Posted on 10/04/2016 11:53:19 AM PDT by Jim W N
I’m rooting for my team which hasn’t won a World Series
in, well, a long, long time.
........GO GIANTS!
Cueto starts Friday. He’s as good as anything the Cubs have.
Right, well, we have some good starters but they keep starting Peavy who has a terrible 5.54 ERA. We won’t beat the Cubs with that.
Maybe a bigger concern is our relief pitching. In 2014, the Giants won a critical playoff game because of strong middle relief by Petit who looks like is no longer on the roster. I’m not sure we have a good middle reliever and the Casilla, Romo, and Strickland inconsistencies and meltdowns makes it looks like we may not have a reliable closer.
Nevertheless, like Jeff Goldblum’s comment in Jurassic Park about about “life”, the “GIANTS”... will find a way...
:)
Probable NLDS pitching match-ups between
the Cubbies vs. the Giants
Fri 10/7 Lester (2.44 ERA) vs. Cueto (2.79 ERA)
slightly favors Cubbies
Sat 10/8 Hendricks (2.13 ERA) vs. Samardzija (3.81 ERA)
heavily favors Cubbies
Mon 10/10 Arrieta (3.10 ERA) vs. Bumgarner (2.74 ERA)
favors Giants
Tues 10/11 Lackey (3.35 ERA) vs. Cueto or Moore (4.08 ERA)
favors Cubbies
Thurs 10/13 Lester (2.44 ERA) vs. Samardzija or Cueto
favors Cubbies
Cubbies favored 4 out of five matchups.
Cubbies may have the horses, but somehow the Giants have the magic AND Hunter Pence. Hunter Pence may be worth a few those Cubbie flamethrowers. Go Giants!
Glad Bumgartner is only available once in a short series. The Cubs have much more depth in the rotation than the Giants, but don’t forget the back end either. The Giants closer situation has been in flux, and the Cubs are firmly set with Aroldis Chapman.
The Giants haven’t been favored in a lot of the series they’ve been in over the years they’ve won the WS.
Remember that last year the Cubs had the second best record of any team in the playoffs and they were unstoppable until they ran into the Mets. Then they rolled over and died. They have a long, rich tradition of disappointing their fans.
Last year the Cubs spent all of their emotional capital beating the Cards. It was the first playoff experience for a young team, and I think that was as far as they expected to go. This year, they have more experience, more depth, and are hungrier. Yes, anything can happen in the playoffs, which is why past performance is definitely no guarantee of future results.
Hendricks is a lot weaker then his ERA.
And, we'll know whether I'm right on Monday evening.
Yes, IMO, the biggest issue with the Giants is their bullpen. Hope their playoff magic overcomes these obstacles.
GO GIANTS!
Possible early hibernation for the Cubbies again? Us Giants fans hope so.
But what about matching Giant relief pitchers with the Cubbies’ Chapman and Co.? Chapman is lights out with a 1.01 ERA. IMO relief pitching is the Giant’s biggest issue.
Early or late, I predict that the championship will not be residing in Wrigleyville this year.
Hendricks is new, has a 5+ ERA in playoffs.
It's a different game this time of year, as you saw last night.
The Giants have won 11 straight playoff series.
In fact, during the regular season the Giants set a new MLB record with 41 blown saves.
I don't.
My picks:
AL - Steelers
NL - Mudhens
Mudhens win it all.
You sound like my financial adviser who says, “In dealing with baseball or stocks, one just takes what’s in the box.” Reminds me of what my mama always said, “Life is a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Yeah, I heard the Steelers have good pitching. Dunno who the Mudhens are.
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