2017 Postseason

Thanks for playing, everyone. Were it not for the bullpen, the offense, and the inconsistent starting pitching, things might have been different.

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Go Cubs! 

LAD (3-1): LHP Clayton Kershaw
CHC (1-3): LHP José Quintana
First pitch: 7:08pmCST (TBS)

The Cubs avoid the sweep and survive to fight another day. To take the series back to LA, they have to face one of the best pitchers on the planet and win a game without their only effective bullpen arm. 

LAD (3-0): LHP Alex Wood
CHC (0-3): RHP Jake Arrieta
First pitch: 8:01pmCST (TBS)

“Remember when we got swept in the NLCS?”
“Which time?”

LAD (2-0): RHP Yu Darvish
CHC (0-2): RHP Kyle Hendricks
First pitch: 8:00pmCST (TBS)

Thankfully, we’re back at Wrigley. Hendricks went 3-2 with a 2.83 at home this year. He missed the Dodgers, but he went 1-1 with a 0.71 ERA against them in the NLCS last year. Overall they are 7-37 (.189) against him. Turner is 2-7 with a HR.

CHC (0-1): LHP Jon Lester
LAD (1-0): LHP Rich Hill
First pitch: 6:38pmCST (TBS)

The good news is that the Cubs are back in the NLCS. The bad news is that, unless your name is Verlander, the game is all about the bullpens. That does not bode well.

CHC (0-0): LHP José Quintana 
LAD (0-0): LHP Clayton Kershaw 
First pitch: 7:08pmCST (TBS)

The Cubs head back to the NLCS for the third year in a row (!?), this time as the underdogs. There are a lot of reasons not to be optimistic, mostly having to do with a bullpen that seems to think that throwing strikes can cause cancer.

There’s also a lot of evidence to suggest that the Cubs are a very good baseball team and a bunch of drama queens, who pull it together only when they have to. 

WAS (1-2): RHP Tanner Roark (0-0, —)
CHC (2-1): RHP Jake Arrieta (0-0, —) 
First pitch: 3:00pmCST (TBS)

Arrieta left his last start early (Sept. 26 in St. Louis) with a strained hamstring. Let’s hope it holds up. He went 3 innings and gave up 3 runs and was tagged with the loss. 

He went 14-10 with a 3.53 for the season, including going 5-2 with a 2.90 at Wrigley. In 7 post-season starts, Arrieta has a 3.64 ERA. 

WAS (1-1): RHP Max Scherzer (0-0, —)
CHC (1-1): LHP José Quintana (0-0, —) 
First pitch: 3:08pmCST (TBS)

The Cubs have won Quintana’s last six starts. His last appearance was a no-decision against the Reds, in which he gave up 4 ER in 4.2 innings. He went 2-0 with a 2.51 in the final month of the season. This is his first post-season start.

CHC (1-0): LHP Jon Lester (0-0, —) 
WAS (0-1): LHP Gio Gonzalez (0-0, —)
First pitch: 4:38pmCST (TBS)

Of the eight post-season games, the Cubs are the only team to win on the road. Between that, the Dusty factor, and our 89mph secret weapon, there is reason for the Wrigley faithful to be optimistic.

CHC (0-0): RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0, —) 
WAS (0-0): RHP Stephen Strasburg (0-0, —)
First pitch: 6:31pmCST (TBS)

Hendricks had a no-decision in St. Louis in his final game of the season last Monday (5 IP, 0 ER, 9 K, 1 BB). He went 1-1 with  2.01 in the final month. He lost in DC on August 4, going 7 innings and giving up 3 ER. On the road this season, he’s 3-2 with a 2.83. Overall, the Nationals are 20-92 (.217) against him. Harper is 4-13 with a HR.