With the Cubs beating the Indians 9-3 last night, we are going to get a Game 7. As we have seen over the course of history, sometimes you get a great Game 7 like the last one in 2014 when Madison Bumgarner came out of the pen to shut down the Royals again. You can get a very good one like 1986 when the Red Sox knocked Ron Darling out early only for Sid Fernandez to stabilize the game and give the Mets a chance to overcome an early 3-0 deficit. Then you get the 2002 and 2011 World Series where teams coming off deflating losses didn’t really play close games.
Tonight, there is a lot of unknowns. Will there be a Gene Larkin or a Jose Mesa tonight? Do we see one fo the unhittable relievers suffer the same fate as Mariano Rivera did in 2001? Worse yet, will there be a Fred Snodgrass moment that will leave people talking about a player’s decision for centuries? Right about now there are about three things we know:
- One fanbase is going to be left in even more excruciating pain than they already are;
- The other fanbase will experience joy like none other; and
- This game will have to be off the charts to even match Jack Morris–John Smoltz in 1991.
There are a number of factors at play in deciding who is the hero and who is the goat (pun intended) in tonight’s game. Here are some of my thoughts on the game:
Defense Matters
Arguably, the difference in last night’s game was right field defense. In the first, the indecision between Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall led to two additional runs in the first inning for the Cubs. For his part, Chisenall has had a terrible World Series in right field. On the other side, Jason Heyward had a great game defensively in right field capping it off by nailing Roberto Perez at second to snuff out any chance at in improbable rally in the ninth. With that said, Rajai Davis absolutely has to start tonight’s game for the Indians.
David Ross Should Start
We have already seen the impact of pitch framing in one game of the World Series so far. You know Perez is going to get every call for Corey Kluber tonight. You don’t know that about Willson Contreras. Yes, Contreras has been decent in that area, but he is not on par with David Ross. If you want Kyle Hendricks to get the calls Kluber is going to get, you need Ross out there.
You also need Ross out there for another reason. As Joe Maddon has already indicated, Jon Lester may come out of the bullpen to pitch tonight. If that is the case, the Cubs will need Ross to catch him to help neutralize the running game. The last thing you want is to have a runner steal second off the Lester-Contreras pairing late in the game. You also don’t want to remove your better bat in Contreras late in the game should you need offense. With that being the case, Ross should start.
Chapman’s Game 6 May Haunt the Cubs
Because Maddon screwed up, he didn’t have a reliever available to pitch the bottom of the ninth. As such, Chapman threw an additional five pitches he didn’t need to throw. No, five pitches will not make or break Chapman. Still, keep in mind, Chapman had to come off the bench and warm up and throw five unnecessary pitches. He wasn’t close with most of them either. Between Games 5 and 6, Chapman has now thrown 62 pitches over the course of three days. That’s a huge workload for him. No one knows how that will affect him in Game 7.
Kluber Just Needs to Go Four Innings
Kluber is once again going on short rest. While it worked out well in Game 4, we do not know if he can pitch as well in Game 7 especially with him going against a Cubs team with a lot more confidence at the plate. Fortunately for him and the Indians, he does not need to go deep into the game. With the Indians effectively getting blown out last night, Terry Francona did not need to go to Joe Shaw, Andrew Miller, or Cody Allen. Accordingly, each reliever should be good for at least two innings a piece meaning Kluber just needs to get through the fourth, preferably with a lead. And who knows? With the way Francona has used Miller, Kluber may only need to go three.
Both Managers Need a Quick Hook
As we know with Kluber going on short rest, and with the way Francona has managed this postseason, the Indians will not be afraid to lift him early in the game even if Kluber isn’t struggling.
Maddon needs to adopt a similar approach as he has the past few games. While he doesn’t have the talented bullpen Francona has, he has both Lester and John Lackey available in the pen. Both have proven themselves as good postseason pitchers, and for his part, Lackey was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. Should Hendricks face early trouble, like he did in Game 3, Maddon should get him because it is not likely the Indians will run themselves out of an inning again. By the way, I’m sure Jake Arrieta will also make himself available to pitch if need be.
We Don’t Know Who the Hero Is Going to Be
Seeing how hot he is lately, you would be inclined to guess Jason Kipnis would be the guy to carry the Indians tonight should they win it, but remember it was Perez who was the hero in Game 1 with him hitting two home runs. For the Cubs, it was Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo who got going last night, but for all you know Javier Baez could return to his NLCS form and get the big hits tonight.
