GDT 4/18/16-Cubs (Lackey) @ Cardinals (Leake) 7:09 CDT

[Jocephus]

Cubs-Cardinals rivalry may hit peak status in 2016

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/ ... us-in-2016

[dmarx114]

Cubs-Cardinals rivalry may hit peak status in 2016

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/ ... us-in-2016

Only if they play in the NLCS. Need the Nats to get the 1 seed for that to happen.

[cardsfantx]

Barometer series for me. Glad we went 7-2 against the dregs but I feel I still don't know much about this team.

The offense is legitimate....the pitching is shaky and the defense atrocious. Those are two things they absolutely need against the Cubs.

I just don't feel confident in saying anything concrete after 12 games. The hitting looks better than I thought it would, but I also wouldn't be shocked if that flipped on its head in the next week. Same for the pitching: I could easily see something clicking and they go on a tear.

exactly...look at the cubs avgs...rizzo, heyward, bryant, etc, all those guys are hitting under 200 or close to it...they only guy raking is fowler, and he was an afterthought/late signing. they're obv gonna turn it on and hit better than that lol

[MinorLeagueGuy]

If booing is respect, how about hissing him?

[Hoot45]

Leake is 9-2 with a 3.15 ERA against the Cubs in 128.2 IP, including 1-0 with a 3.67 ERA in 27 IP last year. So that's encouraging. He's also had a nice BB/9 rate over the last three years or so but not so much in 2016. He's struggled to get guys to swing at pitches outside the zone and finish guys off when he gets ahead in the count. The Cubs and their league leading 13.3% BB rate will be a test for him.

[go birds]

cards should hand out newspapers to all the fans and then when heyward's first AB is announced, everyone open up the newspaper as if to read it. no booing, no cheering, just mehhhh

[Cheddar Tom]

Leake is 9-2 with a 3.15 ERA against the Cubs in 128.2 IP, including 1-0 with a 3.67 ERA in 27 IP last year. So that's encouraging. He's also had a nice BB/9 rate over the last three years or so but not so much in 2016. He's struggled to get guys to swing at pitches outside the zone and finish guys off when he gets ahead in the count. The Cubs and their league leading 13.3% BB rate will be a test for him.

His game against the Cubs last July was a gem...8 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO's. For whatever reason it seems like he's been nibbling as a Cardinal.

[MrCrowesGarden]

cards should hand out newspapers to all the fans and then when heyward's first AB is announced, everyone open up the newspaper as if to read it. no booing, no cheering, just mehhhh

I'd be okay with this, even if it's a bit forced.

No reaction is far more insulting to a player than a negative reaction.

[IMADreamer]

cards should hand out newspapers to all the fans and then when heyward's first AB is announced, everyone open up the newspaper as if to read it. no booing, no cheering, just mehhhh

Love it, and the front page headline should be "2015 World Champion Chicago Cubs"

[Radbird]

I'm really indifferent to Lackey and Heyward returning to Busch. I wouldn't boo basically because I don't care.