Post by Commissioner Erick on Aug 10, 2018 23:09:47 GMT -5
Chicago Cubs (85-40) @ San Francisco Giants (58-66)
CHC: Chris Sale (16-5, 2.66)
SF: Drew Pomeranz (3-6, 4.42)
Left for dead after a moribund nine-game losing streak from July through May, the San Francisco Giants were slogging through a miserable season with nothing but meaningless baseball against rough opponents on the horizon.
Instead of sinking to the bottom, the Giants unexpectedly swept a four game series with the Cubs. Additional series wins against the Astros, Nationals, and Pirates later, and the Giants are within shouting distance of the second wild card.
The San Francisco Giants will look to continue their hot streak against the team they got their confidence against when the San Francisco Giants take on the Chicago Cubs in the Game of the Week.
San Francisco's position as a potential playoff team was laughable on August 7th. The Giants had lost their ninth in a row with a host of division leaders due up back-to-back-to-back. The Braves and Pirates were playing well, and their next opponent for four games was a Chicago Cubs squad that had assembled a juggernaut. Former All-Star Jon Lester was taking the hill for Chicago, while the Giants were trotting out a 28-year old rookie with an ERA over 6 in Triple-A who had just allowed nine runs in Texas a start before.
Miguel Acosta pitched 6 innings of two-run ball, the Giants stole five bases, Brandon Crawford and Steven Duggar each had three hits, and the Giants snapped their losing streak with a feel-good 9-3 win over a sluggish Cubs team.
Including Michael Roth's 3 inning, one run save to close out that game, the San Francisco bullpen allowed just one run in 11.1 innings, saved all four games, and created an identity that has carried San Francisco out of the darkness. Masahiko Morifuku saved three games kicking off an impressive stretch of work that has put him on the grid of being one of the top closers in the NL.
Morifuku has 24 saves this year in 28 opportunities, but has saved his last 17 opportunities. The lefty throws in the mid 80's, with pedestrian fastballs that dart and sink but are thrown with great command, and a slider that sweeps down and away from same-sided hitters. It's not a profile of dominance, but an unusual hitch in his delivery throws the timing off hitters with great effect. He's been a fun story in a season that, for San Francisco, hasn't had many.
Brandon Crawford had a .333 average and a pair of home runs in the series, Stevan Duggar batted .563 with a pair of home runs and four steals in four games, and the Chicago Cubs had no problems hitting the Chicago Cubs pitching staff. Duggar's leadership in producing good at bats against tough pitchers, and taking advantage of opposing weaknesses, like his three steals in Lester's starts, have proven infectious. The Giants are playing inspired ball and with one more win against an excellent team like Chicago may have the team believing it can make the postseason for a third straight year.
The Cubs, meanwhile, will certainly earn their straight postseason trip. The Cubs possess the best record in the National League, have the most runs scored, have allowed the fewest runs, and have been an absolute juggernaut.
Bryce Harper and Nomar Mazara have been well hyped and received a lot of well-deserved buzz, but it's Francisco Lindor who leads the National League in WAR. Lindor has 28 home runs, 27 doubles, 19 steals, and a +21 zone rating, meaning he could be a member of the ultra-exclusive 30-30-30-30 clubs at season's end. That probably won't happen, but Lindor leads baseball in the highest zone rating in PBA history and it's still August. Only Andrelton Simmons is in the same stratosphere as him defensively, and Lindor packages that defense with an All-Star offensive package.
The Cubs bullpen also continues to be exceptional. Wade Davis hasn't allowed a run in 24 straight games, a stretch of 23.1 innings, dating back to June 27th. Bonkers Carrizales has allowed just one run in his last 15 outings, a stretch of 15.1 innings. That duo has shut down games they've appeared in, essentially ending games in the seventh inning. The saving grace for the Giants is that the one run Carrizales has allowed in that span came against the Giants. He, and the rest of the Cubs, will be out for revenge against San Francisco., making this matchup much more juicy than most games by teams separated by 27.5 games in the standings.
Questions for the GMs:
For Brandon Hillebrand, your team got jumped by San Francisco earlier this month. What about the team gave you fits that series, and how do you change things for today?
Robinson Cano is on your Triple-A team, and his contract has caused quite a commotion recently. Will he see time on your parent club this year?
Francisco Lindor has been the big name middle infield acquisition this year, but Xander Bogaerts is on your team as well. How has he fared his first year in Chicago?
For Samuel Rutledge, you're facing a tough lefty in Chris Sale, and Brandon Belt is one of your dangerous hitters. However, he's dealing with a strained oblique. What's his status for today?
Tonight's starter, Drew Pomeranz, was a reliever last year. He's been starting this year. How has he handled the change?
