2015 NL Wild Card Live Blog

5:01	Jeff Sullivan: Hello friends

5:02	Jeff Sullivan: Welcome to liveblog!

5:02	Jeff Sullivan: Joining me at some point will be Carson, I bet

5:03	Jeff Sullivan: For whatever it’s worth, this does not operate like a usual Q&A chat. There will be way too many people in here for us to put most comments though. Also I’m watching on MLB.tv which is always delayed by like 30 minutes so the chat will probably also be delayed in turn!

5:03	Comment From Sean Hello Jeff, are you going to constantly yell about the managers not using their relievers?

5:03	Jeff Sullivan: I get bored of managerial criticism in the playoffs. As far as I’m concerned it’s mostly on the players to execute

5:03	Comment From Oil Can Boyd Cal looks a bit thinner than usual

5:03	Jeff Sullivan: Nationals job stress

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: 0

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: 0

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: Pirates!

5:05	Comment From Norrin Radd Do you get to avoid Ernie Johnson on mlb.tv?

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: I sure do not!

5:05	Comment From The+Dude Why wasn’t negative runs a choice?

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: Ran out of room

5:06	Comment From doug-out if you’re in the usa, how can you watch on mlb.tv?

5:06	Jeff Sullivan: It’s complicated!

5:06	Comment From Clint Hurdle How many outs does Clint give away to the Cubs tonight?

5:06	Jeff Sullivan: 70% of me expects Harrison to bunt in the bottom of the first

5:07	Comment From Guesto Yankee fan here, sensitive time for me. But I swear if I hear one comment out of anybody reminding me that Cole was drafted by the Yankees and didn’t sign…..I may lose it

5:07	Jeff Sullivan: They also drafted Mark Prior!

5:07	Comment From Tucker I still can’t believe they are letting you and Carson provide content unsupervised.

5:07	Carson Cistulli: Hello. Sorry. I searched all the PBS channels and couldn’t find the game.

5:07	Jeff Sullivan: Wait until we load up the webcams

5:08	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, hello.

5:09	Jeff Sullivan: Carson, hi

5:09	Jeff Sullivan: Fowler with an out-of-his-shoes swing

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: Wonder how many center fielders make a catch on that sinking liner. Not easy, but McCutchen pulled up qiuck

5:10	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, please correct me if I’m wrong, but we’re expecting that Cole might have some success on the inside corner against LHBs, yes? With Nelson umping, I mean.

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: Could get one or two extra strikes. Not that we’ll notice with this camera angle

5:11	Comment From The Hamburglar This camera angle sucks

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: PNC has the best camera angle in baseball so why not mess it up for the playoffs?

5:11	Comment From Ron What is the narrative if Jake gets roughed up early?

5:11	Carson Cistulli: Right.

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: Pittsburgh crowd or innings-related fatigue

5:12	Comment From Sean Any obvious x factors tonight for either team?

5:12	Jeff Sullivan: The team that misses fewer mistakes by the good pitcher wins

5:12	Comment From The+Dude Thoughts on the Cubs defense?

5:13	Carson Cistulli: With regard to mistakes, August Fagerstrom did a good job this morning documenting how Keuchel makes, like, zero of them.

5:13	Jeff Sullivan: Arrieta down the stretch generated basically only strikeouts and grounders so they get to take some outfield liberties

5:13	Comment From JCender Game over, right? Or does Arrieta have to actually pitch?

5:14	Jeff Sullivan: Polling has Cole’s runs-allowed total centered around 2

5:14	Jeff Sullivan: Cubs favored nearly 2-to-1

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: Sean Rodriguez didn’t literally drop that throw to first base so already the defense is paying off for Pittsburgh

5:16	Carson Cistulli: Anthony Rizzo: only a 15.0% K rate this year.

5:16	Comment From Richard Sounds like there are a lot of cubs fans there

5:16	Comment From Blerg Am I the only one that likes the decision to start Sean Rodriguez?

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: They’re never not around

5:16	Carson Cistulli: Presumably Clint Hurdle likes it, too!

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: Cubs fans are like parsley in the American salad bar

5:16	Carson Cistulli: And Sean Rodriguez. So no fewer than three people.

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Defense!

5:17	Comment From The Hamburglar You were saying?

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Whoopsadoodle

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Pedro Alvarez would’ve dropped that worse

5:17	Carson Cistulli: And we get to the delicious Italian meat of the order, Tommy La Stella

5:17	Carson Cistulli: Or, I guess that started with Anthony Rizzo.

5:17	Comment From The Hamburglar It’s so funny to me that Tommy La Stella is batting 5th tonight

5:18	Comment From Whirling darvish He’s dedicating this at bat to you Carson

5:18	Carson Cistulli: No one hasn’t not substantiated that.

5:18	Jeff Sullivan: La Stella strikes out looking, like I assume he does 70% of the time

5:18	Comment From Jimbo La Stella was setting up Cole for an at-bat later in the game!!

5:19	Carson Cistulli: Love the way La Stella forced Cole to throw three pitches there.

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: I was wrong. That was La Stella’s second called strikeout of the season

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: Where the season was 75 plate appearances, and that plate appearance

5:20	Comment From Yo-Yo How do the Cardinals compete with these two teams going forward? Their farm system is pretty bad, but they’ve got tens of millions of dollars available to spend.

5:20	Carson Cistulli: How are you watching this, Sullivan? I assume you don’t have cable.

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: The Cardinals’ farm system doesn’t matter. They’ll just polish a pile of garbage into a three-win starting pitcher

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: MLB.tv, my friend

5:21	Jeff Sullivan: This way the only commercials I see are for MLB.tv

5:21	Comment From Phillies113 Does tonight’s winner eventually reach the World Series?

5:21	Carson Cistulli: Oh. I attempted to acquire the Postseason package and was informed there was a system error.

5:21	Jeff Sullivan: I assume Jays/Dodgers but hoping Jays/Cubs

5:22	Comment From Gary Which radio station should I be listening to on Gameday Audio? Cubs or Pirates?

5:22	Carson Cistulli: Is there no way to get Kasper/Deshaies? Are they not working the game at all?

5:23	Carson Cistulli: 25% of Arrieta’s pitches tonight are for strikes three.

5:23	Comment From Jack Bandit If you had asked me “how many of the starters in this game are hitting .300” beforehand, it might have taken me a few guesses to get to “0”

5:24	Comment From Ace Swinging at the first pitch against Arrieta…. doens’t seem smart.

5:24	Carson Cistulli: Unfortunately, all the other pitches are difficult, too.