Remember, it was Craig Counsell who played a major factor in two ninth inning rallies to help their teams overcome a one run deficit in a Game 7. It was Larkin who got the winning hit in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. Heck, it was Bill Mazeroski of all people who hit the walk off home run to end the 1960 World Series. Seeing who gets the big hit tonight is part of the fun.
Overall, this has been a good World Series. Tonight’s game could make it a great World Series.
It is highly doubtful that 30 games played in an Instructional League in the month of October will have a far reaching impact on a player’s career. Still, Gavin Cecchini‘s time in the Arizona Fall League appears to be a bit of a missed opportunity.
It became very apparent this year that Cecchini’s future with the New York Mets will be at second base.
That first became apparent because Cecchini has struggled defensively at the position. While fielding percentage can be an overrated and flawed stat, Cecchini’s .933 fielding percentage in AAA, and his minor league career .944 fielding percentage cannot be ignored. His stats show he’s not capable of playing short. It is strange because he has the tools to be a good defender there, but he just can’t put it together.
This begs the question why do the Mets want him to put it together? With Amed Rosario having established himself as the much better defensive shortstop, the much better prospect, and arguably the better offensive player, Rosario, not Cecchini, is the shortstop of the future. If you still like Cecchini as a player, and you believe he is a major league caliber player, he needs to transition to second base.
And the process has begun. He worked on second base on the side during the AAA season. He even got into two games there before being called-up to the Mets. Given the fact that the transition presumably began, it has been surprising to see Cecchini play so much shortstop in the Arizona Fall League. It’s shocking when Mets first base coach, Tom Goodwin, is Cecchini’s manager. It’s downright stupefying when the Scorpions are carrying one second baseman and three shortstops on their roster.
It leads one to search for some logic behind what seems to be an illogical decision. Upon further review, there appears to be a couple of good reasons why the Mets have Cecchini playing a lot of shortstop in the Arizona Fall League.
The first and obvious answer is this is all much ado about nothing. While it would be preferable for Cecchini to play second base, it is more important for him to play everyday to see how he stacks up against the best prospects in the game. The Mets may just want him to focus on his hitting to see if his bat could translate against some of the better pitching prospects in baseball. Note, in a 30 game context, this does not just mean results, it also is his approach and whether or not he appears over-matched. If Cecchini does prove he can hit better pitching, his future would be further solidified with the Mets.
Second, there may be a real issue going forward with Asdrubal Cabrera and his knees (even with him not needing knee surgery). While Terry Collins’ first choice would be to move Jose Reyes to short in Cabrera’s absence, he may not have that luxury as Reyes may be playing third base for David Wright, or Reyes could start next season as the starting second baseman depending on what the Mets are able to do this offseason. Also keep in mind that Reyes has proven himself to be an injury prone player at times in his career.
If any of the aforementioned players are injured, the options at short would be Cecchini or Matt Reynolds. In the short term, the Mets may go to Reynolds who has played in the major leagues, is the better defender, and has had some success at the big league level. Moreover, Reynolds has been transitioning to being a utility player meaning he may be more accustomed to not playing everyday. In the event there is an injury that will require someone to take over for a month or so, Cecchini might get the call. While the Mets may be loathed to use him for a two week stretch, they may be inclined to run him out there everyday for a month or so to see how the better regarded prospect can handle being an everyday player.
Finally, the Mets may not be moving Cecchini from shortstop because you can never have too much depth. Rosario could regress, suffer an injury, or the Mets could be presented with a trade offer where they would include their untouchable prospect. In any of these scenarios, the Mets are going to need another shortstop. That shortstop should be Cecchini as he is currently the best non-Rosario middle infield prospect.
There may be other reasons why the Mets are playing Cecchini at shortstop in the Arizona Fall League rather than capitalizing on an opportunity to transition one of their best prospects to the position he is destined to play. Whatever the case, the hope needs to be the Mets are making decisions based upon sound principles that are in both their own and Cecchini’s best interests.
Editor’s Note: Cecchini left last week’s Arizona Fall League game after fouling a ball off his foot. Despite the injury, he is hitting .258/.359/.419 with two doubles, a homer, and six RBI in nine games. He is part of fan voting to select the final two players for the Arizona Fall League roster.
