Wide World of Women

Last year, the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers crossed paths for the National League pennant, and it was a classic series. The Cubs needed just six games to do what they had been attempting to do for 71 years: win the pennant. The pennant later became a World Championship, and now here we are, a year later, and the same two teams are going at it. This time, the roles are reversed. The Cubs had homefield last year; the Dodgers (104 wins) have it now. The Dodgers now have the longer pennant and championship drought: haven't won either one since 1988. And the Dodgers appear to be the team of destiny, while the Cubs are now simply looking to repeat. Destiny stopped the Dodgers last year, but it will guide them this year.

Prediction: Dodgers in 6

#1

Just like last year, it will come down to the Dodgers' pitching and if they come up huge with their hitters. Corey Seager is one guy the Cubs pitchers will have to fear the most, just like Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy were for the Nationals.

More than likely, expect John Lackey to get the ball on Saturday since he and Justin Wilson were the only pitchers not used on Thursday night/early Friday morning Washington time to end the wildest playoff series in history--the Cubs barely and I mean barely escape with their cleats on.

Clayton Kershaw is a dominant pitcher. The Cubs understand that and respect that. Rich Hill is pretty good too.
Sure, flying west across three time zones will show that the team will have major jet lag going into Game 1.

The Dodgers have not played since late Monday night in Phoenix, so they will be rusty. Again, the key if the Cubs are going to repeat their National League pennant--get at least a split in the first two and then let the crowd take over during picture perfect autumn like weather that will arrive in time for Games 3, 4, and potentially 5 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Each member of the Cubs could have the flu and I'd still pick them for this series. The Smurfs could've won all 162 games and I'll still pick the Cubbies.

Early Friday morning, the Cubs' plane ride was diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The reason given, according to Cubs insiders--was that there was a "health problem involving a member of the team's traveling party".

The average flight, if in good weather from Washington's Reagan International Airport to Los Angeles LAX is around 5 1/2 hours.

Dodgers 5, Cubs 2

Yasiel Puig powers the Dodgers to a victory in Game One.

Two thoughts from Game One stick in my mind:

Bottom of the seventh, base hit to left by .300 hitter Justin Turner off John Lackey. Kyle Schwarber comes up throwing a strike to the plate. On one short bounce, Willson Contreras sticks his right foot out as Charlie Culberson attempts to slide around home plate. Contreras successfully blocks the plate and the home plate umpire seconds later called Culberson out.

But Eric Wegner back in New York doing replay, correctly overturned the call 2 minutes and 45 seconds after the initial fact. Thanks to the Buster Posey Rule, a runner is safe if at any time a catcher has any intent to block the plate without the ball in his hand. Although Contreras had the ball securely in his hand, the runner was awarded what turned out to be a huge insurance run. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was ejected from the game and he went on in the press conference everything you needed to know about how dumb that rule is.

"I was a catcher back in the minor leagues, never made it to the majors. I have been through a lot of collisions...I fully respect the umpires."

After rattling Clayton Kershaw thanks to a fourth inning 2 run home run by Albert Almora, Jr., Chicago's bats went silent again not getting anyone on in their final 18 trips to the plate.

Credit that middle relief of the Dodgers and Kenley Jansen doing his best Mariano Rivera impersonation if there ever was a guy--four batters faced, all four were strikeout victims.

Also, the bullpen again fails to get anybody out. This time, it was Hector Rondon serving up the game winner in the sixth to Chris Taylor. What is it with a last name of Taylor in this postseason? First it was Michael hitting the grand slam in Game 4 and then another three run blast in Game 5 for Washington. Even Yasiel Puig got into the act, hitting his first ever playoff home run off of second year player Mike Montgomery. By this point in the game, the damage was done.

Again, the Cubs bullpen was overused in Washington and with good reason. Even with Jose Quintana's wife suffering some non-life threatening health issue that diverted the Cubs plane on Friday morning, Quintana and Javier Baez both took a later flight and did not pull into L.A. until later Friday afternoon. It appeared that Joe Maddon did make the right call at the time, pulling Quintana after 5 mostly sharp innings. The starters have only gone 1-1 in this postseason, while the bullpen's ERA is almost nearing 9. The starters is less than 2, go figure.

Tonight, it will be former Cubs lefthander Rich Hill against big time playoff pitcher Jon Lester--coming off three days and pitching masterfully out of the bullpen in Game 4 under very gloomy conditions at Wrigley Field.

At least, I have good news for when the series shifts to Chicago. The really ugly weather ended overnight on Saturday, and the weather for Games 3, 4 and potentially 5 is going to be really nice. Highs in the 60's, lows in the 40's. Just pay attention to the winds and we will see what happens come Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Dodgers 4, Cubs 1

Justin Turner's walk-off three run shot gives LA a 2-0 NLCS lead.

