October 27, 2016: The Series Begins

I wish I could remember who said it.  It had to be somebody during the Blackhawks title runs; maybe it was Eddie O.  It went kind of like this:  A series doesn’t really begin until the road team wins a game.  Well, according to that statement, now, after the Cubs Game 2 win in Cleveland, the series begins.

The question now is will the road team win another game.  If the answer to that question is no, then this series will not return to Cleveland.  I’d like to think that’s how it will play out, but it feels like… as we get closer… each win will get that much harder.  This win wasn’t that hard though.

The Cubs followed their year long script.  Work counts.  Get the starter’s pitch count up.  Get an early lead.  Tack on to that lead.  Get good starting pitching.  Get the W.  Fly the W.  This time, it was that middle of the order, you know, that 3-4-5 area that struggled so mightily early on in the playoffs.  Yes, part of the reason could be the makeup of those 3-4-5 guys.

Rizzo has been in the 3 spot all along if I’m not mistaken.  Zobrist has been bumped up to 4.  Schwarber is the new 5.  These guys carried the Cubs tonight, with each of them having big moments.  Rizzo appears to be locking back in.  Zobrist is the hottest hitter right now. Schwarber… all I can say is wow, and thank you.

Zobrist has really rose to the top so far in this World Series.  Essentially taking the place of Starlin Castro at the beginning of the year, he came out of the gates hot.  He slumped for a while, and then kind of got back to average.  Now, we are seeing the real reason we got him.  It’s for these moments.  Here is somebody who just won a World Series ring last year.  Here is a guy who can play almost any position on the field.  Here is a high character guy who just adds to the chemistry in the clubhouse.  Yes, it was apparent as the season went on, that Baez should be playing every day… and that would be Zobrist’s primary position.  I read some talk about trading Zobrist at some point, to make room for Baez, and the crowded lot of young players ready for the outfield.  Well, you know, it’s nice to have some veteran presence on the team too.  There is no doubt this Cubs team is stacked with young talent, with more to come.  There is no doubt there will have to be some decisions made this offseason.  There is no doubt what it is all about right now.  It’s completing the mission.  It’s finishing the job.  It’s succeeding in the postseason.  Zobrist has had some big moments, and is having an awesome World Series thus far.  This is why he is so valuable.

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He obviously didn’t have his best stuff.  He’s been battling control issues all year.  That’s been his biggest problem by far.  It’s not the opposing teams’ batting average against; he still doesn’t allow many hits.  It’s the walks that get him in trouble, which means that only one hit could do big damage.  That has hurt Jake this year.  That almost hurt him in the first inning.  But, once he got past that, he was lights out… until the 6th, where he ran into a little trouble.  Still, Jake pitched the best game of his postseason this year when we needed it the most.  Will we see Jake again this postseason?

We’ll probably see Montgomery again, and we’ll definitely see Chapman.  The 2 big lefties have been doing their thing too.  They did it again on this Wednesday night, closing the door on the Indians, and securing the Cubs first World Series win since 1945.  Now, home field advantage sits with the Cubs, where it should have been all along if it weren’t for that whole All Star rule thing, but oh well.  We earned it during the season, and we wrestled it back in Game 2.  Now, the series lies in our hands.

And as I rattled off the starting pitchers for the Cubs above, I’m reminded why I feel so good about our chances.  It’s the depth of our starters, feeling good with just about any of them on the mound.  Meanwhile, the Indians wait for Kluber to come back… just like the Dodgers waited for Kershaw.  It was a sharp drop off from Kershaw, minus one big outing by Rich Hill, and tonight was a sharp drop off from Kluber.  How will Josh Tomlin fare Friday night in Wrigley on Game 3 vs ice in the veins Kyle?

So now you see why I have a little confidence.  So now you see why us Cubs fans are starting to believe… really believe.  The magic number sits at 3; the same amount of games left to be played at Wrigley Field this year.  I know we’re a great road team, but I wouldn’t have any problems with Game 2 being our last road game of the year.  Let’s make it happen boys!  Go Cubs Go!!!