5:25	Comment From John Can you find out how the chat feels about people saying “[name of pitcher] is DEALing”?

5:25	Jeff Sullivan: Took a few minutes to welcome my girlfriend back home and Arrieta already has two outs and two strikes

5:25	Jeff Sullivan: #scripted

5:26	Jeff Sullivan: Not a problem.

5:26	Jeff Sullivan: A hit! Best Pirates game against Arrieta of the season

5:27	Jeff Sullivan: Sure enough, three first-pitch fastballs so far from Arrieta

5:27	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, what would Arrieta produce in terms of run prevention if he threw only his cutter all the time?

5:27	Comment From kevinthecomic does it usually only take you “a few minutes” to welcome your girlfriend home?

5:27	Jeff Sullivan: A non-fastball!

5:27	Jeff Sullivan: Let’s go with a 3.50 FIP?

5:28	Carson Cistulli: It’s one of the least probable pitches any starter throws in the league. Roughly, what?, 90-92 with that gloveside break?

5:29	Jeff Sullivan: deGrom and Harvey have something a little like that

5:29	Carson Cistulli: Challenge for everyone! Find the address in either Chicago or Pittsburgh with the highest Walk Score.

5:30	Jeff Sullivan: But those with similar pitches don’t have similar command of it

5:30	Carson Cistulli: (I don’t know the answer, but I DO like passing too much of my day researching Walk Scores.)

5:30	Comment From Sean WTF is a Walk Score?

5:30	Carson Cistulli: walkscore.com

5:31	Jeff Sullivan: The header picture on walkscore.com is the Portland west waterfront!

5:31	Comment From Sean Pirates fan: I feel like cole often gives up early runs then settles in. any truth to that, or observation bias?

5:31	Comment From Eric 801 N Wabash Ave, Chicago IL, 60611

5:31	Jeff Sullivan: .675 OPS first time through the order, .557 second time

5:31	Comment From Eric Its 100

5:31	Carson Cistulli: It is! Impressive.

5:32	Comment From Timothy I sincerely wish they would allow Cistulli to join the broadcast booth.

5:32	Carson Cistulli: You are the only person!

5:32	Jeff Sullivan: Cole this year gave up 18 first-inning runs. No other inning with more than 11

5:32	Jeff Sullivan: Matt Garza wants to put that play in the Hall of Fame

5:33	Jeff Sullivan: Cole’s phone buzzes. “how the shit did you do that”

5:33	Comment From The+Dude Are there unlimited challenged in the Post Season?

5:33	Carson Cistulli: Believe it’s the normal amount.

5:34	Comment From Phillies113 Which would you rather encounter: an actual pirate, or an actual bear cub?

5:34	Jeff Sullivan: How young is the bear cub?

5:34	Jeff Sullivan: I take the bear up until about 6 – 10 months

5:34	Carson Cistulli: How young is the pirate?

5:35	Comment From James S How near is its mother?

5:35	Jeff Sullivan: I assume you can only be a pirate by choice

5:35	Jeff Sullivan: If you’re old enough to choose to be a pirate, you’re old enough to be dangerous

5:35	Carson Cistulli: If both your parent are pirates, Jeff, you’re going to be a pirate.

5:35	Comment From santos more pertinent, black bear or brown bear?

5:35	Jeff Sullivan: let me check the Punnett squares

5:35	Carson Cistulli: Also a relevant distinction.

5:36	Comment From The Hamburglar Imagine a dad being disappointed when his son doesnt wanna follow the family business of being a pirate

5:37	Carson Cistulli: “I just always saw myself as a CPA, dad.”

5:37	Jeff Sullivan: A pirate is essentially a misbehaving sailor

5:37	Comment From kevinthecomic shame, so many young people today get shoehorned into piracy because that’s all they knew at home

5:37	Jeff Sullivan: This is why I always figured the Pirates and the Mariners should be league rivals

5:38	Carson Cistulli: Mariners are probably gross in their own way. Also, they’re always rhyming.

5:38	Comment From a eskpert We have intergenerational determinism for Pirates as a subgroup for sure

5:39	Comment From Tom Carson, should I mute the game to listen to the latest edition of Fangraphs Audio with lead prospect analyst Kiley McDaniel?

5:39	Carson Cistulli: Roughly the same length.

5:39	Comment From John “I spent all these years plundering so YOU could get a college education!”

5:39	Jeff Sullivan: Big miss with that curveball. Montero wanted it in the dirt

5:39	Jeff Sullivan: And he expressed as much with his body language!

5:40	Carson Cistulli: Without looking, is that a swing and miss pitch for Arrieta, Jeff? The curve?

5:40	Jeff Sullivan: Fans cheering for a Francisco Cervelli time out

5:41	Jeff Sullivan: Carson: I would assume it’s not a huge swing-and-miss pitch? Curveballs seldom are

5:42	Jeff Sullivan: There’s a curveball swing and miss

5:42	Jeff Sullivan:

5:43

Comment From nick
Hi Carson. I’m the captain of my company’s terrible coed softball team, and this year I decided to end all of our weekly emails with a Cioran aphorism from The Trouble With Being Born (avoiding the suicide ones of course). We finished 1-10 on the year. I attribute the win to Cioran effect. Thank you for introducing me to him.

5:43	Jeff Sullivan: I was wrong. Arrieta’s curveball is a swing-and-miss pitch! All of his pitches are swing-and-miss pitches

5:44	Carson Cistulli: Nick, that’s everything I want from a world.

5:44	Comment From Bat Jeff, I was pleasantly surprised by Jessica Mendoza last night. That’s the first time I heard her on a game and though she waited to inject her comments at the right time and they were insightful. Your thoughts?

5:45	Jeff Sullivan: I’m not a professional broadcast critic, so don’t go to me for expert input, but I liked last night’s booth overall. Obviously Archer was solid, but Mendoza timed her insights well and I thought fit in rather seamlessly.

5:46	Carson Cistulli: And what was most satisfying is how no member of the public resorted to foul or cruel language regarding the presence of a woman in a broadcast booth.

5:46	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know if the average person “buys” her as someone who knows the game well enough to discuss it, but if they don’t, that’s on them. She’s going to be hugely important for the next wave of women having a successful foundation in the industry

5:46	Comment From Phillies113 You’re missing Chevrolet throwing eggs at people though

5:47	Jeff Sullivan: I haven’t seen a commercial in like seven months. Far fewer people in my life telling me to purchase boner drugs

5:47	Carson Cistulli: I’m sure plenty of commenters here would be willing to tell you to purchase boner drugs, Sullivan.

