World Series 2016 Game 3: Indians @ Cubs

Ok, here’ s why getting the split away during the 1st 2 games of a 7 game Series is important- it’s not that Home Field advantage (they only have 2 left and you have 3) passes to you, or even that you really expect to get a close out sweep (though it’s certainly possible even if it’s a tad inconvenient from a crowd control standpoint). Nope. It’s that you’ve proven that you can win at your opponent’s Ballpark and they haven’t… yet.

Now normally for the Senior League team this is really important because you have the added benefit of forcing your Junior League competition to bat their Pitcher who’s usually pretty terrible at it (why do you think he’s in the Junior League?) and hasn’t practiced all year. Also most Junior League teams keep around an elderly former “star” who once could actually play Baseball but is now too creaky even to hit let alone field and draws down a huge multi-year contract that keeps you from signing anyone talented just to put butts in the seats during your 162 game mausoleum freak show tour.

If I want to see dead people walking I’ll scope out the smoking lounge at a funeral parlor. You think I’m creepy? Well, I don’t do it as often as I used to- restraining orders.

This year however is kind of a Mirror, Mirror Trek where the Indians play small Ball (put runners on base and score them) and the Cubbies have the big… well, clubs.

And it bites them in the ass today and probably for the rest of their stay at the friendly confines of Wrigley since they have decided that Kyle Schwarber who has just came back from a torn knee in Game 2 of the World Series after leaving the field on April 7th is too fragile for the Outfield. This is unfortunate for the Cubs as his 2 RBIs represent 1/3rd of their entire run production this Series.

Still, the Indians only have the one pitcher, Kluber, and the Cubs have 3 including tonight’s starter Hendricks who has only 1 Win, 1 Loss and a No Decision with a 1.65 ERA. On paper Tomlin is a match with 2 Victories, but his ERA is an unspectacular 2.53 and he’s never stayed in for a 6 full Innings. That would mean more if we hadn’t had a travel day yesterday, still the wear and tear on the Indians Bullpen and Starters has got to factor in at some point if it didn’t already start to in Game 2.