Where was Wade Davis in that ninth inning?
John Lackey basically hung that pitch down clocked in at 92 MPH and Justin Turner took full advantage. Boom, see you later--thanks for coming.

Ironically, it was 29 years ago to the day when Kirk Gibson hobbled on a pair of bad legs and hit that dramatic walk off home run to beat Dennis Eckersley along with the once powerful Oakland A's in Game 1 of that World Series.

At least, Carl Edwards, Jr. along with Pedro Strop and Brian Duensing did their jobs well. Jon Lester managed to only go 4 2/3 innings by walking five guys, totally unacceptable.

And once again, the offense continues to scuffle.
Namely, it is Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Willson Contreras. They are not getting anything jump started.
Jon Jay again had a decent game, but we all know he is no Dexter Fowler. Ben Zobrist, again great utility player in the field--but where is he hitting stroke?

Kyle Hendricks is going to have come through again on Tuesday and Jake Arietta in possibly his last ever start in a Cubs uniform on Wednesday.

Again, please pay attention to the AccuWeather forecast on WBBM NewsRadio 780 AM and 105.9 FM (also accessible via the CBS Local app) and what the winds will be like come Tuesday and Wednesday night.

For a small primer for those who don't follow the Cubs regularly:
If the winds are southwest, winds would be blowing out. Meaning, it would be Homer-A-Palooza. Get the ball hawks ready at both Waveland and Sheffield Avenues just in case. Ultimate pitcher's nightmare with wild scores of 10-9, 13-11 something like that.
If the winds are northeast (coming straight in off Lake Michigan), scoring runs would be at a premium. Definitely a pitcher's day, like we saw in the two NLDS games vs. Washington.
If the winds are out of the west, the ball might hook towards the left field foul pole.
If the winds are out of the east, the ball could hook towards the right field foul pole.

Gotta keep reminding myself that the series isn't over yet.

I would like to see the Cubs win this series, although I don't have much confidence that they will. The Dodgers look too strong.

We haven't had a back-to-back WS champion since the Yankees had their three-peat 1998-2000.

Cubs fans have been long- suffering so it would be nice compensation to win 2 years in a row. As a realist, I am not predicting that this will actually happen.

Winds predicted to be out of the southwest at 10 to 15 MPH for both Tuesday and Wednesday night, albeit the temperatures will be fall-like in the 50's. Also, no rain all week in Chicago.

Bottom line, winds will be blowing out and all pitchers are on notice. Any ball that gets a decent amount of wood on the bat will be finding more than just that basket which Michael A. Taylor surprisingly found in Game 4 of the NLDS. Look out, Waveland Avenue and Sheffield Avenue--there might be some "big flies" coming their way.

Very easy who to blame after another game that got away, 6-1 the final late on Tuesday night:

The blame squarely goes to President Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer, for getting Justin Wilson at the trade deadline. They had every chance to chore up the bullpen--and instead of getting another quality arm with postseason experience, Wilson struggles and you see the results.

Furthermore, the Dodgers are simply the better team in this series. No ifs, ands, or buts--what is the cliche "the proof is in the pudding":

Although the Chicago Cubs started hot in all 3 games, but the offense continues to post goose eggs after that. The fielding continues to be shaky and the bullpen is struggling to get key hitters out (Carl Edwards walking Yu Darvish with the bases loaded has to be the most puzzling act of all). And what was it with the fans booing after Joe Maddon took out Kyle Hendricks. He had an awesome year, way better statistics than Jon Lester or Jake Arietta in 2017.

Well, the Dodgers were suddenly getting used to the overhyped 'Homer-A-Palooza' concept--first with Andre Ethier tying the game in the second hitting the auxiliary LED board in right and in the third with Chris Taylor banging one off the Budweiser Bleachers in center field.

Historically, the Cubs have insurmountable odds. But again, Theo oversaw the first comeback when Boston was 0-3 down in 2004. It stands at 29 out of a 36 possible series with the team leading 3 games to none, eventually ending up in a four game sweep. For the Dodgers, you have to go way back early in Sandy Koufax's career in 1963 when they swept the mighty powerful New York Yankees led by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.

"Was I surprised? I hate to use the word disappointed. The Dodgers are pretty good."

Cubs Manager Joe Maddon in his post-game press conference

Dodgers 6, Cubs 1

Dominant Game Three victory moves LA one win away from their first pennant since 1988.

Cubs 3, Dodgers 2

Two solo shots from Javier Baez and a solo shot from Willson Contreras; the Cubs' title defense lives for another day.

On a side note: am I the only one who enjoyed Wade Davis' at-bat?!

