2017 Postseason
Dodgers Win the NL Pennant
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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Dodgers @ Cubs: Kershaw vs Quintana (NLCS Game 5)
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.
Dodgers @ Cubs: Wood vs Arrieta (NLCS Game 4)
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?”
Dodgers @ Cubs: Darvish vs Hendricks (NLCS Game 3)
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.
Cubs @ Dodgers: Lester vs Hill (NLCS Game 2)
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.
Cubs @ Dodgers: Quintana vs Kershaw (NLCS Game 1)
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.
Nationals @ Cubs: Roark vs Arrieta (NLDS Game 4)
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.
Nationals @ Cubs: Scherzer vs Quintana (NLDS Game 3)
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.
Cubs @ Nationals: Lester vs Gonzalez (NLDS Game 2)
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.
Cubs @ Nationals: Hendricks vs Strasburg (NLDS Game 1)
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.
Recent comments
Arizona Phil (view)
This was Jaxon Wiggins previous "live" BP on 4/5:
JAXON WIGGINS:
ONE INNING (20 pitches - 10 strikes)
one batted ball in play (F-9 by Stevens)
one walk (B. Davis)
one HBP (B. Davis)
two strikeouts (Peralta & Escobar - both looking)
three swing & miss
two fouls
four called strikes
nine called balls
Arizona Phil (view)
Prior to the Cactus League game at Papago Park, three Cubs pitchers threw "live" BP on Field 1 at the Cubs Sloan Park complex, including RHRP Ethan Roberts (June 2022 TJS) and Cubs 2023 2nd round draft pick RHP Jaxon Wiggins (February 2023 TJS).
Wiggins last threw "live" BP three weeks ago before being shut down for a couple of weeks, and this was the first time Roberts has thrown to hitters in almost two years.
JAXON WIGGINS:
ONE INNING:
25 pitches (11 strikes)
no batted balls in play
two walks (Suriel and J. Diaz)
three strikeouts (Carico, Lubo, and Escobar - all three swinging)
six swing & miss
two fouls
three called strikes
14 called balls
one WP
ETHAN ROBERTS:
ONE INNING
15 pitches (7 strikes)
two batted balls in play (G-3 by Carico and L-9 by Suriel)
two walks (Lubo and Carico)
no strikeouts
no swing & miss
two fouls
three called strikes
eight called balls
one WP
Mat Peters was bumped by Justin Steele from his scheduled game work at Giants, so he threw two innings of "live" BP with Wiggins & Roberts.
MAT PETERS:
TWO INNINGS
44 pitches (23 strikes)
five batted balls in play (F-7, L-7, F-7, G-6, G-3)
three walks
two strikeouts (both Lubo and both looking)
six swing & miss
three fouls
nine called strikes
21 called balls
three WP
crunch (view)
wall stole a HR from busch...double. nice to see him destroy a curve ball.
upon further viewing, that might not have been a homer in too many parks...it had a lot of hang time, though.
CTSteve (view)
I’m at the game—woot!
If the streak breaks, it’s not my fault.
Cubster (view)
Brewers lose Wade Miley to Tommy John surgery.
crunch (view)
25 games played with a -85 run differential. insane.
Cubster (view)
White Sox DFA Bailey Horn. I'm thinking the Cubs would love to get him back although they probably won't have a decent chance of claiming him without another swap.
WSox also call up former Cub Rafael Ortega (and additionally Tommy Pham). They are hurting and having a gawd awful April.
Childersb3 (view)
White Sox DFA'd Bailey Horn.
He wasn't producing good results in Charlotte (AAA).
But Jed might bring him back with that open 40man spot. Then try the "sneak him thru waivers" gambit.
Cubster (view)
Oh my, now I will have nightmares of me sitting in the bowels of the Wrigley security detention cell.
Cubster (view)
One more thing...
One of the reasons I come to this site...
...in addition to Arizona Phil, who is, as we all know, a treasure trove of well-written fresh information, honest evaluation, and sneaky-subtle humor regarding the entire Cub organization...
... is CubbyBlue and Tim's fantastic and timely visual takes on the Cubs (to be fair, he does have a much broader Chicago-flavored brush well beyond the Cubs). Thanks for so many memorable images. I am fortunate to own (one of my prize possessions) a print that I framed (55/200) of "The Last Out" with KB's shit-eating grin as he fields the series winning out of the 2016 WS.
https://images.app.goo.gl/WvFQs6P5UvuhgVqS8
Tim, will you visit me if I do the text security thingy and description: Tim S? Or will I find myself in a Cub detention cell.
i.e. "or send a text message to 773-839-**** with the keyword "Friendly" and include your seat location and a description of your issue.