5:47	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder what percent of Cole wants to drill Arrieta in the neck right now

5:47	Jeff Sullivan: I guess not 50+ %

5:48	Comment From Fletch I’m getting Viagra ads with excessive amounts of eye contact.

5:48	Jeff Sullivan: Who has time to use a boner during the playoffs

5:48	Comment From S Last night’s game had the highest ESPN baseball viewership in over 10 years

5:48	Jeff Sullivan: Now imagine if they got this one

5:49	Comment From Jimbo What is your best guess on how many WAR Maddon was worth this year?

5:49	Jeff Sullivan: 0 to 1

5:49	Carson Cistulli: Dexter Fowler hitting a ball to Gregory Polanco. Perhaps the two lankiest current ballplayers.

5:50	Carson Cistulli: Plus maybe Jason Heyward and/or Christian Yelich.

5:50	Carson Cistulli: Kyle Schwarber: not lanky.

5:50	Carson Cistulli: Oh my.

5:50	Carson Cistulli: Anyone on a delay is about to see something…

5:51	Jeff Sullivan: Holy heavens

5:51	Comment From Fletch the suspense!

5:51	Comment From Brian Kyle Schwarber: Strong

5:51	Comment From BR Well, that ball was hit reasonably well

5:51	Jeff Sullivan: That was not a very good pitch!

5:52	Carson Cistulli: Dexter Fowler was pretty sure about the final destination of that batted ball.

5:52	Carson Cistulli: Pirates!

5:52	Comment From Blerg Guesses on how far that traveled?

5:52	Carson Cistulli: 450?

5:53	Jeff Sullivan: The real numbers are always more underwhelming than the guesses. I’ll go 410

5:53	Comment From Julian What would happen here if Hurdle came out and got Arrieta tossed for using pine tar?

5:53	Jeff Sullivan: This is from 30 minutes ago but it should be highly considered!

5:53	Jeff Sullivan: Check the beard

5:53	Comment From Leroy I miss having the Zips/Steamer RoS projections. Is there a way to see what they would be? I use it as a true talent estimate, especially for a player with limited track record like Schwarber

5:53	Jeff Sullivan: http://www.fangraphs.com/pr…

5:53	Comment From Eric What do you think the Cubs post Arrieta plan will be tonight?

5:53	Jeff Sullivan: Not convinced they have one

5:54	Comment From Blerg Your guess on how many WAR Matt Williams was worth this year?

5:54	Comment From Sean L. Best guess on Matt Williams’ WAR.

5:54	Jeff Sullivan: -2

5:54	Carson Cistulli: Those were for you, Sullivan.

5:54	Jeff Sullivan: I nearly made that a post!

5:54	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder if Ray Searage can make Jake Arrieta worse

5:54	Comment From Alex Statcast projects 449.83 feet, nice job cistulli

5:54	Carson Cistulli: Snap.

5:55	Comment From Sean wow, TOOTBLAN

5:55	Comment From Mike Ugh, a TOOTBLAN.

5:55	Carson Cistulli: Tough play for Bryant, though. Mercer did NOT look certain about the play.

5:56	Jeff Sullivan: That was mostly a good play by Mercer but Bryant strayed a bit too far. If that ball drops, he can still make it another 60 feet

5:56	Comment From Pale Hose Chris Sale is the league leader in lanky

5:56	Comment From Aj Grands Re: lanky ballplayers: Uh, Chris Sale, people?

5:56	Jeff Sullivan: WILL THAT OPEN THE DOOR TO THE PIRATES’ ATTACK

5:57	Carson Cistulli: I neglected Chris Sale in consideration of MLB lank.

5:57	Comment From JackS Henry Owens will lead MLB in lankiness (xLANK) by midway through next season.

5:57	Carson Cistulli: And Henry Owens.

5:57	Comment From Adam Sean Rodriguez is making first base look very hard

5:58	Jeff Sullivan: Henry Owens officially has 40 pounds on Chris Sale. They’re not even in the same galaxy of lank

5:58	Carson Cistulli: Perhaps he’s a plant, attempting to increase the positional adjustment on behalf of all the league’s real first basemen.

5:58	Jeff Sullivan: Pertinent to nothing, the worst projected hitter in baseball now is Steve Baron (.220 wOBA). Jesus Sucre second-worst (.231)

5:58	Carson Cistulli: I’m not smart enough to know if a third-inning PH is the CORRECT decision, but it’s delightfully aggressive.

5:59	Jeff Sullivan: Pinch-hitter in the third inning. This is awesome

5:59	Comment From Jason Clint Hurdle pulling out the stops. Like the move to PH?

5:59	Carson Cistulli: Answered pre-emptively!

5:59	Comment From Mark Defensive substitution for previous innings

6:00	Carson Cistulli: Retro-active defensive replacement?

6:00	Jeff Sullivan: If Pedro Alvarez has the ability to shrink every ballpark, he should selectively also expand every ballpark when his team is pitching

6:00	Jeff Sullivan: There’s roughly a third of the Pedro Alvarez experience right there

6:01	Comment From Nick MARLINS GUY IS HERE!

6:01	Jeff Sullivan: And wasn’t he there yesterday?

6:01	Jeff Sullivan: Does this guy work?

6:01	Jeff Sullivan: Is this guy dying of something?

6:01	Carson Cistulli: Gerrit Cole didn’t look entirely confident in that last swing.

6:02	Carson Cistulli: Gregory Polanco to Dexter Fowler? Lank on lank, again?

6:02	Carson Cistulli: No. Strikeout, more like.

6:03	Comment From a eskpert Jeff Sullivan

6:04	Carson Cistulli: Can’t argue with that.

6:04	Jeff Sullivan: The original narrative was that Arrieta would mow through the Pirates. The counter-narrative was that the Pirates were being underrated. Original narrative kicking counter-narrative’s lily ass at the moment

6:04	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know if lily ass is an expression but I listened to the offspring once

6:04	Comment From Ryan So what would an Arrieta extension look like this off-season?

6:04	Carson Cistulli: Lily white ass?

6:04	Jeff Sullivan: 7 years, ownership of Cubs

6:05	Comment From Norrin Radd How does Marlins man always get a ticket?

6:05	Jeff Sullivan: He is the president of the country

6:05	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, any interest in some boner drugs?

6:06	Jeff Sullivan: Increasingly yes

6:06	Carson Cistulli: La Stella!

6:06	Comment From Aj Grands Watching Jake Arrieta makes me wonder, which pitcher has the most in common with Orioles-era Arrieta and thus might be poached by a smart team? Is there anything about Arrieta that made this at all foreseeable other than his prospect pedigree?

