Playoff Prospectus: As... (10/29)
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October 29, 2016 Playoff ProspectusThe Highlight Reel: World Series Game 3C.R.E.A.M. (Coco Rules Everything Around Me) Championship seasons are filled with unlikely heroes coming up in big spots. The Indians are not champions yet, but should they seal the deal they certainly have their unlikely hero. With runners at the corners in the seventh, Coco Crisp flared a meek single out to right field, scoring Michael Martinez before Rajai Davis decided to commit baserunner suicide by trying to advance to third on a ball hit right in front of Jorge Soler. The Crisp single was a big moment and it ended up being the key to Cleveland’s win, but it still managed to get out-shined by (Hawk Harrelson voice) the worst baserunning read I’ve seen in all my years watching playoff baseball. Cleveland bullpen brings the ruckus The Cubs were lining Andrew Miller up in Game 1, but they ultimately came up empty. In Game 3, Andrew Miller shut the whole thing down, striking out Dexter Fowler, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo on sliders. Bryan Shaw tossed an effective 1.2 innings before Cody Allen came in and shut the door, giving Cleveland a 2-1 series lead. Cody Allen struck out Javier Báez on a beautiful sequence to end the game as well, getting Báez to extend the zone down and away with a slider before blowing him up with a high and tight heater. Josh Tomlin protects ya neck Tomlin posted a solid, gutty performance against the Cubs in Game 3. He went 4.2 innings and only gave up two hits by working primarily with his sinker/cutter/curveball combination. Tomlin’s curve was effective in changing the eye levels of a few Cubs hitters, which opened up the upper portions of the strike zone. It certainly wasn’t dominant, but Tomlin pitched well. Kyle Hendricks and the mystery of chessboxin’ Kyle Hendricks posted a highly productive 2016 season as a young bull pitching like an old geezer; working with a fastball that touches 90 mph from the right side, changing speeds, executing scouting reports, and maintaining strong command throughout the season. On this night, however, the command was off and his stuff wasn’t sharp. Hendricks got some favorable calls low in the zone early in the game and he took to the zone quickly, pounding the lower half, which kept the ball in the ballpark. The key moment for Hendricks and the Cubs' staff came in the top of the fifth. Tyler Naquin singled to start the inning, Tomlin bunted him over, Carlos Santana walked, and then Hendricks hit Jason Kipnis to load the bases. Hendricks was pulled. Justin Grimm came in and he induced an inning ending double play that seemed to swing momentum Chicago’s way. Carlos Santana in the outfield, can it all be so simple? The wind was blowing out upwards of 20 miles per hour, which when paired with a guy who's played 67 total professional games in the outfield was bound for some funny moments out there, right? The result was boring. Santana wasn’t really challenged in left field and he handled the stuff that came his way well enough. That Soler-Chisenhall triple, tearz When I was a younger man a close mentor of mine dropped a line on me that I’ll never forget. We were watching a mutual friend coach a youth basketball team when one of the players tripped on a wet spot on the floor and fell on his ass, creating an open lane for a layup. My mentor leaned over to me and simply said: “It’s a cold world outchea.” Lonnie Chisenhall is one of the best baseball players on the planet and I’m sure he works very hard to maintain his craft. All that work, talent, and preparation did not shine through on a tricky fly ball in the right field corner that resulted in a funny moment and a Jorge Soler triple. Cold world, indeed. Bill Murray and the 7th chamber Nah man it doesn’t need to be that.
Mauricio Rubio is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @MRubio52
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