Well, here we are - Sunday morning before game 5 of the 2016 World Series. Somehow, the Tribe is up 3 games to 1 on the Cubs going into Game 5 at Wrigley tonight. I'm so shocked as to how we got here.....the starting pitching has been amazing, the bullpen has been dominant so far, and the offense is doing just enough. I am not feeling all the confident right now; if you look ahead, here's what we have:Game 5: Drone boy (Bauer) going for us; he is not going to put up 6 innings of zeroes, so this will be a tough one tonight.
Game 6: Home against Arrieta. He's not the Cy Young winner for nothing
Game 7: Kluber, again, at home if needed; Can he really do this 3 times if needed? I don't want to bank on that.
I guess I'd rather be up 3-1 than down 3-1, however. So I have that going for me.
This World Series has shown - again - that great pitching beats great hitting. The first time I learned that lesson was in the Tribe's first World Series in my life, the 1995 World Series vs. Atlanta. It was our fearsome lineup vs. the start studded rotation of the Braves. Jees, I still can recall most of our lineup:
1B: Sorrento
2B: Baerga
SS: Omar
3B: Thome
LF: Belle
CF: Lofton
RF: Manny
C: Sandy
with key bench participants like Wayne Kirby, Herbert Perry, Tony Pena, etc.
You never forget the first time in the series, right?
We had decent pitching - el Presidente, Nagy, Orel, Ken Hill..... but it wasn't overpowering like the Braves's staff of Glavine, Maddux, Avery, and Smoltz. Wow.
The Braves shut us down most of the series - although I heard a radio interview with Kenny Lofton this year about that series. Mad Dog asked him his thoughts on the 95 series and how that offense was contained; Kenny said "well, we all know what happened...the strike zone was expanded outside the plate and that threw us off". I checked - there was no Eric Gregg behind the plate, but there was a John Hirshbeck (he of the mystery strike zone in Game 3 this year).Anyway, we were down 3 games to 2 going into game 6. If the bats could wake up, anything could happen....it was Dennis Martinez vs. Tom Glavine in game 6. Dennis was getting up there in age and struggled to get through the 3rd and 4th - however, it was 0-0 going into the 5th. Dennis got into a little trouble in the 5th - 2 on, 2 out - and he was lifted for Jim Poole. Dennis's line seemed like smething Houdini (or Charlie Nagy) would be proud of:
4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 0 runs!!!!
What a tightrope performance.
Jim Poole came in and got the last out in the 5th - great job! We go to the top of the 6th, tied at 0.
In the 6th, I think it was 8-9-1 for us; the pitcher spot was due up second. With one out, the pitcher's spot was up ---- and here came Jim Poole. He was allowed to bat in the 6th inning of an elimination game in a tie ball game.
Hargrove, what the hell are you doing? How can you let Poole bat here?????
My frustration boiled over - there were plenty of profanities yelled in my Dayton apartment. What the F was Hargrove doing??????? You have to pinch hit!!!!Of course, Poole got out. In the bottom of the 6th, Poole made one mistake and David Justice made him pay with a solo home run. 1-0 Braves.
And that was it. Glavine shut us down the rest of the way (for 8 innings) on 1 hit; Mark Wohlers closed it out and we lost Game 6, 1-0 , and the series.
I still ask - how could you let Poole hit?
I hate National League baseball.
On to the games:
Was 27, Cin 24. I'm impressed by this Skins team - if they can avoid the silly mistake, they should dominate this game. Cincy is overrated.
NE 30, Buf 23. Can't see the Pats losing this one; however, the Bills' offense seems to be coming alive, and being at home will help that O.
Hou 20, Det 16. Ugh. Osweiller is horrible. Houston should try to run the ball down Detroit's throats here, eting up plenty of clock.
KC 27, Ind 23. Do I really want to trust the Chiefs on the road? I still hate the Colts; key here is how can Indy protect Luck against the Chiefs D line?
Sea 30, NO 24. This will seem like a breeze for Seattle after that disaster Sunday night. I see the Seahawks O getting back on track here.
TB 27, Oak 17. the bye helped Tampa a lot - to calm down Winston and get everyone on the same page. The weakness for Oakland is their secondary, and the Bucs can exploit. Oak is due for a clunker.
Car 23, Az 16. This is the last stand for the Panthers, and I think this is a good matchup for them - off a bye, playing a demoralized Cardinals team.
Den 20, SD 17. I really don't know here. Denver's defense is impressive - but their O is somewhat painful to watch. How many points will the Broncos be able to score?
Atl 30, GB 20. The Packers are a fraud - well, maybe not a fraud, but overrated. Something is off with their offense and the Falcons looked past the Chargers last week to get ready for this game.
Dal 29, Phi 22. The #1 O (Dal) vs. the #1 D (Philly). The game will be decided on the other side of the ball - where the Dallas D will do just enough to stop the average Philly offense.
Chi 20, Min 19. If Cutler can avoid the big mistake - I know, I know, big big big if - then I don't see how Minnesota can score enough. They can't run out the clock becuase they have no running game.
Bonus pick - game 5? No, I can't / won't pick it.
Best bets: 12 of them. Last week: 6-7-1; overall: 35-37-5
Was +3
NE/Buf over 47.5
Det/Hou under 46.5
Sea -2
Sea/NO over 48
TB +1
Car -3
Az/Car under 47
SD/Den under 43.5
Atl -3
Dal -5
Phi/Dal over 43
Chi +4.5
My supercontest picks: last week: 2-3; overall: 18-16-1
TB -1.5
Car -3
Atl -3
Was +3
Chi +6
Our combined supercontest entry: last week: 2-3; overall: 19-15-1
TB -1.5
NE -6.5
Cle +3 (I have nothing to do with this pick!! None!!)
Atl -3
Chi +6
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