Getting Jake Arrieta a Touch of Extra Rest and Other Bullets

jake arrieta mustache pajamasI gotta tell you … I’m not looking forward to raking leaves. I like the fall and everything, but give me mowing the lawn any day. Even shoveling, I think, is preferable.

  • Joe Maddon discussed his decision to go with Jon Lester in NLCS Game One over Jake Arrieta, and it seems primarily about (1) each pitcher potentially getting two starts anyway, and (2) getting an extra day of rest – both physical and emotional – for Arrieta (Cubs.com). And again, I say: it’s not like Jon Lester isn’t also very good. He’ll be starting on about a week of rest, and Arrieta will get the extra day. Remember, Arrieta’s innings are way up over where they were last year – 176.2 last season, and he’s up to 243.2 this year.
  • More from Joe Maddon on the Addison Russell injury and his replacement in the starting lineup, Javier Baez (CSN, Cubs.com). Maddon revealed yesterday that Russell will not be available for the NLCS.
  • Great stuff from Patrick Mooney and Miguel Montero on the Cubs’ transformation of Trevor Cahill, from a guy who was – in his own words – “in a place where I didn’t think anybody wanted me [and] was pitching batting practice in Triple-A,” to a guy who is pitching some of the most meaningful innings in the last several decades for the Cubs. He’s been very, very good. Also, he got thrown out at first on a would-be single that one time. Remember that? That was funny. And it’s OK to think it was funny, because he’s been very, very good.
  • Among the many things Jake Arrieta did very well this year: inducing weaker contact. He was the best in the NL at it, according to Tony Blengino.
  • If you missed it later yesterday, an important discussion about qualifying offers and how they’ll impact the Cubs.
  • TROLLOLOLOL.
  • The AFL is underway.
  • The happiness in the Cubs’ universe abounds right now, and it’s everywhere:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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