***Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers NLCS Game Thread***

[marino13]

I have no "skins" in this ... yet.

My heart is with them Cubbies and my "playing with house money" head is with them LA Dodgers.

IF .. a big if, I decide to jump --- I would go with Dodgers in 6!

[Darth Bryzzo]

My heart (weakened by all the drama of the last couple years, including last night) says Cubs in 7, but my head says Dodgers in 5 or 6.

At the outset of the playoffs, I thought the Dodgers might struggle mightily vs the D'backs and might even lose that series, so thought the resilient Cubs would sneak through to the WS. But now, seeing how the NLDS series have played out, it's hard to deny the Dodgers' inherent advantages this year.

But the Cubs are resilient as all hell (if not pretty much exhausted), and they have demonstrated the ability to win it all and icily stare down max adversity. The Dodgers haven't, at least not yet. This Cubs team has disproven my darkest Cubs fan fears and expectations of calamity so many times that I will no longer count them out until the last out has officially been recorded.

But the Dodgers are going to be a really tall order in these circumstances and with the team the Dodgers have and what they have done this year.

Should be fun (if not also excruciatingly grueling) to watch it play out. If the Dodgers are finally the team to knock out the Cubs, more power to them. They will then be a most deserving NL champ.

Play ball....

Chad

[marino13]

Originally Posted by Darth Bryzzo

My heart (weakened by all the drama of the last couple years, including last night) says Cubs in 7, but my head says Dodgers in 5 or 6.

At the outset of the playoffs, I thought the Dodgers might struggle mightily vs the D'backs and might even lose that series, so thought the resilient Cubs would sneak through to the WS. But now, seeing how the NLDS series have played out, it's hard to deny the Dodgers' inherent advantages this year.

But the Cubs are resilient as all hell (if not pretty much exhausted), and they have demonstrated the ability to win it all and icily stare down max adversity. The Dodgers haven't, at least not yet. This Cubs team has disproven my darkest Cubs fan fears and expectations of calamity so many times that I will no longer count them out until the last out has officially been recorded.

But the Dodgers are going to be a really tall order in this circumstances and with the team the Dodgers have and what they have done this year.

Should be fun (if not also excruciatingly grueling) to watch it play out. If the Dodgers are finally the team to knock out the Cubs, more power to them. They will then be a most deserving NL champ.

Play ball....

Chad

Well said!

My "prop bets" uncle has one favorite saying:

"You cant fix a heartache. Headache on the other hand, hooker and booze will fix that."

"When in doubt, go with your head not your heart.

[Copeskey45]

I think we (Cubs) will win the series. It should be a fun series!

[dbacksfan4life]

Go Cubs go!

[ThaReal1]

Im going Dodgers in 6. These teams have flip flopped from last year.
As resilient the Cubs have been, as I tip my hat, their pitching just isn't as strong as it was last year and the Dodgers finally have a 3 and 4 starter worthy of Kershaw not needing to go on short rest.
Combine that with giving the Dodgers slight edge in lineup top to bottom, LA should take this one. Barnes has really sparked the lineup after Grandal was flailing at everything. Also, 2 lefties for Chicago keeps Barnes and Kike in the lineup over the weaker Granderson and Grandal

That strenuous series vs the Nats just put the Cubs at a disadvantage pitching wise for Games 1 and 2. If Cubs were able to go Hendricks and Quintana games 1 and 2 I feel it would be a much tougher series. Dodgers have no excuse this year

[Afton9444]

Dodgers going to dominate (I hope)

[USAFDODGERS]

Hoping the Dodgers finally advance to the WS and hope it’s not history repeating itself (08’&09’ Phillies knocking them out two years in a row in the NLCS). After watching them in the NLDS I couldn’t exactly say who I wanted to see advance more. Cubs rotation is strong but looked “average” in the NLDS if they pitch that way in the NLCS I expect the dodgers to advance but if they return to last years dominance (which would be the dodgers luck) I expect it to go 7 games.

[Darth Bryzzo]

Originally Posted by ThaReal1

Dodgers have no excuse this year

This is definitely true, and the attendant pressure may well factor into the result. That's especially true given they are playing the house money/curse busting defending champs.

The Dodgers really should win, just like the Indians clearly should have beaten the Yankees.

I think Game 1 is so crucial for the Dodgers. Kershaw has to dominate in the way he's supposed to. If the Cubs somehow manage to steal that game (which I concede isn't highly likely), then all the old doubts get stirred up in Dodgerland and are amplified a gagillion-fold by the media.

Chad

[BostonNut]

I'd like to see Dave Roberts win it all....again.