6:06	Jeff Sullivan: The pedigree suggested the raw talent level. The rest is focus and development. This isn’t the kind of question that can be answered easily on the fly in a chat but it could be future post material!

6:07	Comment From The Hamburglar Can we get a professional broadcast critic to host a chat then?

6:07	Jeff Sullivan: Media critics are annoying

6:07	Carson Cistulli: Blengino mentioned seeing Arrieta in the Cape Cod league and thinking that he offered more in the way of pitchability than stuff.

6:07	Carson Cistulli: Which, now Arrieta offers pitchability AND stuff.

6:08	Carson Cistulli: One note: MANY people in the queue are writing “Kevin Gausman.”

6:08	Comment From dan It’s gonna be Gausman next

6:08	Comment From tz Kevin Gausmann?

6:08	Jeff Sullivan: Gausman will be next but not in an Arrieta way

6:08	Comment From Frank So who is the next Cy Young contender Baltimore trades away (my money is on Gausman)

6:09	Jeff Sullivan: The Orioles are getting a pitcher rep the way the Mariners have a hitter rep

6:09	Jeff Sullivan: Wonder how much of that is because of Arrieta alone

6:10	Carson Cistulli: Gausman, I think, is a name that’s constantly appearing on Sarris’s list of pitchers whose pitch-type peripherals (whiff rate, ground-ball rate) suggest greater success.

6:10	Carson Cistulli: Like Carlos Carrasco from alst year.

6:10	Carson Cistulli: *last

6:10	Comment From Rick BREf says the most comparable pitchers for Arrieta at ages 25 and 26 were Bud Norris and Jason Hammel. So it looks like the Cubs have already poached one of the Arrieta-style pitchers.

6:10	Jeff Sullivan: I still think Gausman should be using his fastball differently

6:11	Jeff Sullivan: Host challenge: discuss Kevin Gausman and Kevin Gausman only until the Pirates get a runner to second

6:11	Comment From Steve By the way, thanks for doing these chats. Makes it even more difficult for me to get motivated to study for my clinical rotation exam. Baseball is just too much fun!

6:11	Carson Cistulli: I worry for all your future patients.

6:12	Comment From I Like Pretzels Kevin Gausman spelled backwards is Namsuag Nivek.

6:12	Carson Cistulli: Who, I believe, is a strike for Ajax. Right?

6:12	Carson Cistulli: *striker

6:13	Comment From The+Dude Eduardo Rodriguez another promising pitcher traded by the Orioles.

6:13	Carson Cistulli: That comment is Gausman-related, Jeff.

6:13	Jeff Sullivan: I’ll allow it

6:13	Comment From John Namsuag Nivek is an Indian cricketer

6:13	Jeff Sullivan: One of the things about Rodriguez is that his stuff immediately played up after he joined the Red Sox. Which is a problem for the Orioles!

6:14	Jeff Sullivan: Game delayed for miniature hot-air balloon

6:14	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe a prayer balloon

6:14	Carson Cistulli: Being piloted by miniature people, I think.

6:14	Carson Cistulli: Arrieta throws either (a) a 92 mph cutter or (b) 96 mph fastball.

6:16	Jeff Sullivan: Welp, it’s been fun you guys

6:16	Comment From BABIP PLS BABIP PLS

6:16	Jeff Sullivan: Arrieta doesn’t allow that either

6:17	Comment From Jenstrom You’re ditching us?!

6:17	Jeff Sullivan: No, the game is

6:17	Comment From a eskpert Is what gameday is saying are 90 mph sliders cutters?

6:17	Jeff Sullivan: Indeed!

6:17	Comment From The Hamburglar Well I guess they can’t all be great games

6:17	Jeff Sullivan: Sometimes they’re last year’s version of this game

6:18	Jeff Sullivan: And sometimes they’re the year before’s version of this game

6:18	Comment From Spry Did TBS go out for anyone else?

6:18	Jeff Sullivan: That was just the Pirates

6:19	Comment From mooks man arrieta is awesome but I hate it when everyone says something is gonna happen then it does

6:19	Jeff Sullivan: If it never happened like that then we wouldn’t have jobs because baseball analysis would be a stupid waste of time

6:19	Comment From Furious Onanist I looked at up the leverage index and it just says to watch Leverage reruns instead.

6:19	Comment From a eskpert What would need to happen in this game for it to end up on ESPN classic?

6:20	Jeff Sullivan: for that to be more than just a miniature candle lantern

6:20	Carson Cistulli: For Indian cricketer Namsuag Nivek to sign with the Pirates in the middle of a game and record a series of 6s.

6:20	Jeff Sullivan: wouldn’t be their first Indian acquisition!

6:21	Comment From David G Temple If Cole caught a comebacker in his mouth and then swallowed the ball, that might be Classic Moment.

6:21	Comment From Designated Bitter Kevin Gausman storms the field with a steel chair and lays the smack down

6:21	Jeff Sullivan: Question: how would the play be ruled if Cole ate the baseball?

6:21	Jeff Sullivan: is that an out or a home run?

6:21	Comment From Ryan Are we ready to anoint the Cubs the team of destiny yet?

6:21	Carson Cistulli: Would have to wait for him to digest it and evacuate his bowels.

6:21	Jeff Sullivan: Yes, destiny is very clearly a Cubs fan

6:22	Comment From The Hamburglar An actual band of pirates pillages PNC

6:22	Comment From Norrin Radd 5 of 7 road teams have won these wild card games do you make anything of that?

6:22	Jeff Sullivan: not even a little bit

6:22	Comment From JD my roommate, a Pirates fan, keeps switching to hockey because of how dejected he is.. :/

6:22	Carson Cistulli: Oh my. An event!

6:22	Jeff Sullivan: in fairness hockey is terrific!

6:22	Comment From Tom Blamo!

6:22	Jeff Sullivan: aw jesus

6:23	Jeff Sullivan: Cubs’ win expectancy presently 103%

6:23	Jeff Sullivan: Pirates’ best hope is a fan with poison blow darts

6:23	Comment From Spry Where is that over-lit Chicago location? Why is it so lit?

6:23	Carson Cistulli: And what is it’s walk score?

6:23	Comment From Adam Why is cole still in?

6:24	Carson Cistulli: Yes, Jeff. Why?

6:24	Carson Cistulli: Because he hasn’t actually gotten in trouble? Just allowed homers?

6:24	Jeff Sullivan: Cole isn’t pitching horribly and the Pirates know the homers aren’t predictive

6:25	Jeff Sullivan: But he is just about finished

6:25	Comment From Mike Wow, Cole looked he knew he made a mistake immediately.

