the Nats were in this game I would need to be sedated.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Do ARod and Mendoza have nine functioning neurons between them?  Suggesting the Rockies send the trail runner with 2 outs and the winning run on 3rd?

[bluestreak]

Do ARod and Mendoza have nine functioning neurons between them?  Suggesting the Rockies send the trail runner with 2 outs and the winning run on 3rd?

If they had, they would be up two runs now.

Edit: I know, I know.

[bluestreak]

Whoever wins this game is screwed vs the Brewers.

[Elvir Ovcina]

If they had, they would be up two runs now.

No, they wouldn't, if he'd gone on the pitch and they'd covered second.  And seriously, that second run is not worth even a trivial risk of making an out at second in that situation.

[Elvir Ovcina]

That didn't hit him.

[bluestreak]

He should not have swung. Arod was totally right.

[Elvir Ovcina]

He should not have swung. Arod was totally right.

Well, yeah.  But there's a reason Gore spends all year in AAA except for the playoffs.  Dude can't hit.

Also, is ESPN sending ARod to NY tomorrow to root for the Yankees, or do they have someone else for that job?

[imref]

Bigger disappointment in 2018, Cubs or Nats?

[Count Walewski]

Very nice to see the Rockies win after the umps blatantly tried to gift wrap this game for the Cubs.

[nfotiu]

Bigger disappointment in 2018, Cubs or Nats?

Definitely Nats.   Cubs tied for the best record in the NL.  I'd have taken a month of meaningful and do or die games.   Their season was far more gut wrenching though.   Finishing with the best record in the league and not making the NLDS with 2 shots to do it at home seems like something the Nats could have done!

[imref]

Definitely Nats.   Cubs tied for the best record in the NL.  I'd have taken a month of meaningful and do or die games.   Their season was far more gut wrenching though.   Finishing with the best record in the league and not making the NLDS with 2 shots to do it at home seems like something the Nats could have done!

bats went completely dead.  I can't explain it.

[dcpatti]

bats went completely dead.  I can't explain it.

They scored 0 or 1 39 times in the regular season, almost 25% of their games. Ouch. The Nats only did that 28 times. And the Cubs would have done that 40 times if it were not for Ryan "I Can Pitch Through This Back Pain" Madson.

[bluestreak]

The NL is really weak this year. It really is a shame the Nats rolled the dice with the rookie manager. If they had just gotten in, this could have been their year.

[imref]

They scored 0 or 1 39 times in the regular season, almost 25% of their games. Ouch. The Nats only did that 28 times. And the Cubs would have done that 40 times if it were not for Ryan "I Can Pitch Through This Back Pain" Madson.

incredible given that lineup.  I wonder if this makes them more likely to make a run at Harper.

[imref]

Edwin Jackson is the only true starter on the A's roster for tonight.  This will be fun to watch.  The relief pitcher opening the game is a guy who was DFA'd in June.

[spidernat]

Has anyone checked on VaRK? I'm concerned he may have harmed himself.

[Count Walewski]

The NL is really weak this year. It really is a shame the Nats rolled the dice with the rookie manager. If they had just gotten in, this could have been their year.

Well, at least Martinez was spared the stress of a late September collapse.

[dcpatti]

incredible given that lineup.  I wonder if this makes them more likely to make a run at Harper.

I think as long as they have the Darvish and Heyward contracts, the Cubs are going to be a little limited in what they can do. Spotrac (which isn't always right) has them at $179 million in 2019 salary commitments before any of their arbitration-eligible and pre-arb guys.  Granted, they are counting $20m for Hamels, who I wouldn't expect the Cubs to retain, since he's an expensive guy on an already expensive roster, but you can take his $20 million and hand it right over to Bryant and Baez. Which still leaves Hendricks, Schwarber, LaStella and a bunch of other guys to pay.

I could see the Cubs going over the luxury tax cap, but I can't see them going all the way to Harper money with all that on the books, especially since it's 2021 before any of the big paychecks (other than Hamels) start to fall off.