If you head over to Toys R Us, Target, Walmart, or wherever you went to get your child’s Halloween costume this year, go right back to that place today. Whatever they have in stock is going to be heavily discounted, and you can go get your child’s Halloween costume for next year at a much cheaper price.
Here’s the thing with the costumes: they don’t change from year to year. The superhero costumes you saw on the street yesterday are going to be the same ones you will see next year. It goes the same way with respect to every popular line whether it is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thomas and Friends, or Star Wars:
That Yoda costume my son wore last year was sold again this year. Yes, with Episode VII, there were more Star Wars costumes this year, but guess what, those costumes will be available again next year. They will be available with the Yoda and Darth Vader costumes they have everyone year. Finn, Kylo Ren, and Rey are now just part of the group that will always be available. If your kid loves Star Wars get the next costume today.
If you don’t know what your child likes out of the group, or what your child will like next year you have a few options. The first, especially if your child is young enough, is to get a costume for something you have interest (like Star Wars) or that you think is cute like Toy Story.
At this point last year, my wife and I purchased a Woody costume for my son even though he had never seen Toy Story, and we didn’t know if he would like it. Over the past month or so, I would show my son funnier clips from Toy Story (notably the bloopers at the end of Toy Story 2). He thought they were funny, and he began to like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Rex, and all the characters. He was excited when he got to watch the Halloween special Toy Story of Terror. With the time and effort put in, he actually wanted to be Woody (or Buzz Lightyear) for Halloween. That made our lives much easier:
Now, if you are not sure what your child likes, you could just get multiple costumes. If the costumes are more than 50% off, and they will be in some places, it is still the cheaper route. Once you have an idea of what your child likes either try to return the other one for store credit or just sell it on ebay. You take a hit on the one costume, but you save more money in the long run.
Admittedly, this is not going to work for some older kids. They are going to be more influenced by what their friends like, and they are going to want to go and pick out their costumes. They are also likely going to want to be whatever the new thing is that year (movie, TV show, etc.). If that is the case, you are out of luck. However, if your child is still young enough, you still have a chance to take advantage of an opportunity to save some money.
If that is the case, you should get to the store today and get your child’s Halloween costume for next year.
No matter your rooting interests in this World Series, the outcome of Game 6 of the World Series was good for all of baseball. For Cubs fans, your interest in a Game 6 is obvious. Even if you are a disappointed Indians fan, part of you must admit you are relishing the opportunity to win your first World Series since 1948 at home.
It is also good for baseball to see these two teams play against one another again. The three game set in Chicago was as good as it gets. Game 3 was an all timer with a great 1-0 nothing game featuring both managers flexing their strategic prowess throughout the game. Ultimately, it was Terry Francona‘s decision to pinch hit Coco Crisp, thereby removing the most dominant pitcher this postseason, Andrew Miller, from the game that helped net the Indians the victory.
Game 4’s 7-2 victory was a lot closer than it seemed. This was a 4-1 game entering the seventh inning. Corey Kluber was great again, but on just three days rest, he seemed more hittable (he really wasn’t). Miller wasn’t locating his slider as well, and a result, the Cubs seemed more confident at the plate. However, it was really over after the seventh. Still, there were some all time moments from this game. First, Jason Kipnis became the first player to ever hit a home run at a World Series night game in Wrigley Field. It just so happened that it was also the first World Series home run hit by a visiting player at Wrigley Field since Babe Ruth. Also, when Dexter Fowler hit his eighth inning home run, he became the first non-white player to hit a World Series home run at Wrigley Field.
Early on in Game 5 things looked bleak for the Cubs despite Jon Lester dealing. Then Kris Bryant led off the top of the fourth with a home run that awoke the Cubs leading to a huge three run inning. David Ross, playing in his last ever home game, almost took one out for a grand slam. Instead, he would have to take solace in the fact that he hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-1 game. It was an important run as the Indians fought back and scored another run in the sixth. With the Cubs rallying in the seventh, Joe Maddon took no more chances and sent Aroldis Chapman out there for the eight out save. Chapman just came in and blew the Indians away.
It was as good a three game set in a World Series you could have asked for this side of the 1991 World Series. With the three game set being in Wrigley, you were also treated to Bill Murray, Vince Vaughn, and Eddie Vedder singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”
For David Ross. @PearlJam frontman Eddie Vedder leads @Cubs‘ fans in ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/almL4eCAgb
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 31, 2016
It was a great three games, and it is a big reason why baseball ratings are now surpassing NFL ratings. That’s more impressive when you consider it was a divisional matchup featuring the Dallas Cowboys, and the game went into overtime.