What's been the main difference in why your team has played so much better recently than at any point this year?
CHC: Chris Sale (16-5, 2.66)
SF: Drew Pomeranz (3-6, 4.42)
Left for dead after a moribund nine-game losing streak from July through May, the San Francisco Giants were slogging through a miserable season with nothing but meaningless baseball against rough opponents on the horizon.
Instead of sinking to the bottom, the Giants unexpectedly swept a four game series with the Cubs. Additional series wins against the Astros, Nationals, and Pirates later, and the Giants are within shouting distance of the second wild card.
The San Francisco Giants will look to continue their hot streak against the team they got their confidence against when the San Francisco Giants take on the Chicago Cubs in the Game of the Week.
San Francisco's position as a potential playoff team was laughable on August 7th. The Giants had lost their ninth in a row with a host of division leaders due up back-to-back-to-back. The Braves and Pirates were playing well, and their next opponent for four games was a Chicago Cubs squad that had assembled a juggernaut. Former All-Star Jon Lester was taking the hill for Chicago, while the Giants were trotting out a 28-year old rookie with an ERA over 6 in Triple-A who had just allowed nine runs in Texas a start before.
Miguel Acosta pitched 6 innings of two-run ball, the Giants stole five bases, Brandon Crawford and Steven Duggar each had three hits, and the Giants snapped their losing streak with a feel-good 9-3 win over a sluggish Cubs team.
Including Michael Roth's 3 inning, one run save to close out that game, the San Francisco bullpen allowed just one run in 11.1 innings, saved all four games, and created an identity that has carried San Francisco out of the darkness. Masahiko Morifuku saved three games kicking off an impressive stretch of work that has put him on the grid of being one of the top closers in the NL.
Morifuku has 24 saves this year in 28 opportunities, but has saved his last 17 opportunities. The lefty throws in the mid 80's, with pedestrian fastballs that dart and sink but are thrown with great command, and a slider that sweeps down and away from same-sided hitters. It's not a profile of dominance, but an unusual hitch in his delivery throws the timing off hitters with great effect. He's been a fun story in a season that, for San Francisco, hasn't had many.
Brandon Crawford had a .333 average and a pair of home runs in the series, Stevan Duggar batted .563 with a pair of home runs and four steals in four games, and the Chicago Cubs had no problems hitting the Chicago Cubs pitching staff. Duggar's leadership in producing good at bats against tough pitchers, and taking advantage of opposing weaknesses, like his three steals in Lester's starts, have proven infectious. The Giants are playing inspired ball and with one more win against an excellent team like Chicago may have the team believing it can make the postseason for a third straight year.
The Cubs, meanwhile, will certainly earn their straight postseason trip. The Cubs possess the best record in the National League, have the most runs scored, have allowed the fewest runs, and have been an absolute juggernaut.
Bryce Harper and Nomar Mazara have been well hyped and received a lot of well-deserved buzz, but it's Francisco Lindor who leads the National League in WAR. Lindor has 28 home runs, 27 doubles, 19 steals, and a +21 zone rating, meaning he could be a member of the ultra-exclusive 30-30-30-30 clubs at season's end. That probably won't happen, but Lindor leads baseball in the highest zone rating in PBA history and it's still August. Only Andrelton Simmons is in the same stratosphere as him defensively, and Lindor packages that defense with an All-Star offensive package.
The Cubs bullpen also continues to be exceptional. Wade Davis hasn't allowed a run in 24 straight games, a stretch of 23.1 innings, dating back to June 27th. Bonkers Carrizales has allowed just one run in his last 15 outings, a stretch of 15.1 innings. That duo has shut down games they've appeared in, essentially ending games in the seventh inning. The saving grace for the Giants is that the one run Carrizales has allowed in that span came against the Giants. He, and the rest of the Cubs, will be out for revenge against San Francisco., making this matchup much more juicy than most games by teams separated by 27.5 games in the standings.
Questions for the GMs:
For Brandon Hillebrand, your team got jumped by San Francisco earlier this month. What about the team gave you fits that series, and how do you change things for today?
Robinson Cano is on your Triple-A team, and his contract has caused quite a commotion recently. Will he see time on your parent club this year?
Francisco Lindor has been the big name middle infield acquisition this year, but Xander Bogaerts is on your team as well. How has he fared his first year in Chicago?
For Samuel Rutledge, you're facing a tough lefty in Chris Sale, and Brandon Belt is one of your dangerous hitters. However, he's dealing with a strained oblique. What's his status for today?
Tonight's starter, Drew Pomeranz, was a reliever last year. He's been starting this year. How has he handled the change?
What's been the main difference in why your team has played so much better recently than at any point this year?
