MLB certainly isn’t doing viewers any favors for the Cubs/Dodgers start times. At least on the East coast. Last week I was up way past midnight twice–once to about 2:00 in the morning! And I get up for work at 4:20!
I wonder what time I’ll get to bed tonight?
I’m old enough that I remember when post-season baseball (which, in those days, meant the World Series) was primarily played in the daytime. People listened on the radio at work, or skipped work/school. And we somehow managed to survive. 
Danny Salazar MAY come back. Carrasco is definitely out for the season, though.
It’s actually kind of amazing to think the Indians really only have 3 SPs for this series… or maybe 2 with Bauer’s injury.
A significant number of Cubs fans are probably already in inward silent panic mode right now. When a team has had that long of a drought, the championship monkey becomes even harder to get off of one’s shoulders. Confidence is destroyed 2x quicker.
I still can’t believe Cleveland started Bauer last night.
On Friday he gets 10 stitches on the pinkie of his 95 MPH throwing hand.
On Monday he is called upon to start.
He is bleeding profusely after the third batter. This is a possible bio-hazard.
After facing the fourth batter the umpire takes him out.
Why didn’t Bauer take himself out? Why didn’t Cleveland management take him out? And why did they even start him?
Was Kluber slated to start before yesterday’s game? Francona just burned through his bullpen yesterday, so I can see why he’d want to go with the starter he thinks he can get the most out of. He probably figures even if he loses today, he just needs to get to the 6th inning of any of the remaining 3 games with a lead.
Carrasco absolutely not. Salazar probably not.
I don’t get why they started Kluber again, either. If the series was tight, maybe. 3-0, I’d throw the next guy out there - I guess it would be Mike Clevinger, but there was also talk of starting Ryan Merritt - and takes my chances. If you start Clevinger today, Merritt can take Trevor Bauer’s place in Game 7, if Bauer is off the roster. Cody Anderson is also available. (And once I mention Zach McAllister is also in the bullpen, we have named all reserve starters Cleveland has. There is no starter handy to replace Bauer on the roster if he is placed on the DL; they used few starting pitchers this year.)
If Kluber starts Game 5, in theory he still starts on regular rest in Game 1 of the World Series. I don’t get the value of using him today at all, because if EVERYTHING goes wrong, Kluber starts on short rest against in Game 7. If it doesn’t all go wrong, you win the series anyway. Surely they can beat Toronto once? I know it ain’t over 'til it’s over, but up 3-0 you have to have some confidence in your pitching staff that they can beat Toronto once in three tries and you don’t need to drive Kluber into the ground to win the series. In the two games Kluber didn’t start Toronto couldn’t hit water falling out of a boat.
Look at it this way; if you’re Terry Francona, would you rather be winning the series 3-1 with Corey Kluber walking out there on full rest, or winning the series 3-1 with Josh Tomlin out there?
I get that this creates a force out at the plate here but walking Donaldson intentionally with men at first and third does not strike me as a wise move. I guess we’ll see.
That would have been more understandable if it had been men at second and third.
My thoughts exactly. I don’t think that adding the force at home is worth the possible trade-off here.
And there you go: 4-1. Nice one, Edwin.
And that’s why I hate intentional walks. Well, as a Jay fan I loved that one. But God, don’t they come back and bite you in the ass like half the time? Maybe more?
Good throw to get an out, but the walk put the second run into scoring position.
ETA: And here comes Mike Clevinger. So if the series is miraculously extended to Game Six, I guess Merritt starts. I’m assuming Trevor Bauer’s finger is not going to magically heal itself any faster than the first attempt - but by starting Kluber in Game 4, either he cannot start again or he starts Game 7, which makes Bauer’s turn Game 6, making it less likely he’d be available.
Not only does it put another run into scoring position, it forces the pitcher to throw some decent strikes or walk in a run. Batters love knowing they’ll get something to hit.
If Osuna comes in with a 3 run lead I will not be happy. Save him for tomorrow unless we get into trouble.
Now the lead is 4.
Well of course, you’d rather be up 3-1 with Kluber pitching than with Tomlin pitching. But that’s not the right question as you’re much more likely to win game 4 with Kluber pitching than Merritt or Clevenger. It didn’t work out (though it’s not over yet), but then if you only score 1 run you’re not winning often even with Kluber pitching.
The reason for starting Kluber in game 4 was all the relief pitchers were used so much in game 3 (and earlier) and will be needed again when Merritt or Clevenger starts. They needed some rest.
I gather you are not happy.
Although he got through the inning in 10 pitches, so he should be fine.
He pitched yesterday though. With a day off today he potentially could have given us 2 innings tomorrow. Probably not happening now.
Two shutouts in a row! Hopefully we keep this rolling.
Nice win tonight, especially with Lasorda in attendance after just being released from the hospital yesterday. Rich Hill was nasty and Yaz finally came through with a two-run shot. Kenley was Kenley.
The way the Cubs are hitting right now, especially lefties (.136 in the NLCS) should make for an interesting game 4 and 5. Tomorrow, the Dodgers will send out the youngest southpaw to ever start a postseason game, Julio Urias. Then, if we win, I fully expect to see Kershaw on short rest for game five.
Agreed. Kershaw in game five. Why tempt fate and go back to Chicago?
Osuna was trained as a starting pitcher and only started closing last May. If he is needed for two innings, he can pitch them. He’s shown the ability to pitch extra innings when needed. I would not have used him last night; it was a scared move and really makes little sense. I’d have been fine with Ryan Tepera pitching that inning. But it’s not likely to matter.
I have a feeling Toronto will either destroy Ryan Merritt today and make the bullpens irrelevant, or the hitters will go into hibernation again and Osuna won’t matter anyway. Merritt has pitched only 11 innings in his MLB career - yes, that is a record for a pitcher starting a playoff game - but the Blue Jays have a long history of making new guys look like Tom Seaver.