If I would have told you that Clayton Kershaw wouldn’t see the sixth inning of tonight’s game, you would have been pleased. As it is, playoff baseball is… more complicated. Weird, even. And so when Kershaw exited immediately after the Dodgers tied the game at two, it was the inflection point of the game in an […]
Category: Articles
Second City October: NLCS Game One, Cubs (0-0) at Dodgers (0-0)
The war of attrition that was NLDS Game Five in Washington is over. Choose your analogy: General Grant wearing down opposing forces, Virgil shepherding Dante through the nine circles of Hell—they all fit. In the end, it was a big ol’ goofy end to a lean and mean series, with pitchers being worked through the […]
NLDS Game 5: Cubs 9, Nationals 8
I am speechless. I am without speech. This was the kind of win where I really have to work to find the right words to describe the joy of getting to witness it. And it’s ultimately fruitless because it’s the kind of euphoria where if I were able to capture it in words, it would […]
What the Heck Is Going On: A Quick Look Ahead at the NLCS
Whew. If you’re reading this, the Cubs (somehow, barely, and very questionably) did what they needed to do against a great, great Nationals team after a great, great series. And now it’s Friday, and we’re all guzzling coffee, rubbing our eyes, and wondering what’s next. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, once again the Cubs’ NLCS […]
Stephen Strasburg’s Exquisite Game Plan
The Cubs have looked helpless facing the Nationals’ starting pitchers so far in this NLDS, and they have managed to take the series down to the wire only due to their own starters’ impeccable performances that have resulted in a 0.40 ERA. Wednesday night, Stephen Strasburg continued the dominance that he, Gio Gonzalez, and Max […]
Second City October: NLDS Game Five, Cubs (2-2) at Nationals (2-2)
It always seemed destined to end up like this. Before the series, every preview you saw or went through in your own head made it awfully hard to split these two teams. Similar offenses, rotations that though they go about it differently are just about as solid, and deep pens. The games themselves haven’t varied […]
NLDS Game Four Recap: Nationals 5, Cubs 0
What You Need to Know: After over 24 hours of confusion, hand wringing, and conspiracy theories about mold and cold hotel rooms, Stephen Strasburg finally got the call to pitch Game Four for the Nats. And did he pitch. The Cubs’ hitters looked helpless against the righty’s curveball the first time around and his changeup […]
Playoff Anthony Rizzo is the Best Kind of Anthony Rizzo
There were a couple of different schools of thought when Anthony Rizzo came off the field screaming “Respect Me” after his bloop hit gave the Cubs their 2-1 lead that led to their win in Game Three of the National League Division Series. Some questioned not the moment, but Rizzo’s reaction to a knock that likely […]
Second City October: NLDS Game Four, Nationals (1-2) at Cubs (2-1)
The Cubs have an opportunity to wrap up this instantly classic series on Tuesday evening after snatching a victory from the clutches of Max Scherzer on Monday. The Cubs need only win one of the next two games, and they have their first crack at a clinch at Wrigley Field with Jake Arrieta on the […]
NLDS Game 3 Recap: Cubs 2, Nationals 1
What You Need to Know: Both Quintana and Scherzer—effectively keeping pace with each other—pitched well through six innings, limiting the damage of a few of defensive miscues. The Nationals broke the scoreless tie in the 6th after a messy Schwarber two-error missed catch landed on third. The Cubs tied the game in the 7th, chasing […]