Outside of the controversial foul ball that shouldn't have been a foul ball which got Joe Maddon ejected (again!) in the top of the 8th, Jake Arietta came up huge:

9 strikeouts and the one earned run off the bat of Cody Bellinger, who hit the same spot on the right field LED board as Andre Ethier did the night before. And if you want some interesting history, Jake Arietta tied Morcedai "Three Finger" Brown with five Cubs postseason wins.

At least, Javier Baez managed to get out of his 0-for-23 hitting slump...and in a big way. The first home run was a no-doubter, in the deepest reaches to the seats in left field. The second blast barely cleared the LED board in left.

Javy joined some select company as one of five Cubs to hit multi-HR's in postseason play, but the first to do it in an elimination game.

The others:

Aramis Ramírez 10/11/2003 vs. Florida, NLCS
Alex González 10/8/2003 vs. Florida, NLCS
Eric Karros 10/4/2003 vs. Atlanta, NLDS
Gary Matthews 10/2/1984 vs. San Diego, NLCS

Even Willson Contreras had a nice game as well, homering in his first at-bat.

Once again, Justin Turner continues his torrid hitting--as there were at least a dozen Dodgers fans in attendance, compared to only three that I counted from the TBS cameras on Tuesday night.

Wade Davis made a seven out safe, but it wasn't easy. Bottom line, the Chicago Cubs live to fight at least one more day.

Problem is, the Dodgers will have their ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound. The Cubs again will have their Game 1 starter in Jose Quintana on full rest. Last time we saw him, his wife had an irregular heartbeat on the plane and that was why the team plane had to divert to Albuquerque, New Mexico last Friday morning after a late night of partying and drinking champagne in Washington. Javier Baez stayed behind with Quintana and boarded a later flight to rejoin the team before Maddon gave him the ball, and nearly matched Kershaw pitch for five innings before the middle relief caved in and the Dodgers did the little things to win.

Game 5, regular night start at 8:08 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday. Next late night game, whenever the Cubs visit Colorado and Phoenix in 2018.

https://twitter.com/BattingStanceG/stat ... 4700872704

Batting Stance Guy‏ @BattingStanceG
Don’t worry Dodgers. The Cubs have never been down 3-1 in postseason with Gm5 at home at 6 & 7 on road.

Dodgers 11, Cubs 1

Enrique Hernandez homers THREE TIMES in Game Five; Dodgers win their first pennant in 29 years.

Chicago Cubs fans should not be crying too much, compared to when they were swept by the New York Mets in the 2015 NLCS.

2017 was a good year, but not a great year.

In his final press conference late on Thursday night, Cubs Manager Joe Maddon summarized the season in a nutshell:

"This season taught us how important it was to get off to a good start (in April and May). For us to fight back (after some struggles heading into the All-Star break), we did. But it taught us a valuable lesson on why the team expended so much energy just to get back."

“The better team won over the course of these five games. They played really well. They kind of out-pitched us and everything else. So give them credit...You know what it feels like coming off of last year, we were celebrating versus them in this exact same spot. So they've had themselves a spectacular year.”

The former longtime Cubs announcer Jack Brickhouse many years ago used to say during one hot summer's day and another poor showing by the boys in blue, "The Cubs have suffered an ignominious defeat." I first heard that word in the era when Phil Donahue dominated TV talk shows in 1979.

I found a pair of great articles for fans to digest during the off-season:

http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/theo-epstein-joe-maddon-has-taken-enough-heat-dont-blame-nlcs-cubs-manager

http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/closing-book-2017-5-things-we-learned-cubs-postseason

Even after three straight NLCS appearances sandwiched between winning it all in 2016--clearly, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer will have to overturn most of the bullpen. All-Star Wade Davis is a free agent. John Lackey for all intensive purposes will be retiring and Jake Arietta is more than likely going to get a big-time pay day somewhere else. Pedro Strop is signed through 2018, but fellow middle reliever Brian Duensing may not be back to fulfill his setup role. As for Mike Montgomery, most observers think he could stick around again in the bullpen, or provide some much needed depth as a fifth starter like he did a masterful job subbing while Kyle Hendricks was on the DL during part of the second half. I also expect a new leadoff hitter, because the Jon Jay/Kyle Schwarber/Anthony Rizzo experiment fell way behind and did not match what Dexter Fowler did throughout 2016.

We know there will be at least one new starting pitcher gearing up for Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona when spring training begins in late February (not early March as in years past), and the need for a quality bat in the leadoff spot will definitely be intense come free agency and especially at the Winter Meetings come December.

The Dodgers were clearly the better team in this 5 game series. Although Enrique Hernandez had a monster game with 3 home runs (they would have all gone out regardless if the wind was blowing out or not)--Chris Taylor and Justin Turner were both deserving in being the NLCS Co-MVP's.