So far, this has been a very good World Series, and depending on what happens in Cleveland, it could become a great World Series. In many ways, this World Series (aside from the wildly changing strike zone) is why you are a baseball fan and why baseball is great. No matter who you are rooting for, you should want to see more of the same. Apparently, America does.
Everyone knows their own neighborhoods well, and they know the best places to go trick or treating in their own neighborhoods. Some of you even know of places to travel to find the houses that give away the full sized candy bars. Others will try to get to the neighborhoods that leave the bags out with the candy in them so you can fully stock up before moving to another location. Obviously, if you know the best place in your area to go, you should go there.
However, as we saw locally with Hurricane Sandy and Irene, you sometimes need to pivot when it comes to bad weather or when natural disasters cause Halloween to be postponed in your community. You also may want to try something different for a numbers of reasons (traffic in your area, not many houses giving out candy, etc.). With that in mind, here are some alternatives you could try:
Mall
Most malls have trick or treating. There are many benefits to going to your local mall to do the trick or treating. First, you are indoors, so weather is not going to be an issue. With that, your child can fully show off the costume that you purchased or made.
While too much might have been made about it in the past, you know the candy is coming from a business, so there are lesser concerns about someone tampering with the candy.
Another factor is that the mall has a number of benches and seats for you to take a respite. This is not as much of a need now that my son is older, but it was helpful his first Halloween. We needed the rest because we were carrying the candy, the diaper bag, etc. He needed a stop every so often because it’s a lot for a baby to walk around a mall.
Lastly, the mall is well lit with no traffic. Once you are inside, you don’t have to worry about cars coming down the road too quickly or a driver not paying attention. You can also stay indoors trick or treating well after it has gone dark. With this in mind, you could even stop by the mall after your kids are done trick or treating in the neighborhood if they still want to go out and get more candy.
Local Downtown
Most people either live in a town with a nice downtown area, or they live near one. While the downtown doesn’t share all the benefits of the mall, it is still a great place to go trick or treating.
First, local businesses are not going to tamper with the candy they are giving your children. Another benefit is most downtowns do have benches here and there if you need to take a quick stop to sit for five minutes. You also know that even as it gets darker, the sidewalks and streets will be well lit. Additionally, the areas are usually filled with cross walks, stop signs, and police officers (especially on days like Halloween), so you know traffic is going to be less of an issue than it normally is.
There is another benefit to the local downtown. These are primarily comprised on small businesses that want to entice to you to come back to their store. Many of them will hand out not just candy, but coupons to entice you to return to them next year. I know last year we walked home with a free studio session for a pottery studio, a free ice cream cone, 10% off our next pizza order, and a buy one get one offer from the local candy shop. You are not likely to get these at the mall, and you are really unlikely to get them from your neighbors.
Contact Your Local Officials
Many towns try to organize safe or more controlled trick or treating, or in some instances trunk or treating. These events usually take place at a local school parking lot or even at a local park. These are usually organized by the town, school, or sometimes the local police force. These events allow your child to trick or treat in a safer more organized environment. Sometimes, they are accompanied by pumpkin decorating and parades. And like trick or treating in your downtown, many local businesses make an appearance giving away free beverages (juice and hot coffee) and snacks.
Throw a Party
When all else fails, get together with some of your child’s friends’ parents and organize a party. Each parent can bring a goody bag full of candy so no one misses out on getting candy. You can also order pizza and watch scary movies (appropriate age level of course). This allows your child to have fun with their friends, and it allows you to make sure your child is in a safe environment. Note, you can obviously do this in conjunction with any of the above.
I know last year with Halloween being on a Saturday, we did all of the above with our son. We started early at the mall, and then we went to the downtown to grab lunch and trick or treat. We then returned home to just go to a few houses in our neighborhood. Lastly, we sat down and passed out candy while watching the Mets game (that ended scarier than any movie could have). It was fun, and depending on who you are and what you enjoy, I would recommend doing any of the above. The important thing is you are safe and have a good time.
Happy Halloween.
While I had fully intended to create a Thor O’Lantern, it didn’t work out that way.