6:25	Jeff Sullivan: Not the first bad pitch he’s ever thrown

6:25	Comment From slash12 That donger was jacked quite convincingly.

6:25	Carson Cistulli: Unambiguously.

6:26	Comment From Gabriel Gutierrez Jeff, if Cole eats the baseball I think runners are awarded one base.

6:26	Jeff Sullivan: Not counting the bases they advance while Cole tries to fit the baseball through his throat

6:26	Carson Cistulli: Are we just imagining a scenario, though, in which he EASILY swallows the ball?

6:26	Carson Cistulli: Because that’s how the scene is playing out in my dumb head.

6:27	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t understand that

6:27	Comment From #cub-tober yeah, I was envisioning a Pac-Man type consumption of the ball

6:27	Jeff Sullivan: The only baseball players who could easily swallow a baseball are Mike Trout and Kyle Schwarber

6:27	Comment From sooo so when would you have pulled gerritt cole?

6:28	Jeff Sullivan: This isn’t a Clint Hurdle problem game, this is a Jake Arrieta problem game

6:28	Carson Cistulli: Right. It requires no effort. He just has a different physiology under these circumstances.

6:28	Jeff Sullivan: I think that got Cervelli in the hand?

6:28	Jeff Sullivan: Indeed!

6:28	Jeff Sullivan: At least now we get a little atmosphere for a few moments

6:29	Comment From Xmx Would you pull arrieta now?

6:29	Carson Cistulli: If I were the Pirates dressed up as the Cubs, yes.

6:29	Jeff Sullivan: Goodbye atmosphere

6:30	Comment From JD at which inning, with the game looking over-ish, do i run out of excuses to not be writing this paper? Can Carson write my paper?

6:30	Jeff Sullivan: In my experience, if you’re putting off work to watch a game, you don’t actually do the work until the game is complete

6:30	Jeff Sullivan: It’s impossible to stop paying attention, just in case

6:31	Comment From anon at what point is this a blowout

6:31	Jeff Sullivan: 4 is cruising, 6 is blowout

6:31	Comment From Shark Hunting So how do the Pirates claw their way back into this? Same wild and wacky homers as the cubbies?

6:31	Carson Cistulli: Is the paper about the Great Gatsby? Because, if so, it’s a tale of the broken promises of the American dream. Start there.

6:31	Jeff Sullivan: They need an extra-base hit and a run to know that it’s even possible to score

6:32	Comment From Mike JD – Don’t worry about papers/or any other work related material.

6:32	Carson Cistulli: Yeah, see? Listen to Mike.

6:33	Jeff Sullivan: This is the best hope I can offer to Pirates fans http://www.baseball-referen…

6:33	Comment From Xmx Is nelsons zone somewhat reasonable so far?

6:33	Jeff Sullivan: 6-1, Kershaw over Cardinals, after 5

6:33	Carson Cistulli: Looks pretty good, the zone: http://www.fangraphs.com/li….

6:33	Carson Cistulli: A little conservative, actually, in some cases.

6:34	Carson Cistulli: Although, maybe a bit less conservative to Alvarez, who gets caught on a lefty strike.

6:34	Carson Cistulli: Literally ALL of Nelson’s called strikes until that point were at least brushing the strike zone.

6:34	Jeff Sullivan: Interestingly, that cutter was supposed to be inside

6:35	Jeff Sullivan: Missed away but still threw it around into the zone (ish)

6:35	Jeff Sullivan: Of course the god damn stupid TBS camera angle makes it impossible to arrive at any reasonable conclusion in real time

6:36	Comment From The Hamburglar How do we feel about this TV announcing crew?

6:36	Jeff Sullivan: Liked yesterday’s more

6:36	Jeff Sullivan:

6:36	Jeff Sullivan: But I don’t really listen to the announcers much, especially when I’m chatting

6:36	Carson Cistulli: Actually, our data shows that pitch ALSO grazed the zone (as noted above).

6:36	Comment From Ryan If you had the ability to put your fingers in the way of an Arrieta pitch, thinking it’d probably just graze you, would you?

6:37	Jeff Sullivan: 100% yes

6:37	Jeff Sullivan: I am a professional baseball blogger

6:37	Comment From Josh Jeff, keep up the good fight against everyone trying to make everything about the managers.

6:37	Jeff Sullivan: Swear to god October is the time when people most forget there are baseball players doing the playing

6:37	Comment From Vslyke Why the disparity from TBS to your estimation of where that pitch is?

6:37	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, answer this question.

6:38	Jeff Sullivan: When in doubt, assume TBS is stupid

6:38	Carson Cistulli: Seems fair.

6:38	Jeff Sullivan: Gameday had that pitch around the border. Fairy common lefty strike

6:38	Carson Cistulli: Fairy Common

6:38	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know if Gameday is properly calibrated tonight but it’s the best we’ve got

6:39	Jeff Sullivan: By the way, Cubs’ win expectancy: 93%

6:39	Carson Cistulli: Down 10 points.

6:39	Comment From Designated Bitter So… Kevin Gausman, am I right?

6:40	Jeff Sullivan: Here are the Brooks Baseball strike-zone plots http://www.brooksbaseball.n…

6:40	Jeff Sullivan: the pitch to Alvarez wasn’t crazy bad

6:40	Comment From The Hamburglar 4 is cruising, 5 is dealing, 6 is wheeling, 7 is blowout, 8 is destroying

6:41	Jeff Sullivan: I think 6 is blowout under these circumstances

6:41	Jeff Sullivan: runs go down in the playoffs, and all

6:41	Carson Cistulli: Jeff, is this your 30-30 post they’re citing without citing?

6:41	Jeff Sullivan: Can we take a moment to appreciate that there is a player named Bastardo

6:42	Jeff Sullivan: A lot of people wrote 30-30 posts, I think

6:42	Comment From Alex I have 2 job interviews tomorrow. Will I regret turning off the game to prepare for them?

6:42	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t prepare! Be yourself

6:42	Carson Cistulli: Perhaps just organize all your comments around tonight’s Cubs-Pirates game.

6:42	Carson Cistulli: And ask questions. That’s a good strategy.

6:43	Comment From Brian what are the cubs going to do for non-arrieta/lester starts?

6:43	Carson Cistulli: Kyle Hendricks, Ace.

6:43	Jeff Sullivan: use their bullpen

6:43	Comment From David G Temple “I’d say my biggest weakness is blowing off interview preparation to watch baseball games.”

6:43	Jeff Sullivan: only a problem one month of the year!

