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YOUR BALANCE
Pitching Thoughts...
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Pitching Thoughts...


Oct 9, 2017, 7:59 PM
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So I can't be the only one who thinks it's weird that both managers cost themselves in back-to-back games on prematurely yanking their starters. Lester in Game 2. Scherzer in Game 3. And, honestly, not sure why Quintana was pulled so soon today. It's like Maddon is trying his hardest to do the opposite of what he did last postseason and pitch his best pitchers for the bare minimum amount of innings.

Also, where's Lackey?!? He was supposed to be an asset out of the bullpen. Why is Strop being used in big spots? It's not 2014 anymore. Cubs aren't supposed to be relying on that dude at this point. I know I've harped a lot on the bullpen being deceptively good, but this series so far has kind of indicated that's the case. Maddon riding C.J. and Strop hard. Needs to diversify.

Got to wonder whether or not Maddon is questioning leaving Rondon off of the roster. One of the few Cubs relievers who has actually performed well in big-time postseason spots before.

Tomorrow will be telling because Arrieta is definitely not going past the sixth inning (probably won't go past the fifth) after struggling with his injury recently. So it'll be interesting to see how Maddon uses his bullpen tomorrow.

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Re: Pitching Thoughts...


Oct 9, 2017, 8:11 PM
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I thought Lester had more in the tank for sure in game two.

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Re: Pitching Thoughts...


Oct 9, 2017, 11:58 PM
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Yeah, he definitely did. Maddon needs to adapt to postseason form now. It's not June. It's October. It's cool to let starters go the distance.

Maddon needs to also accept that the Cubs' bullpen is filled with guys who can't really be trusted all too much. Not one single middle relief pitcher (so excluding closer Wade Davis) on Chicago's postseason roster has ever produced in a big spot in the postseason. Not one. So he's got to let his starters go the distance.

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Re: Pitching Thoughts...


Oct 10, 2017, 10:49 AM
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LOL they all can't go for complete games every time or their arms will fall off it they happen to make it to the World Series.

I get what you are saying though...seven innings or eight instead of six innings for the starters would be nice.

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Re: Pitching Thoughts...


Oct 13, 2017, 11:07 AM
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Yeah, I didn't literally mean "go the distance." Just pitch them for as long as they would normally pitch in a quality postseason start. Don't pull them too soon just to salvage their arm strength moving forward. Maddon is going to have to do that in the NLCS, as evinced by last night. Because Davis is literally the only trustworthy arm out of the bullpen right now. And if he's used too much, it will be like the Chapman situation from last year all over again.

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