Cubs are going to win this one easily.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Rick, you're a great Cubs fan.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Kaplan needs to stop debating the Lester move. The pitching was not the problem yesterday. They weren't winning that game once Addy makes the error that let's the run in. The bullpen could have given up 50 runs. It doesn't matter.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Can they lynch Ross while they are at it?

I'd bet that movie would get made then.

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You know me like that.

I am not listening to Kaplan because I don't hate myself, but I think the issue is why put Lester into a game you are losing. Now Lester cannot pitch 4 scoreless innings for the Cubs tonight. You wasted an amazing effort in a loss, and now you don't have all of your weapons tonight.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

The consensus on the show is that the Lester move was smart because the game was close. But they keep bitching about the bullpen, which is obviously a concern. But that game was not lost mainly by the bullpen. Most of the blame is on the hitters.

Now Kaplan is making excuses for Rizzo and Bryant because Strasburg is the greatest ever. Yeah he is basically saying that. Well I thought Rizzo and Bryant were great, but I guess I was mistaken.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

To blame this on the pitching is ludicrous. The starting pitchers have been outstanding for both teams. I'm not going to be pissed at the hitters either. They could work the count better CONTRERAS...but you have to just deal with the fact that the Nationals have had great starting pitching.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I thought it was odd burning Lester in a non-must win game. Can't be pissed at his performance though. Joe once again fucked the bullpen up by not pulling Edwards soon enough and putting Wade in a position that he does not excel at. How many fucking times is he going to make the same mistakes. I hang a lot of the blame on his hippie ass.

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Yea, I blame Maddon too. I know we got shutout but if you keep it at 1-0 going into the bottom of the 8th you start feeling good about your chances against the Nats' bullpen.

He could not have managed the top of the 8th anymore poorly.

I think the Cubs pitching has been great, and the bullpen has been good enough.

Maddon and the offense is where ire should be directed. I think most of us would agree.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Correct. You let Lester finish the inning. The crowd was finally going after the pickoff. The need to use Edwards is disturbing. The guy is a suckfest. If he walks the 1st guy, you know how the outing is going to go.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

Cubs have played their best with their backs against the wall. I'm expecting a win tonight .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Lester will be ready to go again tonight for an inning if need be.

The guy in your avatar has been nothing short of dreadful this series. ERA over tewnty (20), and a WHIP thats over 2.

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easily, huh?

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Good thing CJ isn't the only one in the bullpen! Also, I've never seen anyone reference ERA or WHIP for someone with 2.1 IP, but I will point out that CJ had two HUGE shutdown 1-2-3 innings this postseason.

So no, he has not been dreadful.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I was the one who referenced the use in a game they were losing as odd as it was happening. However, if you look at it within the context of having Quintana and Lackey to both back up Hendricks today, you should have plenty in the pen.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Shake up the line up tonight


Rizzo
Almora
Cone-treras
Schwarber
Bryant
Baez
Russell
Heyward
Hendricks

5 ER, 5 base runners allowed in those 2.1 innings.

Dreadful.

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He pitched perfectly in 2.0 of those 2.1 innings. Both perfect innings came in wins.

I'm sorry you can't judge relievers.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I would have went to Lackey especially with the wind blowing in. But if you bring in anyone else and/or leave Arrieta in the game, and then they give up runs, then Cubs fans are bitching about leaving Lester in the pen. With the dangerous lefties in that line-up, I am ok with Lester coming in.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

i dont agree with Frank all that often, but if you think Edwards was not dreadful last night and in game 2 I don't know what you have been watching.

So that means he gave up 5 ER and 5 baserunners in 0.1 innings, and you're ok with that? Then have the audacity to say I can't judge relievers?

Bad assessment. Terrible assessment. Dreadful assessment.

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I don't know if people would disagree with keeping Lester available for an elimination game.

I think he managed the game too aggressively.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

If Im the Nats, I think you go

Gio 1 time thru the lineup. Then Max for 50ish pitches. then matchups.

I dont like it because of how dominant Strarsburg looked and the pitch count indicating he could go 7 easily.

If it's Gio/Roark or Strasburg has 80 pitches thru 4, then you go for it.

Maybe Maddon was trying to play mind games with the boys like "Im going all out here, get 2 damn runs and let's go to LA"

It really is something how many choices Maddon has. So you burn Lester and yet you still have Q sitting there.

In any case, the level of vitriol aimed at Maddon will be determined by the outcome of tonight's game.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Rizzo and Bryant each hit home runs tonight.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The question is going to be how much mileage you get out of those 50 pitches.

I don't think you can be slavish to a set number. Gio gets no less than 9 batters and then you leave it up to the situation.

This game will take 4+ hours with the amount of maneuvering the coaches will do.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.