2015 NLCS Thread: Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

[Saul Goodman]

So why the fuck don't the Cubs get home field advantage for the rest of the playoffs, then?

EDIT: okay, I know why they wouldn't get HFA in the World Serious (Selig, you cunt), but why not for the NLCS, at least>

Because the Mets and Dodgers won their shitty divisions, which is very important, because reasons.

[ChuckD]

So why the fuck don't the Cubs get home field advantage for the rest of the playoffs, then?

Not sure but I like how it worked up until now.  I was glad the coin flip was in Pittsburgh and glad this series started in St. Louis.  I think these last 2 games at Wrigley have gotten everyone "over the hump" now, as far as the whole pressure of playing at Wrigley thing goes but until the Cubs came back home swinging their dicks like they did--and then proceeded to continue to do Tuesday--there was that concern that having to do something right off the bat in front of the home folks could hinder them.

Since I'm no longer concerned about the "Wrigley Field" effect I'm with you but I also don't think it matters.

They won't face Greinke until the 3rd game, so as long as they beat whoever LA goes with in the non-Kershaw game (Anderson?), they come back to Chicago with home-field advantage.

Game 1 - Sat, Oct 17 - Anderson
Game 2 - Sun, Oct 18 - Kershaw
Game 3 - Tue, Oct 20 - Greinke
Game 4 - Wed, Oct 21 - Wood? Bullpen?
Game 5 - Thu, Oct 22 - Anderson or Kershaw on short rest.
Game 6 - Sat, Oct 24 - Kershaw or Greinke on short rest.
Game 7 - Sun, Oct 25 - Greinke or ???

[Canadouche]

So why the fuck don't the Cubs get home field advantage for the rest of the playoffs, then?

Not sure but I like how it worked up until now.  I was glad the coin flip was in Pittsburgh and glad this series started in St. Louis.  I think these last 2 games at Wrigley have gotten everyone "over the hump" now, as far as the whole pressure of playing at Wrigley thing goes but until the Cubs came back home swinging their dicks like they did--and then proceeded to continue to do Tuesday--there was that concern that having to do something right off the bat in front of the home folks could hinder them.

Since I'm no longer concerned about the "Wrigley Field" effect I'm with you but I also don't think it matters.

Besides. The Cubs are more likely to clinch a WS spot at home the way things have worked out.

[R-V]

Here's my stab at rotations taking short rest out of the equation. I'm wary of doing that with Arrieta given that he's already 70 some innings over his previous career high in IP. I'm also game for dropping Haren in place of Hammel for one or more of his starts.

NLCS
Saturday (10-17): Lester (7 days rest)
Sunday (10-18): Arrieta (6 days rest)
Tuesday (10-20): Hendricks (9 days rest)
Wednesday (10-21): Hammel (7 days rest)
Thursday (10-22): Lester (4 days rest)
Saturday (10-24): Arrieta (5 days rest)
Sunday (10-25): Hendricks (4 days rest)
Arrieta 2 starts, Lester 2, Hammel/Hendricks/Haren 3

World Series
Tuesday (10-27): Lester (4 days rest)
Wednesday (10-28): Hammel (6 days rest)
Friday (10-30): Arrieta (5 days rest)
Saturday (10-31): Hendricks (5 days rest)
Sunday (11-1): Lester (4 days rest)
Tuesday (11-3): Hammel (5 days rest)
Wednesday (11-4): Arrieta (4 days rest)
Arrieta 2 starts, Lester 2, Hendricks/Hammel/Haren 3

[PenFoe]

I'd like to kick the Mets ass next round.  

If it's the Dodgers, so be it, but give me the Mets.  

[Canadouche]

I'd like to kick the Mets ass next round.  

If it's the Dodgers, so be it, but give me the Mets.  

Agreed. So far, this post season has been a childhood dream come true.

[Tonker]

I'd like to kick the Mets ass next round.  

If it's the Dodgers, so be it, but give me the Mets.  

Not least because it's going to be hard for them to shake the memory of the 7-0 regular season arse-raping.

[SKO]

I'd like to kick the Mets ass next round.  

If it's the Dodgers, so be it, but give me the Mets.  

Not least because it's going to be hard for them to shake the memory of the 7-0 regular season arse-raping.

Everyone keeps saying "this isn't the same Mets team that lost all of those games!" because they have Cespedes and some actual offensive players now but as I pointed out on Twitter the last Cubs-Mets game featured Herrera and Baxter in the starting lineup. Schwarber was in Iowa, Javy was on the DL, and Kris was in the middle of his awful July. The Mets are a better team than they were then, sure, and their pitching depth makes them dangerous, but there's a reason these Cubs have the best record in baseball since the break, and not them.

[Eli]

Here's my stab at rotations taking short rest out of the equation. I'm wary of doing that with Arrieta given that he's already 70 some innings over his previous career high in IP. I'm also game for dropping Haren in place of Hammel for one or more of his starts.

