Cubs or Indians?

[ElKabong]

Houdini on the mound...wow

[olddaddy]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I agree...it's lamentable that CBS made this glaring misstatement.

They should have said that "most CHICAGOANS haven't seen a World Series in 71 years".

Yea or most didnt see a team go wire to wire in the regular season and 11/1 in post season which has never been done before and wont be done this year.

[ElKabong]

Heard that Kluber would pitch games one, four, and seven.... Like we're in the 60s again. Love. It.

Game one was crucial for Cle. To me, this is a 50/50 prop now. May wind up being one of the best World Series to watch in a long time.

[mostpost]

I would just like to remind everyone that the last time the Cubs lost a game 6-0, they came back to win the next three easily. I would also remind you that Kershaw dominated the Cubs in game two, then was knocked out in the fifth inning of game six, losing 5-0.

[thaskalos]

Let's see if Arrieta can avoid the big inning, for a change.

[Delta Cone]

Originally Posted by mostpost

I would just like to remind everyone that the last time the Cubs lost a game 6-0, they came back to win the next three easily.

So what? The last time the Indians won a game 6-0, they won the next four.

[olddaddy]

This was the first World Series loss by a Chicago team in 57 years!

[FakeNameChanged]

Corey Kluber's stuff was pretty good. Batters were missing the ball by six inches. Got some help with outside and low calls, but umpire was consistent for both teams.(edit): wanted to add that Kluber was channeling Bob Feller with his pitching. Feller was one of my pitching idols as a boy, even though I was a Yankee fan back then.

[Tor Ekman]

1 down, 3 to go . . . "F" the Cubs

[ElKabong]

Watching Kluber last night shows you how far the game has advanced. Bob Gibson in the mid 60s was dominant. His starts in the 1967, 1968 World Series were off the charts for that era

Yet when you see the old replays on MLB TV, his stuff is nowhere near what I saw last night

Hitting too... Today's hitters are far more advanced today in technique.

[Steve 'StatMan']

24 hours and one game later, the Cubs learned what they needed, made their adjustments, and Arrieta, Montgomery and Chapman all pitched well enough and the series is tied again 1-1. I know I wasn't concerned after Game 1 and there won't be concerned unless they lose a 2nd game, and will only worry if they ever get to 3 losses.

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Is Kluber really this good?

It will be a different story on short rest, he's slated to start on Saturday on 3 days rest. It was the same scenario in the ALCS, and he wasn't all that effective in his second start, not to mention the Cubs will have another look.

Cleveland gave up 8 walks last night, you won't win many games with that many base on balls, they were fortunate to hold the Cubs to 5 runs. Bauer threw 87 pitches over 3 2/3 innings, not a very efficient outing on his part. Fortunately for Cleveland it's a travel day today after using 6 relievers last night.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by HoofedInTheChest

It will be a different story on short rest, he's slated to start on Saturday on 3 days rest. It was the same scenario in the ALCS, and he wasn't all that effective in his second start, not to mention the Cubs will have another look.

Cleveland gave up 8 walks last night, you won't win many games with that many base on balls, they were fortunate to hold the Cubs to 5 runs. Bauer threw 87 pitches over 3 2/3 innings, not a very efficient outing on his part. Fortunately for Cleveland it's a travel day today after using 6 relievers last night.

Bauer had a stitched-up pinky finger of his throwing hand -- a wound that was bleeding profusely when he tried to pitch last time. I expect him to be a lot better next time around. I also saw Salazar throw the ball 97 miles an hour last night...and I think that he too could be a major factor before this is all said and done. That's why I question Francona's decision to keep starting Kluber on short rest.

Unless Kyle Hendricks is the reincarnation of Maddox...this series looks very competitive, even with Kluber starting on normal rest.

[Valuist]

Originally Posted by ElKabong

Watching Kluber last night shows you how far the game has advanced. Bob Gibson in the mid 60s was dominant. His starts in the 1967, 1968 World Series were off the charts for that era

Yet when you see the old replays on MLB TV, his stuff is nowhere near what I saw last night

Hitting too... Today's hitters are far more advanced today in technique.

I disagree re: hitters. Too many only know one way to hit: just swing for the fences. Blame this on the steroid era and ESPN for only showing HRs on highlights. So few hitters know how to situationally hit, or make adjustments within a given at bat. Rizzo is one of the rare guys who actually will choke up with two strikes.

[Valuist]

Key to game 3: the Cubs are at their best against pitchers who have a little trouble finding the strike zone (like Bauer) and grinding away. Tomlin may not be Kluber, but he never issues walks. The Cubs will have to take the approach they took against Kershaw the second time they faced him: be aggressive early. The first time they took too many pitches, and would up behind too often. The second thing is Tomlin is a flyballer and that is a good thing at Wrigley in cool weather, in which the wind is likely coming from the north or northeast. The last thing is Schwarber, who clearly can still hit, but was a liability in the field when he was healthy. His prep to try to get on the WS roster was strictly hitting. He has yet to be cleared to play in the field. Leave him for a high leverage pinch hitting situation. I think the chance of a one run game is very high. Minus 190 is too steep to lay. Play under at 7 or 7 1/2. At 6 1/2 I pass on the total.