It hardly seemed sporting to force the offensively impotent Cubs to face the best pitcher on the planet.
Yeah, Clayton Kershaw led the Cubs only 1-0, but it was the kind of 1-0 lead that felt like it should’ve triggered a mercy rule.
But Stevie Sunshine brings the good news: After getting smothered by Kershaw in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday, the Cubs get Rich Hill in Game 3.
Remember when Hill was the big name at the trade deadline?
Yeah, I can’t believe it, either, but it was true.
The Dodgers acquired the soft-tossing left-hander, and he’ll bring a 6.43 ERA and 1.857 WHIP into Tuesday’s start, which prompts the mind to leap to the unicorn-like possibility that Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell each might get their second hits of the postseason.
Whether it’s blisters, short rest or something else, the former Cub hasn't lasted much longer in his two starts than former Cub Jeff Samardzija managed in his game because Hill has been as unreliable as the Giants starter.
How good is that? You have to believe it’s their year when the Cubs are the big beneficiaries of an ex-Cub factor.
Then again, Game 4 starter John Lackey’s ERA is worse than Hill’s.
The last time Game 3 starter Jake Arrieta started a game at Dodger Stadium with a first pitch scheduled around 5 p.m. amid shadows that vex hitters was Aug. 30, 2015. He threw a no-hitter. Just sayin’.
Kershaw pitches like he’s a Transformer. He just expands that reach. His wingspan looks endless. Like a condor. It’s similar to Marian Hossa coming down the wing. Or used to be.
By the time Kershaw got through the Cubs lineup the first time, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, and Addison Russell, the 3-4-5 hitters, plummeted to a combined postseason batting average of .098. Just to clarify: not a good thing.
But wait. It got worse. By the end of Game 2, Rizzo, Zobrist and Russell were batting a combined .090 (6 for 67), which is remarkably good when you consider Rizzo is 1-for-23 and Russell is 1-for-22. Meanwhile, “You go, we go’’ Dexter Fowler is going at a miserable rate of .167, and then there’s Jason Heyward hitting .111. Tell you what, I’d think about batting Arrieta third on Tuesday.
Speaking of Kershaw, his great-uncle discovered Pluto, which used to be a planet, but was removed from the starting nine and reduced to minor standing, sorta like Yasiel Puig.
Quick, someone tell Aroldis Chapman that's what a six-out save looks like.
The Choice (and remember, death is not an option): Home-plate umpire Eric Cooper’s inability to get curveballs for strikes correct or home-plate umpire Eric Cooper’s inability to get inside pitches correct?
In talking about Kyle Hendricks, FS1 analyst John Smoltz played the Greg Maddux card. So we’re not all crazy.
I’m still hearing that FS1 helicopter from Game 1, and I’m thinking, “Suicide is Painless.’’
I love Joe Buck, but I don’t know why he’d even go near the idea of a "curse," as Tribune colleague Phil Rosenthal wrote this weekend. I also couldn’t figure out why Buck would reference Moises Alou's hissy-fit against the Marlins in 2003 during a foul ball on the other side of the field and a 100 feet closer in Game 1. In fact, fans pulled their hands away from Rizzo to give him room to make the play, which was the opposite of what happened 13 years ago.
Look, people, get this straight: A "curse" is a bunch of hooey, while bad management and bad ball-playing is real. If you want to talk goat, talk Lou Piniella, Dusty Baker, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, Alex Gonzalez or Leon Durham.
Tangent: The Cubs probably will win more games in this Series than the Bears will this season.
Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook threw out the first pitch, then grabbed a microphone to intone "Play ball," and conducted the seventh-inning stretch. OK. Fine. Just as long as nobody asked them to kill a penalty.
Tweet from Toews: "Tough loss for the Cubs, hope it wasn't the singing."
One good thing about playing road games in Los Angeles: at least the weather will be warm enough for Jorge Soler to dress like a normal player.
What’s up, Todd Zeile?
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