Thanks, Ulf.
Several months ago, I bought tickets from Chicago to Cleveland to attend a concert.
We leave tonight, and return early Wednesday morning.
My wife just pointed out that we’re going to be there during the first game of the World Series.
Who’d thunk it?
It’s also very, very dubious that home field advantage has much to do with the dimensions of the park or a pitcher “pitching to it.” Jon Lester is going to pitch according to his strengths and the hitter’s weaknesses. Any other approach would be insane.
While ballparks do change scoring, the ability of players to exploit different parks is pretty limited. MLB outfielders aren’t stupid and know how to play fences. The dimensions that govern 99% of the game are the strike zone, the 60’6" from pitcher to hitter, and the 90 feet between bases, and those are the same everywhere. How the players play baseball is pretty much the same anywhere.
They’re both great, but I’d take Francona over Maddon.
It’s 1 and 1A for me. You can make an argument either way.
All of the Chicago media are reporting that Schwarber will be a part of the Cubs roster.
This match-up is pretty cool. The losing city is going to be devastated. MLB has to be ecstatic.
I’m bringing blood pressure meter to work, then bar for the games. You will know it’s really me when the Indians get a run and you hear, “psssh-psssh-psssh”. That’s me pumping the BP cuff.
I can’t possibly make any freaking prediction on this stellar matchup, so let’s hear it: Who’s winning and in how many games?
Cubs in 6. As appropriate and befitting it would be for the series has to go 7 games, it won’t. But I think the Indians will take Game 1.
Here are the likely pitching matchups:
G1: CHC LHP #34 Jon Lester @ CLE RHP #24 Corey Kluber
G2: CHC RHP #49 Jake Arrieta @ CLE RHP #47 Trevor Bauer
G3: CLE RHP #43 Josh Tomlin @ CHC RHP #28 Kyle Hendricks
G4: CLE (RHP #24 Corey Kluber, or RHP #31 Danny Salazar, or LHP #54 Ryan Merritt) @ CHC RHP #41 John Lackey
I think the Cubs are the better team, but this is the 3rd straight series that I think the Indians’ opponent is the better team. So I have no idea how it will play out. I’m rooting for Cubs in 4 or 5 so they can celebrate at Wrigley.
That’s the wonderful thing about baseball, you just never know.
The Cubs are clearly the best team in the major leagues, but the Indians have *at worst *a one in three chance of winning the series.
My CBS sports app is reporting the same thing. He’s rumored to be the DH for the Cleveland games. To make room for him, they left lefty reliever Alphabet Soup off. That’s the only change from the NLCS.
He’s a better DH hurt than the other left-handed options, Coughlin and Montero.
my bolding
Is he any relation to Doug “Eye Chart” Gwodsz or Mark “Scrabble” Rzepczynski?
Incidentally, those lyrics don’t quite match the recorded version, either. Nitpicking because it’s the Straight Dope. The first verse is “Baseball season’s under way/Well you better get ready for a brand new day/Hey Chicago what do you say?/The Cubs are gonna win today!” That must be an earlier draft or something. The chorus isn’t quite right, either. Also, in the linked-to doc, it says “step your feet and clap your hands.” It’s “stamp your feet.”
You know what’s amazing? Dexter Fowler will be the first black guy EVER to take the field for the Chicago Cubs in the Series, because the last time the Cubs played in the WS, baseball wasn’t integrated.
I believe he’s kin to Mark Grudzielanek
So, free taco. Yay?
Lester has the yips.
Kluber is putting on a clinic. Every baseball fan should be witnessing this. 8k’s out of 9 outs so far. Probably will only get through 7 innings at this pace. 52 pitches already.