Oct
02

NLDS Game 2: Dodgers @ Cubs

By Mike Axisa

Pitcher A: 14-6, 3.91 ERA, 6.20 Kper9, 1.44 GB/FB, 4.23 FIP
Pitcher B: 16-10, 3.14 ERA, 9.02 Kper9, 1.70 GB/FB, 3.35 FIP

Which would you rather have; probably Pitcher B, right? Well what if I told you A made $16,000,000 this year while B made $415,000? Then it’s a no-brainer.

Pitcher A takes on Pitcher B in Wrigley tonight, Zambrano vs Billingsley. Torre’s boys look to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Enjoy the game.

Los Angeles
1. Rafael Furcal, SS
2. Russ Martin, C
3. Manny Ramirez, LF
4. Andre Ethier, RF
5. James Loney, 1B
6. Matt Kemp, CF
7. Blake DeWitt, 2B
8. Casey Blake, 3B
9. Chad Billingsley, P

Chicago
1. Alfonso Soriano, LF
2. Ryan Theriot, SS
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Mark DeRosa, 2B
6. Jim Edmonds, CF
7. Geovany Soto, C
8. Kosuke Fukudome, RF
9. Carlos Zambrano, P

Posted on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 9:30 pm in Game Threads.

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105 Comments »

Steve says:

Big Z tonight. Dodgers dont stand a chance.

Steve H says:

Not so sure about that, look at the beginning of this thread.

Steve says:
Steve H says:
 
 
 
 
pat says:

awesome video of Big Z drilling kids with tennis balls at a fake baseball academy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDZPN0mjaAA

 
Ivan says:

I,ve always like to watch Billingsley pitch.

Mike A. says:

I wonder what they pitch is he’s been trying to put guys away with. It came in at 88-90mph, but it moved like a slider. Too hard for a slider, too much movement for a cutter. If that’s a slider … nasty.

Ivan says:

It’s a cutter. That’s been his go to pitch. Alot scouting reports would tell ya it’s a cutter. It’s been a pitch he learn a year or two back and has been a huge pitch for him. Hopefully Hughes throws his cutter that lethal.

 
 
 
E-ROC says:

Mike, did you get your NHL game in? What team are u playing with?

Mike A. says:

Yeah, barely squeezed it in. Using the Rangers, lost to the Canadiens 3-1.

5 minute boarding major did me in. They scored 3 freaking times on that one power play.

 
 
 
A.D. says:

Dodgers running wild????

 
TheLastClown says:

Tryin to barehand that…..not smart

A.D. says:

yeah loney isn’t exactly a speedster, he’d be able to throw him out

 
 
A.D. says:

Whew, knocked Kemp back on that one

 
 
A.D. says:
 
Mike A. says:

Looks like the Cubs were guilty of the rare over-grit right there.

 
Jamal G. says:

I don’t believe in curses, but damn, how many things can go wrong?

 
E-ROC says:

Let the paranoia begin, if it already hasn’t

 
 
Ivan says:

Lee makin a error wow.

 
E-ROC says:

Here comes the boogeyman.

 
Mike A. says:

Zambrano’s ready to explode. He’s going to go club some baby seals between innings.

 
TheLastClown says:

I tend not to believe in superstitious hocus pocus…..but it looks like a force bigger than the Dodgers don’t want these Cubbies to win.

Or they’re channelling their inner little-leaguer infielders

 
Mike A. says:

I’m sure the Dodgers didn’t mind Billingsley K’ing. Don’t risk the GIDP.

 
Ivan says:

I don’t trust big Z in situations like this. He tends to implode when shit doesn’t happen his way.

 
Jamal G. says:

Heh, did you know that approximately 12% of all internet sites are porn-based?

TheLastClown says:

You really do love stats huh? :)

Jamal G. says:

Yessir. Mathematics and statistics feed into my OCD. ;)

 
 
steve (different one) says:
 
pat says:
 
 
Ivan says:

Wow nice bunt by Furcal.

 
Mike A. says:

Furcal doing his best Brett Gardner impersonation. Z’s fuming.

 
Jamal G. says:

Bunting? Wow, Torre, you couldn’t think of that in Game 6? You know, when the pitcher was on one ankle.

Jamal G. says:

I take that back. That was probably all Furcal.

 
Mike A. says:

I’m sure Furcal did that on his own. Martin has to get on base here, get Manny up with the bases juiced.

 
 
Ivan says:

That’s gonna clear the bases. Boy I tell ya, Big Z implodes with the best of them.

 
Mike A. says:

I always thought Zambrano was over-rated.

 
Jamal G. says:

Not for nothing, but does it seem like the Big Z will shut you out or give up nine runs in two innings?

Ivan says:

Is that ace material?

Jamal G. says:

Seriously, how can people consider Carlos Zambrano an “ace”, but continually shit on Chien-Mang Wang while doing so?

Ivan says:

CMW is asiansand isn’t flashy with his emotions.

Ivan says:
 
 
pat says:

ones a yankee ones not.

 
 
TheLastClown says:

No, but with some work, it could be Daniel Cabrera

 
 
 
A.D. says:
 
Mike A. says:

He’s going to beat the shit out of the watercooler. The left hand Z, use the left hand!!!

E-ROC says:

Naw. He’ll beat the crap out of DeRosa, Theriot, and Lee.

