Cubs vs Indians 2016 World Series Discussion

[intentional wok]

I had the Indians winning this series before it started, and nothing has changed my mind. They are playing about as flawless baseball as you will find.

 

Everyone keeps praising the Indians for their perfect play and I really disagree. Their pitching and defense deserves tons of credit, but flawless ball clubs don't eke by in 2-0 and 1-0 games: they put up four or five runs. Their lineup isn't doing a whole lot for them and that's getting masked by the unbelievable pitching. If the Jays were winning 10-8 games in the playoffs they'd get criticized for relying on the bats.

 

The Tribe isn't getting enough reasonable criticism for relying on historically good pitching from a handful of performers. Where are they without Kluber and Miller's combined sub-2 ERA in like 50 innings? What if Josh Tomlin doesn't come out of nowhere to fling shut outs? Game 1 could have been a 1-0 final if not for Lester's mini-implosion in the 1st inning.

 

Runs by game from the ALCS:

 

2, 2, 4, 1, 3, 6, 1, 1. That's barely over two runs per game. Less if you remove the walk-fest and swinging bunt RBI from WS Game 1 and the wild pitch in Game 2.

Edited October 30, 2016 by intentional wok
Game 1 WS was 6 runs, not 3, but I think my point still holds up -- 2.5 runs per game

[KingKat]

The Indians have a relatively weak lineup especially for a World Series team. They are managing to get the best out of what they have and do just enough to beat a far superior team and it's been fairly inspiring to watch. That being said, we might be a bit biased in how we're watching them because of the Shapiro connection. We might dismiss another team doing the same thing as being essentially undeserving and fairly lucky though ultimately there's no "right" way to watch or feel about a team.

[intentional wok]

I don't really look at them through the lens of being a Shapiro team. I tend to forget unless something comes up to remind me. My opinion is that they're just a quality, but beaten up, club who is getting nearly all the right bounces. "Flawless" or "perfect" or other exaggerations are hardly applicable, regardless of their circumstances.

 

I'm not even sure I agree with the idea that the 2015 Royals were some crapshoot while the 2016 Indians are Made For This. I'm not dismissing the Indians but (probably dissenting opinion) I didn't dismiss the Royals last year either. I think both teams got and are getting the bounces to complement above-average play in other areas (as well as opportune vanishing acts by their opponents).

 

If we watched the Jays pitch and hit like this Indian team, we'd be ripping them -- in fact, this is exactly what happened in the final decisive series against Boston. Nobody was throwing around "flawless" to describe the Jays then, that's for sure. If Andrew Miller is anything other than God this past month, the probability of getting bounced by the Sox or Jays is a lot higher.

Edited October 30, 2016 by intentional wok

[dineke]

the indians didn't even play flawless yesterday. Rajai davis ran into an out and Chisenhall butchered a play in RF.

[thatoneguy]

Man Bryant has been a ghost so far in the series.

[TheHurl]

Cubs -1.5 was the play today...$50 to win $140.

[intentional wok]

the indians didn't even play flawless yesterday. Rajai davis ran into an out and Chisenhall butchered a play in RF.

 

Not to mention the ridiculous bone head move Davis made with the bases loaded in Game 1. Gave the Cubs an extra less-than-2-out AB with the bases loaded.

 

Andrew Miller or bust.

[Spanky99]

Cubs -1.5 was the play today...$50 to win $140.

 

Did you bet it?

[Stevecool]

Lackey has to shut up and pitch

[Mittens87]

That was a riveting home run. Exclanormous

[Stevecool]

Cubs got more favorable strike calls last night and still lost

[TheHurl]

Did you bet it?

 

yes cause I'm a fool. My Vegas trip I was so successful sports betting (too bad I didn't have a good bankroll to start) that I deposited and started betting again.

[Spanky99]

yes cause I'm a fool. My Vegas trip I was so successful sports betting (too bad I didn't have a good bankroll to start) that I deposited and started betting again.

 

Hah!

[thatoneguy]

Lackey is terrible this inning. Losing his composure as usual.

[Stevecool]

Cluber what an at bat wow

[Spanky99]

Bryant should've ate that ball.

[jays4life19]

Dammit.

[Stevecool]

That looked like Donaldson run home in game 3 vs texas

[dineke]

That looked like Donaldson run home in game 3 vs texas

 

not really

[thatoneguy]

Cubs with a mini meltdown that inning.

[burlingtonbandit]

Lackey is so annoying. Guy just yells and swears at his teammates and the umpire when things don't go perfectly. Shut up and pitch better.

[Stevecool]

You would think the more times they see cluber the better they will hit him

[thatoneguy]

This is reminding me of the Royals now. Plenty of hard contact, but right at people.

[Stevecool]

Oh he's out by a mile

[Stevecool]

Lackey is the best they have for this important game?

[jays4life19]

Lackey is the best they have for this important game?

 

What's wrong with Lackey?

[burlingtonbandit]

lol "Goddammit" from Lackey. That pitch was inside shut the f*** up/

[thatoneguy]

Lackey needs to be taken out. He's totally lost his composure.

[burlingtonbandit]

Also got to tell Contreras not to move his glove 4 inches after he catches the ball. Ump won't give you a call if keep doing that.

[Spanky99]

Lackey is so annoying. Guy just yells and swears at his teammates and the umpire when things don't go perfectly. Shut up and pitch better.

 

He's an idiot.