6:44	Comment From Brian Carson, please compare and contrast the following statements: “don’t hate me because I am beautiful.” And, “don’t hate me, because I am beautiful.”

6:45	Jeff Sullivan: waiting

6:46	Carson Cistulli: What you have there is an example of a coordination vs. subordination.

6:46	Carson Cistulli: That’s all I care to say on the matter.

6:46	Carson Cistulli: More wine!

6:47	Comment From Mark Carson, I have recently begun attending an Ivy League school. Please rank them for me.

6:48	Carson Cistulli: My favorite thing!

6:49	Carson Cistulli: Unfortunately, it’s hard to share opinions of that sort publicly without appearing to be some kind of COLOSSAL DICK. As a D+ celebrity, I don’t need that sort of trouble.

6:49	Carson Cistulli: At least you’re not going to Tufts.

6:49	Jeff Sullivan: got that right

6:50	Comment From Kris A hit!

6:50	Jeff Sullivan: boy is my mlb.tv increasingly behind

6:50	Comment From Crusty Juggler Carson, which superhero do you most identify with, and why?

6:50	Jeff Sullivan: I’m still seeing Jake Arrieta in Baltimore

6:51	Carson Cistulli: Is there a Thin-Wristed Communist Man?

6:51	Carson Cistulli: Bryant! Catching!

6:51	Jeff Sullivan: TBS graphic showing one out instead of a baserunner

6:52	Jeff Sullivan: I can’t tell if that was a good play or an ordinary play

6:52	Comment From Jimbo The Fangraphs zone is wider than the zone on TBS or ESPN.

6:52	Carson Cistulli: It was a good play, Jeff. Or at least an unusual one.

6:52	Comment From Kris There’s both of those, Jeff!

6:52	Jeff Sullivan: I believe they show the rule-book zones, and we show the actual zones (or our estimates of which)

6:52	Comment From Mark (different mark from Ivy Mark; I went to Pitt) It was a very good play

6:52	Comment From DavisCornflower Yes.

6:53	Jeff Sullivan: Two hit batters. Throw him out! Make it interesting!

6:53	Jeff Sullivan: Head-hunting breaking ball, obviously

6:53	Jeff Sullivan: Arrieta’s in some trouble so here comes an old man

6:54	Carson Cistulli: Drinking game for teetotalers: drink whenever Arrieta concedes a run.

6:54	Comment From Designated Bitter Nothing like a crowd of 30,000 middle-aged fans politely applauding “TURN DOWN FOR WHAT”

6:54	Comment From David G Temple How great would it be for an old man to show up every time we had stressful situations?

6:55	Carson Cistulli: Another baserunner!

6:55	Jeff Sullivan: That doesn’t happen for you?

6:55	Carson Cistulli: That’s how four footprints in the sand become just two.

6:55	Jeff Sullivan: Uh oh. More trouble. Better bring out another old man

6:56	Comment From Jenstrom An older man?

6:56	Jeff Sullivan: It’s the playoffs. The oldest of men

6:56	Comment From James S Yep, hurt as much as I thought

6:56	Comment From Kris Welp

6:56	Jeff Sullivan: Oh my good god

6:57	Carson Cistulli: That was a long underhanded toss by Russell.

6:57	Jeff Sullivan: I was very much hoping it would go awry

6:57	Jeff Sullivan: Not that I have much of a rooting interest, but I would like to be rooting for a quality baseball game

6:57	Comment From Designated Bitter No Country For Kevin Gausman

6:57	Carson Cistulli: More Gausman content, Sullivan.

6:58	Carson Cistulli: A Gausman for All Seasons

6:58	Carson Cistulli: Gausman on Wire

6:58	Comment From Jed The Gausman Who Wasn’t There

6:59	Comment From Designated Bitter Gausman of a Certain Age

6:59	Comment From haishan Arms and the Gausman

6:59	Jeff Sullivan: Hollow Gausman

6:59	Comment From nojetsto Rain Gausman

6:59	Comment From David G Temple Gausman of La Mancha

6:59	Comment From Adam The Gausman rings twice

6:59	Jeff Sullivan: Gausman About Town

6:59	Comment From Oddibe Young Gausmaneater

6:59	Comment From Zap Brannigan Gausman On Fire

6:59	Comment From DC The Gausmanchuhrian Candidate

7:00	Comment From Kevin The Third Gausman

7:00	Comment From Jenstrom Iron Gausman

7:00	Comment From Zap Brannigan Three Gausman and a Little Baby

7:01	Carson Cistulli: Alright. Alright. That last one ends it.

7:01	Jeff Sullivan: win expectancy swing of the double play, by the way: -13%

7:01	Jeff Sullivan: went from 18% to 5%

7:01	Comment From Spry How many entries did you get on that tangent? Be honest.

7:02	Carson Cistulli: At least 25 unpublished ones.

7:02	Comment From slash12 sometimes the camera catches arietta, and he looks like an insane person

7:02	Jeff Sullivan: it’s the slightly furrowed brow

7:03	Carson Cistulli: Getting closer to Classic status!

7:03	Comment From Mark FISTICUFFS!

7:03	Jeff Sullivan: !!!!!

7:03	Comment From Designated Bitter CLASSIC FUCKIN BRAWLS

7:03	Jeff Sullivan: an actual fight between actual cubs and actual pirates!

7:03	Carson Cistulli: None of the Cubs’ mothers appear to be anywhere in sight.

7:04	Comment From Phillies113 My monocle is popping out

7:04	Jeff Sullivan: every Pirates player should abandon the scrum and go after Arrieta who’s all by himself

7:04	Jeff Sullivan: although he’s also accompanied by an old man come to think of it

7:04	Comment From Ryan Not quite a full-on donnybrook, more a donnystream.

7:04	Jeff Sullivan: Sean Rodriguez is Michael Morse who never took steroids

7:05	Carson Cistulli: That didn’t not look intentional.

7:05	Comment From David G Temple It must be serious if Fernando Rodney woke up to participate.

7:05	Comment From Compton Travis Snider and Sean Rodriguez posing for prom pictures.

7:06	Comment From Hey Chicago That was bush league right? I’m not just being a homer, right?

7:06	Jeff Sullivan: TBS bar camera clearly showing a man flashing double birds

7:06	Carson Cistulli: It was certainly unwise. Unless Arrieta somehow is gone.

7:07	Comment From The Hamburglar Can we agree that this is all very silly?

7:07	Carson Cistulli: I’m prepared to do that. But not all silly things are un-entertaining.

