Cubs vs. Dodgers—Stacking Up the Stats

Here is my concern. Look at what Sabathia and Santana did over the weekend. Dominating, complete game performances on short rest. That's what you need this time of year, particularly in the playoffs, and we don't have a starter who can do that. Our rotation overall may be the best in the NL, but that helps in the 162 game schedule. In some ways, the question over the course of the season is not how good your 1 and 2 are, but how bad your 3, 4, and 5 are. But in the playoffs, the question is how good your 1 and 2 are. And ours are good, not great.

If we can hit our way through the playoffs that will make the difference, but we will see some good pitching.

Dodgers in 5.

I'd say your assessment is pretty much spot on as far as the starters/course of the whole season as opposed to a 5 game set. But it's not as if the Dodgers have the CC/Johan type #1. Personally with the cubs lineup against Lowe/Billingsly/Kuroda/Maddux/Whoever they run out their in the 3rd game, i'm not too worried for this series. Cubs in 4, count it.

Has anyone seen the playoff roster? I cant find it on cubs.com or in the tribune...My hope is that howry is left off so he can practice a new grip for his fastball so it atleast moves.

Cubs in 4

a party in LA sounds good to me

I don't think the Playoff roster has been announced. Or else you'd see many Howry posts.

Arguably, the 2nd half moves of Manny, CC, and Harden helped catapult their new teams into the Playoffs.

Without the addition of Manny or Sebathia, neither Dodgers or Brewers would have made it.

So, indeed, in these cases, one man DID make the difference.

Can Sebathia just pitch every other day?

PLAYOFF ROSTER -

here is a bit from Muskrat's late last-night entry:

"Whether DeRosa is ready will not affect the final decisions on the playoff roster, which will be announced Tuesday. Piniella was to meet then to set it with general manager Jim Hendry and assistant general manager Randy Bush."

Also, DeRosa is claiming "he'll be fine" for Wednesday's start...

An overlooked factor in the Pre- and Post-Manny Dodgers, and their offensive improvement, is that around that time they stopped playing offensive sinkholes like Andrew Jones, Pierre, and Nomar. Benching Andrew Jones alone had to be worth many runs. He would have been released in ST if not for the financial commitment.

I'm trying not to be doom and gloom here. I am concerned with D(ouble play)Lee's hitting propensities, particularly with Derek Lowe on the mound. I thought hitters made in-game adjustments to pitchers?
I just hope this team can get itself back up if they find themselves behind the 8-ball (a'la 2004 RedSox).
This post season is not going to be a cakewalk. If we beat the Dodgers, I'm not so sure we can beat the Phillies when we not only have to deal with Cole Hamels, but Jamie Moyer(!?), who shut us down. Jamie Moyer is not supposed to be tough but he is to us. Their offense is downright scary too.
I'm not on the ledge, but somebody talk me out of this.

That's a good point on D-Lee, but I worry alot more about the bullpen. If we lose this series, I predict it will be in the 6th and 7th innings. Wood and Marmol are good, but beyond that as you all know, we have been struggling. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have Saito and Broxton late, plus Kuo, Wade, Park, Bemiel....lots of RH/LH solid guys, with some strikeout guys, for those middle innings. We definitely need someone to step up in this space, be it Samardzija, Marshall, or someone else. Gaudin's back problems really hurt us, because he was pitching well until then, and providing that solid middle relief.

BTW, are we going to have Chip Caray on the TBS telecasts? I might have to mute the entire post season.

to charge a good $30 in bullshit fees for 2 tickets to a major league baseball game?

F U Frank McCourt.

And I still have to add an extra $15 each day for parking.