CUBS JAKE ARRIETA
Jake Arrieta punctuated his indifference with an expletive when asked before the National League Division Series whether the Cubs had a preferred opponent between the Giants and the Mets.
"Who gives a (crap)?" last year's National League Cy Young Award winner said with a sigh.
Arrieta and the Cubs will have a chance to back up his words Monday when they face postseason ace Madison Bumgarner and the Giants in Game 3 of the NLDS at AT&T Park.
Arrieta called Bumgarner "beatable," but the Cubs likely will need Arrieta to be at his best if they want to complete the series sweep and end the Giants' quest for their fourth World Series title in seven seasons.
"He's been one of the best in the postseason for the last several years," Arrieta said. "We have a challenge ahead of us."
Bumgarner bested Arrieta and the Cubs on Sept. 3, when he struck out 10, walked none and allowed two runs and five hits in six innings to earn the victory 3-2 at Wrigley. Arrieta struck out seven and allowed three runs and four hits in six.
But that was then. Bumgarner, considered one of the best pitchers in postseason history, is coming off a shutout of the Mets in the wild-card game and hasn't allowed a run in his last 23 postseason innings.
The Giants are unbeaten in their last nine elimination games to boot.
Current Giants are batting .200 with a .486 OPS against Arrieta. Angel Pagan is the only one with a track record of success against him, with five hits in 11 at-bats.
Arrieta allowed seven runs in his final regular-season start.
