By Steve Rhodes
Don’t look now, but the Cubs’ offense is cold again in the playoffs – except for the pitchers, who are providing the power. Good thing, too, because Jake Arrieta’s 3-run homer last night may temporarily helps us forget that he’s become a true concern going forward (as is Hector Rondon).
Meanwhile, Joe Maddon – at least temporarily – lost his Midas touch with a series of moves he’s getting uncharacteristically roasted for today. (Though some of the criticism is way off-base: Mike Mulligan sounded like he just arrived on Earth this morning complaining on The Score that Maddon should just stick with a winning lineup. Have you watched the Cubs at all this year, Mully?)
Anyway, this is how we get to a Game 5 at Wrigley on Thursday: The Giants win tonight and we’re back to Lester-Cueto, and let’s face it, as good as Lester was in Game 1, Cueto was actually better. Thank God for Javy Baez!
Now, to the best Twitter commentary from Game 3 and looking ahead to tonight’s game:
While you were likely sleeping…
The Giants won their 10th straight elimination game. Here’s how it finally ended: https://t.co/urtDP2FLMg
— ESPN (@espn) October 11, 2016
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The last time a Cub who wasn’t a pitcher drove in a run was Kris Bryant in the 2nd inning Saturday. That was 51… https://t.co/nLCgUppCyH
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 11, 2016
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Maddon on Rizzo: “Maybe he’s out of his zone a little.”
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 11, 2016
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Rizzo 0 for 13 in the series. No walks or HBP. Nada.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 11, 2016
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Cubs pitchers have 6 of the team’s 9 RBI this series. Ties a record for most RBI by a team’s pitchers in a postseason series(@ESPNStatsInfo)
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 11, 2016
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@ESPNChiCubs any chance Maddon starts Wood in LF and Arrieta in RF in Game 1 of next series? Cubs Need offense.
— Gary Sexton (@garysexton) October 11, 2016
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Albert Almora catch:
Distance covered: 58ft
Route efficiency: 95.9%
First step: 0.2 secondsSimilar batted balls are hits 73% of the time
— Daren Willman (@darenw) October 11, 2016
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I kinda wish Almora dropped that ball so we didn’t have to watch another Skip Bayless commercial tonight. #Cubs
— Tom Cooper (@CSNCoop) October 11, 2016
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Soon we’ll have Cubs playoff baseball AND a Donald Trump middle-of-the-night tweet storm.
— Ben Finfer (@BenFinfer) October 11, 2016
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Oh for god’s sake, eat a snickers. https://t.co/TAM9ZQ43pL
— Tom Cooper (@CSNCoop) October 11, 2016
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Maddon spoke just yesterday of reluctance to bring in Chapman/closers with men on. Chapman allows 33% inherited runners to score in career
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 11, 2016
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Giants: 10 straight elimination game wins (longest streak in MLB history) (via @eliassports)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 11, 2016
Posted on October 11, 2016