MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE 2016: ACES UP FOR GAME 7

MARCO'S BASEBALL BLOG-O-ROONIE 2016: ACES UP FOR GAME 7

THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW DEPARTMENT:

The highest card in the playing deck is the “ace.” The fighter pilot who shot down at least five enemy planes was the “ace.” The number one pitcher on a team is known as the “ace”.

All of these definitions lead back to Asa Brainerd...pitcher for the Cincinnati Red Stockings from 1868-1870. Asa became famous because he won at least 65 straight games for the Stockings....the best team in baseball in those early days of the professional sport. In the 1870's other teams started referring to their best pitcher as “our Asa” and to rival hurlers as “their Asa”. This became shortened to “ace” and the term has been used ever since to denote that special starter on a baseball team.

Tonight is Game 7 of the World Series. Yeah, I know. Kind of sends shivers up your spine. No matter who you root for, it's always fun when it comes down to that ultimate game. The infamous “no tomorrow” game.

I predicted that the Cubs would come back from that 3 games to 1 hole they dug for themselves by not being able to hit the breaking balls that the Indians pitchers were so carefully placing out of the strike zone. Trouble is, the Indians couldn't pitch Kluber, Miller or Cody Allen every inning. The Cubs got to look at Bauer and Tomlin for the second time in three days and they learned. Boom Boom Boom.

Lesser lights of the Indian's bullpen....Boom Boom Boom.

So now you gotta give the Cubs the momentum going into this last game. They also have the league ERA leader going in Stork Hendricks. He's a cool customer and an Ace. He better be good because Joe Maddon pitched Chapman 3 innings on Sunday and another inning and a third on Tuesday night. He's thrown well over 60 pitches in three days and that's double his usual work load. He's a big strong cat but he gets wild when he's tired. So Hendricks better go seven because Maddon doesn't have any faith in the rest of his bullpen. They might as well not be on the roster. Rondon? The invisible man.

The Cubs had a 5 run lead on the way to a 9-3 victory last night. Since when do you bring your closer into a game that you have a 5 run lead in? In the 7^th inning? That means Maddon has no faith at all in his other pitchers. Did he lean too hard on Chapman going into the last contest? We'll see.

He might get cute and bring in Lester to pitch to some people but I hope there's nobody on base because Lester can't hold runners. Hell, he can't even throw to first base! HE'S GOT YOUR BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOCK. Like Steve Sax who couldn't throw to first on a routine ground ball. Or Dale Murphy, a two time MVP who had to move from catcher to the outfield because he couldn't throw the ball back to the pitcher without double clutching over and over.

But the Cubs hitters are finally feeling good about themselves. They fattened up their averages on the weak sisters of the Indians rotation. Schwarber is Dhing in the second spot in the lineup and he makes that lineup much scarier. Also, they've finally been hitting breaking balls.

But now Francona has Kluber on 3 days rest....not bad for a stud Ace like him. He also has a completely well rested Wade Miller ready to go 3 or more innings and closer Cody Allen rested as well. The 6^th game blow out allowed him to hold them back.

I think the Cubs just got out-managed in the pitching department.

Kluber may not be sharp enough to fool them again with those breaking pitches. Or he may go Bumgarner on their ass. We'll see.

Kipnis has kind of been taking the lead in the Indians hitting lately while Lindor has faded. I think Rajai Davis will be back in center after the debacle that was Tyler Naquin last night, don't you? A play that ugly could have permanent psychic ramifications to the team. (I'm talking about the first inning pop-up by Addison Russell that fell untouched by human hands in right center. Cost 2 runs and the ballgame, essentially. Naquin can pinch run.

I am definitely jacked up for this game. It might be a classic...you just never know in baseball. One of these teams will at last be destiny's darling. The other one will lapse back into their multiple decade-long funk. The Baseball Gods must decide. The Cubs should go sacrifice a goat or something.

I say it's the Indians 5-4.

Over and out ball fans!