But the Cubbies have such great fans that I will be pulling for them. Sorry Dave!

Go Cubbies!

[grandmasterPRA]

Madison Bumgarner set a tone that is impossible for any pitcher to match.

I mean look at this postseason...every ace has been pretty horrible with the exception of Strasburg. When Bumgarner won the entire World Series in 2014, I think it made managers think that their aces could do that too if they have to and so far this postseason it has been a disaster. Managers keep bringing aces out of the bullpen and they just aren't pulling it off.

With that said....Clayton Kershaw needs to dominate this series. yet again he was good but not great in the first series ,but he is the only guy talented enough to carry a team the way Madbum did and I think this is the time to do it. And this is coming from a Giants fan, I've witness first hand what kershaw is capable of and it's only a matter of time before he proves it in the postseason. I think this is the year.

But Either way, should be a good series and I hate both teams so it will be interesting to watch.

[macman23]

Originally Posted by USAFDODGERS

Hoping the Dodgers finally advance to the WS and hope it’s not history repeating itself (08’&09’ Phillies knocking them out two years in a row in the NLCS). After watching them in the NLDS I couldn’t exactly say who I wanted to see advance more. Cubs rotation is strong but looked “average” in the NLDS if they pitch that way in the NLCS I expect the dodgers to advance but if they return to last years dominance (which would be the dodgers luck) I expect it to go 7 games.

I don't know what SP you were watching, but outside of Kyle in Game 5, the SP is what won it for the Cubs. I believe the Cubs had like a 0.50 ERA(sp) going into last night. I'd say that's a tad better than "average".

[Ferg1945]

Should be fun.

[Darth Bryzzo]

Originally Posted by grandmasterPRA

Madison Bumgarner set a tone that is impossible for any pitcher to match.

I mean look at this postseason...every ace has been pretty horrible with the exception of Strasburg. When Bumgarner won the entire World Series in 2014, I think it made managers think that their aces could do that too if they have to and so far this postseason it has been a disaster. Managers keep bringing aces out of the bullpen and they just aren't pulling it off.

With that said....Clayton Kershaw needs to dominate this series. yet again he was good but not great in the first series ,but he is the only guy talented enough to carry a team the way Madbum did and I think this is the time to do it. And this is coming from a Giants fan, I've witness first hand what kershaw is capable of and it's only a matter of time before he proves it in the postseason. I think this is the year.

But Either way, should be a good series and I hate both teams so it will be interesting to watch.

Channeling the spirit of MadBum, I'd like to encourage Kershaw to blow off some steam before tomorrow night's game by getting in a little free-style dirt biking.

Chad

[USAFDODGERS]

Originally Posted by macman23

I don't know what SP you were watching, but outside of Kyle in Game 5, the SP is what won it for the Cubs. I believe the Cubs had like a 0.50 ERA(sp) going into last night. I'd say that's a tad better than "average".

Arrieta had 5 walks and 2 hits in 4IP Nats just didn’t get the timely hit

Quintana did do great but didn’t get through 6 IP Nats got into the bullpen for 10 outs (which ended up working out)

Obviously Hendricks had a bad game 5

Lester was the man as usual

I guess a better word I should have used was they look “beatable” this season last year even when the dodgers took a 2-1 lead (which surprised the hell out of me) I was realistic and knew it would be very difficult for the dodgers to take 2 more games.

Obviously cubs are the defending champs so they deserve the respect as one but I fee a lot better this year than I did last year.

[moosetequila]

I think Cubs can wait another100+ years for a ring.

[texmcpherson]

Originally Posted by moosetequila

I think Cubs can wait another100+ years for a ring.

[CoolG]

Diehard Cubs fan but the bullpen’s will be the difference in the series and the Dodgers have a decisive edge.

A very evenly matched series should not disappoint !

[MBumgarner40]

Just announced that Seager is going to miss the series

[USAFDODGERS]

Originally Posted by MBumgarner40

Just announced that Seager is going to miss the series

Huge loss

[Homerun]

Go Dodgers!

[ThaReal1]

Well, there goes any advantage...I doubt dodgers can win this series without Seager. He's the biggest key in that lineup

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[USAFDODGERS]

Originally Posted by ThaReal1

Well, there goes any advantage...I doubt dodgers can win this series without Seager. He's the biggest key in that lineup

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Yeah this hurts...Seager is huge in the lineup gotta hope Bellinger can get hot and hopefully Kike can hit the lefties like we know he can

[Big35Hurt]

Originally Posted by MBumgarner40

Just announced that Seager is going to miss the series

That sucks and is a big loss for LA.

[Wrigs37]

No Seager = Cubs in 6...