7:08	Comment From James S As a Pirates fan, super bush league

7:08	Comment From Indian cricketer Namsaug Nivek Yeah, bush league. But fun

7:09	Comment From Designated Bitter Praise Gausman, this has been a fun inning

7:09	Jeff Sullivan: PITCHER STEAL

7:09	Carson Cistulli: What could one say to Sean Rodriguez that would so enrage him? That he was being audited out of spite? I mean, that’s the worst thing, right?

7:10	Comment From Guest that poor cooler didn’t stand a chance. because it’s a cooler.

7:10	Comment From The+Dude Rodriguez sure showed that Gatorade cooler who’s boss!

7:10	Comment From Who_Is_Zorbist? SeanRod must like Powerade.

7:10	Comment From Who_Is_Zorbist?

7:11	Comment From KK-Swizzle Cistulli, what would it take for you to get upgraded to C- celebrity? A twitter scandal? Vaguely racist comments in a highly publicized interview?

7:11	Carson Cistulli: Talent?

7:11	Jeff Sullivan: when I did a quick google search for sean rodriguez steroids this was the first result http://www.raysindex.com/20…

7:12	Jeff Sullivan: “Last week we learned that Sean Rodriguez had punched a locker during a verbal confrontation with a teammate on the Durham Bulls. The result was a broken right hand, a trip to the DL, and possibly the end of his season.”

7:13	Comment From Mark I believe that he had just received his denial letter from Tufts.

7:14	Comment From Spry Why is it so bright there? Is that bar in an ER?

7:14	Comment From IHateJoeBuck As an auditor, I resent that Cistulli! We’re nice people too!

7:14	Jeff Sullivan: This year, there were two pitcher stolen bases. Kudos to Arrieta for capturing a third

7:15	Jeff Sullivan: Let’s see Rodriguez try that on this cooler!

7:15

Comment From Indian cricketer Namsaug Nivek
Um. This quote from Rodriguez in that article is supposed to suggest that he was going to fight somebody. But it “So instead of me normally doing what I normally would have done in the past, which is basically just to go and do a lot of things to him, I tried to exert my energy and frustration elsewhere to try to let it go

7:16	Jeff Sullivan: As far as I can tell, Arrieta’s was the seventh-ever pitcher steal in the playoffs

7:16	Jeff Sullivan: Cliff Lee had one in 2009. John Smoltz had three!

7:16	Carson Cistulli: “Do a lot of things to him”

7:16	Comment From nick “It’s like the best adrenaline rush ever!” says the fanduel/draft kings shrill. Try Russian Roulette, you incessant obnoxious cods.

7:17	Carson Cistulli: Yeah, all you cods.

7:18	Carson Cistulli: Bien joue, Kris Bryant.

7:19	Jeff Sullivan: That was a well executed baseball play

7:20	Carson Cistulli: He’s demonstrated excellent reflexes, is a boring and true observation I’m prepared to make.

7:20	Comment From Shirtless George Brett I like how Rodriguez worked the jab on the cooler to keep it off balance so he could unload with the hook. Classic technique.

7:20	Comment From RSF I don’t believe in cod, and I don’t appreciate you all pushing your beliefs on me.

7:20	Comment From +1 i once, on a druken dare, russian rouletted myself with a butter knife. it hurt.

7:21	Carson Cistulli: Am not sure there’s ever a chance of winning this particular affair.

7:21	Jeff Sullivan: Bryant’s big question this year was supposed to be defense. +3 DRS, +5 UZR

7:21	Jeff Sullivan: how many of us have done the thing where you jam a knife between all your fingers on a table top?

7:21	Carson Cistulli: Poll?

7:21	Jeff Sullivan: You do it

7:22	Carson Cistulli: Gah.

7:22	Carson Cistulli: I have

7:23	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder what percentage of all articles about this game will be written about Sean Rodriguez instead of about a player who made a difference

7:23	Comment From old tex sullivan work ethic

7:24	Jeff Sullivan: I’ve written my articles today. I stopped working hours ago

7:24	Comment From Neil Pirates radio linking it back to Jang Ho Kung

7:24	Jeff Sullivan: Next pitch is going for Coghlan in the dugout

7:24	Comment From d it’s called “Five Finger Fillet,” i believe

7:24	Comment From Designated Bitter That poll suffers from self-selection bias. I question its scientific value

7:25	Comment From Shirtless George Brett Watching the Vancouver Canucks/Calgary Flames game. There was a fight off the opening faceoff. Take that MLB!

7:26	Comment From carter shanghai think arrieta should be taken out now?

7:27	Carson Cistulli: He really hasn’t looked sharp the last two or three innings. Not Arrieta-level sharp. And we’re third time through the order now. Wouldn’t be a bad choice.

7:28	Jeff Sullivan: Vigorous punch out

7:28	Jeff Sullivan: home plate umpire hasn’t given up on this

7:30	Jeff Sullivan: I bet the Pirates would win more games if every loss had to be followed by a public execution of a team member

7:30	Jeff Sullivan: Well on second thought the opposite of that

7:30	Jeff Sullivan: Extremely the opposite of that

7:31	Carson Cistulli: In terms of relievers, a combination of Rodney, Rondon, and Strop would work well right now.

7:32	Carson Cistulli: And Wood.

7:32	Jeff Sullivan: Rodney is seldom the solution

7:32	Jeff Sullivan: The best thing about not having cable is not having literally any idea what Fan Duel or Draft Kings are

7:33	Carson Cistulli: Draft Kings is a rival gang to the Latin Kings.

7:33	Jeff Sullivan: where are the territorial boundaries

7:34	Carson Cistulli: Fortunately, one of the two has an electronic presence exclusively. So there really aren’t a lot of opportunities for conflict.

7:34	Comment From troybruno so every win is followed by an execution?!?

7:35	Jeff Sullivan: sounds like Draft Kings is playing the long-term game. Eventually we’ll all be nothing but a collection of electronic presences

7:35	Carson Cistulli: Arrieta remains in the game.

7:36	Carson Cistulli: FanDuel is a site that facilitates virtual combat between offended parties and their offenders.

7:37	Comment From Designated Bitter Fan Duel is what it sounds like. Two ceiling fans fight to the death for our entertainment

7:37	Comment From Spry Jeff, is that really true re daily fantasy? A rival site is a sponsor of the fangraphs podcasts…

7:38	Carson Cistulli: Yes, you just perform a simple snake draft, select five players each, and those players accrue fantasy points. Nothing could be easier.