Even Time Warner Access SportsNet reporter Alanna Rizzo (no relation to Anthony, since she went to Colorado for college, not San Diego State like half of the Bryzzo combination did for the Cubs) tweeted this amazing stat 15 minutes after the final out:

Alanna Rizzo‏
Verified account @alannarizzo

Justin Turner was non-tendered by the #Mets in 2013. Chris Taylor wasn’t even on 25 man roster to start the year. CO-MVPs for #NLCS.
10:29 PM - 19 Oct 2017

Their home runs proved to be the difference, and by the time 2016 NL MVP Kris Bryant finally had his first hit in a solo home run in the 4th off Clayton Kershaw, it was too late.

Consider that the Cubs all-time record for the worst batting average in postseason history of .156 makes the 1983 Chicago White Sox and their lackluster average of .211 in their 4 game loss to the Baltimore Orioles seem quaint by comparison.

The 2017 Chicago Cubs season was clearly a disappointment, but not a total failure. If they had lost to Washington the week before, that would have been a major failure. If they did not hold off the Cardinals or the pesky Milwaukee Brewers in the season's final weeks, that would have been classified as a failure. But going 12 for 60 against that elite relief core of the Dodgers middle relief to Kenley Jansen, they were simply lights out.

In terms of Chicago playoff history, these seasons were failures in my mind:

1984 Chicago White Sox and 1985 Cubs, decent first halves but injuries to key guys in the second half along with both pitching staffs suffering meltdowns in key moments of July and August.

1986 Chicago Bears, Doug Flutie throws a long touchdown pass to Willie Gault in the first half but it was the Washington Redskins defense that forced a fumble on Walter Payton in the third quarter, and the Skins demolish the Bears in an NFC Divisional Playoff 27-13.

1993 Chicago Blackhawks. After locking up the league's best record winning the President's Trophy, Chris Chelios misses on a check and St. Louis sweeps the Hawks in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

1994 and 1995 Chicago Bulls, Hue Hollins for whistling a foul against Scottie Pippen in Game 5 of a gritty Eastern Conference semifinals with the New York Knicks. The following spring, Anfernee Hardaway had a monster series for the upstart Orlando Magic, and helping him along the way was former Bulls All-Star power forward Horace Grant. Need I say more?

2000 Chicago White Sox. After sneaking up on people during the season and claiming the AL Central Division, their offense was lifeless in Seattle during the playoffs.

2006 Chicago White Sox. No repeat winner for Ozzie Guillen, but he sure kept things interesting during his daily press conferences.

And the last few years involved the Chicago Bulls--in losing that memorable 7 game series to Boston in 2009 when a record seven overtime periods were played, and in 2015 when LeBron James hit a cold-blooded three pointer on Mother's Day as Cleveland would go on to win three straight and book their first trip to the NBA Finals against Golden State.

That is how I will remember things from the North Side.

Going forward, the final major phases of the 1060 Project will be taking shape:

- The visitors clubhouse is finally going to get a facelift and brought up to modern standards.
- Even the umpires will have their own dressing room, somewhere behind home plate similar to what their crosstown neighbors 8.1 miles south at Guaranteed Rate Field have enjoyed showing off since 1991.
- Hotel Zachary will be opening for business by Opening Day in April 2018. For those of you who don't know, it is a Starwood-Marriott Property spanning seven stories with the first two floors showing off some rather cool restaurants and other touristy businesses across from the Friendly Confines on Clark Street. I can imagine how many marriage proposals will be made before and after games. For more information, tap or click on this link for reservations:

http://hotelzachary.com/

Final points...

It was so nice to see former longtime Dodgers Manager Tom LaSorda hugging everybody during the trophy presentation. What a treasure he has been. Sure hope the wildfires will not penetrate towards Chavez Ravine by late afternoon Tuesday prior to hosting their first World Series since 1988.

Regardless who emerges as the American League pennant winners, they will have their hands full against a stellar pitching staff and hitters will know their roles from A to Z. Dave Roberts is an amazing manager and knows exactly how to extract the right talent out of his players, and that I believe will be the difference.

As most Chicago columnists say, the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers are built like the 2016 Chicago Cubs. They are on a mission, and that singular mission is to win the World Series:

http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/better-team-won-cubs-had-plenty-problems-dodgers-championship-formula-should-look-familiar-cubs-fans

Looks like I'm going to be an AL fan for the rest of the month... and the first of November, if necessary.

Want another interesting stat about the Cubs during the last two years participating in the playoffs?

They were only 7-6 at Wrigley Field, scoring an average of only 2.7 runs per home game. That's very scary.