First and foremost, my son wanted a Thomas pumpkin, and as such, he was going to get one:
Next, I wanted to do a standard pumpkin that he could do himself:
I’m still shocked at two things. First, that a kid’s pumpkin knife so dull it made safety scissors look like a Ginsu knife was actually able to carve the pumpkin. Second, I was really impressed my son was able to follow the lines of the pre-drawn Jack O’Lantern face:
For the last pumpkin, I had wanted to do a Noah Syndergaard one, but the stencil I printed out was too large, and I was too lazy to print out a smaller one. Instead, I decided to go with a Brandon Nimmo:
Ok, so it was Nemo. We all made the joke previously. Accordingly, I’m considering it a Mets themed pumpkin.
Happy Halloween!
For those parents who have not had the time to carve their pumpkins with their children, today is really the last day for you to do so.
One of the great things about having a boy is that they are ready, willing, and eager to get in there and participate in the entire process that is carving the pumpkin. If your son is anything like mine, he wants the knife to do the carving. Naturally, you cannot give a toddler a knife and expect good things to happen. With that said, you are going to have to do some preparation. Last year, I carved the top part out of the pumpkin and then allowed my son outside to help scoop out the seeds and the pulp:
After that, it is time to use some of those really dull pumpkin carving knives so your child can participate. Given a toddler’s dexterity coupled with their hand and arm strength, it is better to go with the traditional triangle eyes and a pretty wide open mouth, if you are going to carve the rest of the pumpkin with them:
For lights, you obviously don’t want your toddler playing with matches or a lighter. That’s just plain dumb. You also don’t want to light something and stick it in the pumpkin. They are going to get curious, and sooner or later, they are going to get burned. Moreover, they are probably going to want to light the pumpkin each and every night because that’s what children do – they want to do the same thing over and over and over and over again. With that in mind, it is probably best for you to get battery operated tea lights. They are everywhere, are reasonably priced, and they can be used over and over again unlike a match. Moreover, you can actually let your child turn the light on and off. As you will notice, the battery operated tea light has the same effect as a regular candle.
For those people who are more adventurous, or have older children, you can attempt to make your own Mets themed pumpkins this year:
Happy #NationalPumpkinDay ?
Download your very own #Mets Pumpkin stencils ➡️ https://t.co/UyAAFjfQOx pic.twitter.com/wOSWnU9x5u
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 26, 2016
For those interested, you can even make your own Noah Syndergaard or Thor O’Lantern.
No matter what path you choose, good luck, and Happy Halloween.
While baseball had its first ever night game on May 24, 1935, there would not be a night game played at Wrigley Field until August 8, 1988. Until this day, the Cubs still play a majority of their home games at night. Day games have been as much a part of Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs as the ivy that adorns the brick outfield wall, the center field bleachers, the rooftop seats, Harry Caray and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” or Ernie Banks saying, “Lets play two!”
These day games are part of the romanticism that is the Chicago Cubs. It is part of the romanticism that has swept up much of the country looking on to see if the Cubs can win their first World Series since 1908. If we are all tuning in to watch the Cubs win the World Series, shouldn’t we be watching games at Wrigley Field the way they were intended to be seen?
Note, this isn’t the typical plea for earlier start times because East Coast fans don’t like having to stay up past midnight for long postseason games. It also isn’t a plea for earlier start times to permit younger fans to actually watch the game. While both of these instances would be beneficial to those groups, they also ignore the reality of the modern world. Ultimately, ratings and revenues are what drives start times for baseball games. Still, as we saw with Game 2 of the World Series, a start time could be moved up if it is deemed to be in everyone’s best interest.
The argument for it being in everyone’s best interest is it is quite possible playing World Series day games at Wrigley Field could actually draw in more viewers. Fans may very well be more interested in seeing day games at a park that day games were meant to be played. It would also be interesting to see if baseball can continue to get higher ratings than the NFL. But therein lies the problem.
Fox has football contracts with both the NCAA and the NFL. On the NCAA front, Fox would rather air the Big 12 games during the day and play the World Series game at night. Obviously, Fox is going to show its 1:00 and 4:00 NFL games on Sunday while hoping the World Series can outdraw NBC’s Sunday Night Game. Overall, it is better for Fox to have football on during the day and the World Series on during the night. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it still remains a missed opportunity for Major League Baseball.
It is a shame because day games are supposed to be played at Wrigley, and as it turns out the Cubs make the World Series seemingly once a century. This year would’ve been a great time for an exception to 8:00 start times for World Series games; at least for the two weekend games. Unfortunately, we aren’t going to get it, and for that, the baseball fans are worse off.