7:38	Jeff Sullivan: Yes, it’s true. I’ve heard the names before but I don’t know anything about their businesses

7:39	Comment From carter Arrieta has missed nearly every spot for 2 innings

7:39	Jeff Sullivan: I have no obligation to be familiar with them. They have an obligation to give us money, and we have an obligation to mention them maybe

7:39	Carson Cistulli: Not at his sharpest, Arrieta, but with few consequences.

7:39	Carson Cistulli: Fan Duel

7:40	Jeff Sullivan: Now I get it!

7:40	Comment From +1 does draft accept Yen as currency

7:40	Jeff Sullivan: Sounds like the right place to be would be in between the dueling fans on a hot afternoon

7:40	Carson Cistulli: No, strictly American currency.

7:41	Comment From anon complete game for arrieta?

7:41	Carson Cistulli: Until he concedes a run, or gets into some sort of trouble, he appears likely to remain in the game.

7:41	Jeff Sullivan: He did at least recently exceed 100 pitches

7:41	Jeff Sullivan: But evidence suggests the Cubs don’t care much

7:43	Jeff Sullivan: hey, a second Marlins guy

7:43	Jeff Sullivan: those two might have to participate in a fan duel

7:44	Comment From Alex I only wager in Swedish Krona

7:44	Comment From Phillies113 Carson, if we wanted to, could we participate against you head-to-head in draft contests?

7:44	Carson Cistulli: Interesting that you ask. Yes, if you just navigate to the post where this edition of the program is located, there’s a link that’ll allow you to do that.

7:45	Comment From +1 cubs dont yet have mature and fully developed brains. they need to be at least 21 months old. should we really trust their judgement

7:45	Comment From nick I specifically insulted FanDuel/Draft Kings and left out Draft because I appreciate the (presumably) incredibly full wheelbarrows of money they give to promote the program. And also because I haven’t read about any insider trading-style ruses involving them. Go Draft!! :-/

7:46	Comment From Mark Carson, if I were to challenge you in a match on Draft could we wager wine or other delicious libations – such that Draft does not, presumably, take a cut?

7:46	Carson Cistulli: As noted previously: ONLY AMERICAN CURRENCY.

7:47	Jeff Sullivan: remember at the start of the year when Mark Melancon was throwing 89 – 90 and everybody freaked the shit out

7:48	Jeff Sullivan: Is this showing left and right handed batters combined? If so, considering Nelson’s propensity for calling low and inside on lefties, why is that area of the zone fairly lacking in any activity?

7:48	Jeff Sullivan: Pitchers try to execute their own game plans, as opposed to executing in accordance with umpire tendencies

7:48	Jeff Sullivan: down and in to lefties is a dangerous place to live

7:48	Comment From kevinthecomic i like that kid in the 2nd row pretending to pitch and hit

7:49	Carson Cistulli: Yes. There is a child up past his bedtime and also mirroring the pitchers.

7:49	Jeff Sullivan: Can he do anything against Arrieta

7:49	Jeff Sullivan: Sign that son of a bitch

7:49	Jeff Sullivan: If he got hit, maybe even the Cubs would turn on their ace

7:50	Jeff Sullivan: That swing looked like Jose Altuve’s swing last night

7:50	Carson Cistulli: Arrieta is ceremoniously donning his cap. He appears ready to return to the mound.

7:50	Comment From The Hamburglar Kid? That’s Jameson Tailon

7:50	Comment From troybruno “freaked the shit out” feels like its simultaneously unnecessary and ineffective censorship

7:50	Jeff Sullivan: these chats make me feel caught in between

7:51	Comment From Designated Bitter Gosh fuck it

7:52	Jeff Sullivan: Bumgarner last year: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 10 K. Arrieta: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 11 K

7:52	Jeff Sullivan: Mix in a couple hit batters and this has been almost identical

7:53	Comment From The Hamburglar Joe Maddon is usually a very saber friendly manager. What gives on not taking Arrieta out?

7:53	Jeff Sullivan: Not his first time doing this

7:53	Jeff Sullivan: He trusts Arrieta to stay healthy, and he wants to give him the moment.

7:54	Comment From The Hamburglar This might be a stretch, but if Maddon is planning on using a bullpen prominently in Game 2 of the NLDS, could that be reason enough to ride Arrieta longer then expected?

7:54	Jeff Sullivan: Nah, if anything they could use the work

7:54	Carson Cistulli: Oh my. A triumvirate now of impressive reaction-type plays by Bryant.

7:55	Comment From DavisCornflower Bryant has looked so smooth out there.

7:55	Comment From Jake Arrietas Beard Joe Maddon quote – “I never want to stand in the way of greatness”

7:55	Carson Cistulli: Because of how big greatness is, probably. Would run Maddon right over.

7:55	Comment From Spry Carson, re your sponsor, you recently said something like “you’re watching the games, why not lose money while doing it.” Did you receive a strongly worded email from said sponsor?

7:55	Carson Cistulli: I think as long as I say the word Draft a lot, it’s okay.

7:56	Comment From Designated Bitter I think it’s adorable that people think sponsors care what Carson says

7:56	Comment From The Hamburglar Can’t wait to read all the “Change the playoff format” articles tomorrow

7:56	Jeff Sullivan: Me, I think I’ll write about Jake Arrieta stealing a base

7:56	Comment From tough critic Arietta was getting high fives entering the dugout, not sure if that means he is done.

7:56	Carson Cistulli: Wasn’t really ever close, was it?

7:57	Jeff Sullivan: I think people just want to touch him

7:57	Jeff Sullivan: So Jake Arrieta did what he was going to do

7:57	Jeff Sullivan: And we’re all idiots for imagining otherwise

7:57	Carson Cistulli: We’re idiots for other reasons, too.

7:57	Jeff Sullivan: Most of them

7:57	Carson Cistulli: Jeff. It was a pleasure!

7:57	Jeff Sullivan: Likewise, friend!

7:58	Jeff Sullivan: And friends.

7:58	Carson Cistulli: Everyone else: it was a pleasure!

7:58	Jeff Sullivan: A timely playoff game is complete!

7:58	Carson Cistulli: You have to turn off the lights, Sullivan. I don’t completely know how.

7:58	Jeff Sullivan: It would be my privilege.

7:59	Jeff Sullivan: So long everybody!

7:59	Jeff Sullivan: There will be more chats tomorrow and Friday. Maybe home teams will score runs, even.

BAL	CHW	LAA
BOS	CLE	OAK
NYY	DET	SEA
TBR	KCR	TEX
TOR	MIN	HOU

ATL	CHC*	ARI
MIA	CIN	COL
WSN	MIL	LAD
NYM*	PIT	SDP*
PHI	STL	SFG