NLCS
Saturday (10-17): Lester (7 days rest)
Sunday (10-18): Arrieta (6 days rest)
Tuesday (10-20): Hendricks (9 days rest)
Wednesday (10-21): Hammel (7 days rest)
Thursday (10-22): Lester (4 days rest)
Saturday (10-24): Arrieta (5 days rest)
Sunday (10-25): Hendricks (4 days rest)
Arrieta 2 starts, Lester 2, Hammel/Hendricks/Haren 3

World Series
Tuesday (10-27): Lester (4 days rest)
Wednesday (10-28): Hammel (6 days rest)
Friday (10-30): Arrieta (5 days rest)
Saturday (10-31): Hendricks (5 days rest)
Sunday (11-1): Lester (4 days rest)
Tuesday (11-3): Hammel (5 days rest)
Wednesday (11-4): Arrieta (4 days rest)
Arrieta 2 starts, Lester 2, Hendricks/Hammel/Haren 3

I wonder if it'll depend on their opponent. The Dodgers have been really good against left-handed pitching, so maybe that gets factored in when deciding who starts Game 1.

[Tonker]

I'd give my right arm to be in Chicago, or at least to have somebody over here to talk to about it, but as I don't, you guys are going to bear the brunt.

I've just been watching the highlights from last night, again, and you know what?  If the Cubs don't win another game, I'm going to look back on 2015 as an enormous success and a hell of a lot of fun.  I'm genuinely finding it hard to put into words how fucking happy this team makes me because every time I try, I get all fucking emotional.  I'm not even kidding.

[Canadouche]

I'd give my right arm to be in Chicago, or at least to have somebody over here to talk to about it, but as I don't, you guys are going to bear the brunt.

I've just been watching the highlights from last night, again, and you know what?  If the Cubs don't win another game, I'm going to look back on 2015 as an enormous success and a hell of a lot of fun.  I'm genuinely finding it hard to put into words how fucking happy this team makes me because every time I try, I get all fucking emotional.  I'm not even kidding.

This has been a crazy, awesome season. I'll repeat myself -- as long as the Cubs don't BLOW it, I'll be ok with what comes.

It's amazing that they are legitimately the favourites now ... it's also unsettling because the favourites seem to rarely win.

[SKO]

I'd give my right arm to be in Chicago, or at least to have somebody over here to talk to about it, but as I don't, you guys are going to bear the brunt.

I've just been watching the highlights from last night, again, and you know what?  If the Cubs don't win another game, I'm going to look back on 2015 as an enormous success and a hell of a lot of fun.  I'm genuinely finding it hard to put into words how fucking happy this team makes me because every time I try, I get all fucking emotional.  I'm not even kidding.

You're not alone pal. I had actual tears in my eyes when they got that last out and I told myself to savor it all night long, because the last time they won a division series I was too young and dumb to realize just how fucking hard it is, and I never dreamed it'd be 12 years before I watched them do it again. So I got super damn emotional, and I held my infant son aloft like he was fucking Simba and we had ourselves a nice time going nuts. What a ride.

[Eli]

I'd give my right arm to be in Chicago, or at least to have somebody over here to talk to about it, but as I don't, you guys are going to bear the brunt.

I've just been watching the highlights from last night, again, and you know what?  If the Cubs don't win another game, I'm going to look back on 2015 as an enormous success and a hell of a lot of fun.  I'm genuinely finding it hard to put into words how fucking happy this team makes me because every time I try, I get all fucking emotional.  I'm not even kidding.

I've been an annoying detractor of the "it's all gravy now" argument, but I've reached that point now. 100-plus wins and beating the Cardinals in a playoff series is more than enough to keep me warm over the winter. I'll obviously be disappointed if they get eliminated, but I don't think it'll last very long. What a ride.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'd give my right arm to be in Chicago, or at least to have somebody over here to talk to about it, but as I don't, you guys are going to bear the brunt.

I've just been watching the highlights from last night, again, and you know what?  If the Cubs don't win another game, I'm going to look back on 2015 as an enormous success and a hell of a lot of fun.  I'm genuinely finding it hard to put into words how fucking happy this team makes me because every time I try, I get all fucking emotional.  I'm not even kidding.

You're not alone pal. I had actual tears in my eyes when they got that last out and I told myself to savor it all night long, because the last time they won a division series I was too young and dumb to realize just how fucking hard it is, and I never dreamed it'd be 12 years before I watched them do it again. So I got super damn emotional, and I held my infant son aloft like he was fucking Simba and we had ourselves a nice time going nuts. What a ride.

I swear that I've done this probably over 100 times with both of my kids when there were infants. I even would belt out the song.

[Waco Kid]

The best thing for me is that this team isn't a catch lightning in a bottle team. It's a very likable, young, built from the ground up with a bright future. It's made rooting for them even better.