Crawling out of your skin yet?
Or are you serene and calm about this postseason series against the Giants?
Either is a reasonable response. We're almost here, just a couple hours to the first pitch.
The Cubs' all-time record in postseason games is uninspiring. No, check that: it's awful. Four postseason series wins in 17 postseason years (1907 and 1908 World Series, 2003 and 2015 division series).
All-time Cubs postseason W/L record: 33-60-1 (the tie was in the 1907 World Series). In the divisional play era, it's 13-27.
Personally, I have attended 31 Cubs postseason games of the 40 played in my lifetime. My personal record: 11-20.
It's way past time to make all those numbers better. Go Cubs!
Site note: As we did here last year, Josh Timmers will post a "Rapid Recap" very shortly after the end of every postseason game. I'll follow that up with my usual recap in the morning at 8 a.m. CT.
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Zobrist LF, Russell SS, Heyward RF, Baez 2B, Ross C, Lester P
Giants lineup:
Hernandez CF, Belt 1B, Posey C, Pence RF, Pagan LF, Crawford SS, Tomlinson 2B, Gillaspie 3B, Cueto P
Jon Lester
vs
Johnny Cueto
Jon Lester nearly threw a no-hitter last time he faced the Giants, September 2 at Wrigley Field. Hunter Pence broke up the no-no with a home run with two out in the seventh. Lester wound up with a three-hit complete game. Lester had a 1.74 ERA and 0.890 WHIP in 15 starts at Wrigley this year, and 1.13 (six earned runs in 48 innings) after the All-Star break.
Johnny Cueto held the Cubs to one run in seven innings September 4 at Wrigley Field. We are very familiar with him from his long history with the Reds. He has made 24 career starts vs. the Cubs and posted a 3.24 ERA and 1.193 WHIP in 150 innings. Those are very close to his career numbers. At Wrigley Field he's made 15 lifetime starts and been a bit better: 3.07 ERA, 1.260 WHIP in 93⅔ innings.
Cueto had a good September: 1.78 ERA, 1.047 WHIP in five starts. Lester's September was better: 0.48 ERA, 0.696 WHIP and the Pitcher of the Month award. (Trying to ignore that bad start he had October 1 in Cincinnati).
Today's game is on FS1. Announcers: Matt Vasgersian, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The 2016 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used at the end of 2015. Here's how it works.
You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.