 
 
Ivan says:

See, Phil Hughes wouldn’t give up 5 runs in an inning in a playoff game.

 
Mike A. says:
 
E-ROC says:

Zambrano will take his frustrations out on his plate appearance. He’ll hit a jack.

 
Jamal G. says:

I’ve always wanted to know, how did you guys deal with 2004? I was only 15 at the time, and to be honest, it didn’t hit me until 2006. Why? I have no idea, but I was literally numb to it for about 18-months. I don’t know, it’s like a cloudy memory to me. Like when I recall it, I think to myself “Wait, that doesn’t make sense. How can we lose four straight after taking a 3-0 lead?” I literally think to myself sometimes that there has to be some mistake.

So what was your initial reaction? If you had no initial reaction, when did it hit you? How about now; how do you feel about it now?

Steve H says:

I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

 
A.D. says:

I lived in Kenmore sq at the time…it hit real quick

 
Ivan says:

……………………………………………………………………………………………… that was my reaction.

 
Mike A. says:

As soon as Johnny Damon hit that grand slam, I kicked my dog. Then I realized I didn’t have a dog. Who the hell did I kick?

 
E-ROC says:

I put my head in my hands.

 
 
Mike A. says:

You know what I was reminded of today? Joe Mauer spent only half a season in AA before reaching the bigs. That’s nuts.

 
E-ROC says:

What was the pitch that Soto struck out on?

Ivan says:

A Cutter. It moves like heck.

E-ROC says:

Ok cool. I didn’t know what the heck it was.

 
 
 
Ivan says:

If Billingsley pitches like this, the game is O-VA.

 
Manimal says:

Who would you want more/would be more logical to trade for, McClouth or Victorino for CF next year?

E-ROC says:

I’d rather have Victorino.

A.D. says:

agreed the flying Hawaiian would be pretty cool, however I think the Phillies are pretty high on him, I know rumblings are they’d probably trade him, but they’d have to get pretty good value

 
 
Ivan says:

I’ll go Victorino. Better fielder, faster, switch hitter. To be honest, Im not a huge McClouth fan.

 
Steve H says:

Victorino. McClouth has had one 1/2 good season. I think he’d cost way more, and is less of a sure thing going forward.

 
Mike A. says:

McLouth. Younger, more power, and an infinitely better defender.

Steve H says:

What would you give up for him?

Mike A. says:

Not nearly as much as they’d want. I wouldn’t go much more than
IPK + Melky.

 
 
 
 
Ivan says:

Hey Mike why ya think Z is overrated?

Mike A. says:

Put too many runners on base, and he’s been on a steady 3 yr decline.

 
 
Jamal G. says:

That was his Curveball, no?

Ivan says:

Yeah it was a curveball.

 
 
Ivan says:

Billingsley is nasty. His curveball is just makin hitters look like bitches.

 
E-ROC says:

I didn’t know Zambrano was a switch hitter.

 
Jamal G. says:

How does pitch f/x differentiate between a Cutter and a Slider?

 
Ivan says:

Isn’t Z a switch hitter?

E-ROC says:

yup. TBS showed a highlight of him hitting a homer batting right handed.

 
 
Ivan says:

Surprise that Billingsley had that many walks this year.

 
E-ROC says:

The Cubs defense is tough to watch.

 
TheLastClown says:

Has there been an infielder who hasn’t booted the ball?

 
Ivan says:

Big Z head is gonna explode.

 
A.D. says:

who starts game 3 for the cubs

Jamal G. says:

I think it’s Harden.

 
A.D. says:

right, Harden….almost forgot they traded for him

 
 
AndrewYF says:

I can’t believe the Cubs are getting destroyed by the Dodgers. The Cubs are such a superior team. It’s like watching the Yankees.

 
Steve says:

I think the Dodgers might want to resign this Manny guy, he looks like a hitter.

Steve H says:

Cancer in the clubhouse. You bring him in, you’ll only win 2 titles in 7 years, after such a glorious previous 86 years.

 
 
Mike A. says:

Yo Manny, I dunno if you’re here, but we should totally start an EASHL team. I’m sure we can dig up 6 players off the site for a team. Hell, we can even call them the River Ave. Blues.

 
Jamal G. says:

Over/Under for the amount of DUI’s that will be handed out after tonight’s game at 25,000.5.

 
Alex says:

Speaking of Manny, I know it’d be ridiculous if the Yankees signed him, but what do you guys think of a 2 yr/(54-60)M contract, strict DH proposition. Would Boras really throw that out the window?

 
Ivan says:

This game sucks ass.

Jamal G. says:

I’d be shocked if more than 5% of that crowd is sober.

 
 
pat says:

damn our CF of the future almost made a sick play

 
pat says:

wow i just realized billingsley is one day older than I

 
pat says:

well how about this, instead of packs of cigarette’s being used as currency in prison, the new type of money is MACKEREL.

 
Mike A. says:

So is this what baseball outside of the AL East looks like?

I hate it.

pat says:

its so quiet you can clearly hear the sound of the ball hitting the cachers mitt

 
 
donttradecano says:

maybe the cubs really are cursed

 
Jamal G. says:

Heh, that kid they just showed in the red shirt is going to get owned at school tomorrow. He looked like such a dork giving fist pounds to his sister and father, and cheering by himself.

pat says:

this makes it even better that they have been given a little bit of hope

 
 
Ivan says:
 
Ivan says:
 
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