Get your defribrillators and heart burn meds ready...

[CubsBears29]

Cause these last 2.5 weeks are gonna be "a bumpy ride!".

 

1 day the Cubs are a game over the Brewers. Next day they're tied. Following day the Brewers have a 1 game lead. Day after, tied again. Etc and so on.

 

I know that "ON PAPER", the Cubs should win the Central based on future schedules, but the problem is... the Cubs have struggled more with the Astros, Cincy's and Pirates of the world than they should even begin to.

 

Extremely pivotal series this weekend. If they aren't already, the Cubs can effectively "kill" the Cards by finding a way to take 3 of 4 from them. Maybe even just splitting the series at 2-apiece would do it. Should the Cards lose to Cincy and Cubs beat HOU, StL would be 5 back going into the weekend series. Split and they'd still be 5 back; 6 back if can take 3 games. Everyone knows about their "no days off from Aug 28 - season's end (35 straight games)", and they host PHI for 3 after our series, and then have a 3-gamer @ MIL at the beginning of the last week and a 1 game makeup in NY following that (close with 3 at home vs PIT). If we can have them at 5+ back after this weekend, decent chance StL will be done. Probly wouldn't be a bad idea to cheer the Cards on for that @MIL series, if they aren't in contention yet when that series is played.

 

Now if only Milwaukee would remember how young they are and supposing to be rolling over for us..............

[Mephistopheles]

milwaukee is rolling over and playing dead. unfortunately so are we. and so are the cardinals. its like no one wants to win.

[NCCubFan]

Should the Cards lose to Cincy and Cubs beat HOU, StL would be 5 back going into the weekend series. Split and they'd still be 5 back; 6 back if can take 3 games.

Actually it would be 7 games if the Cubs take 3 of 4 and 9 games if the Cubs sweep.

[Guest]

the cubs have what, 11 more on the road and six at home? I would think bringing it home better than 10-7 is unlikely for this team - especially if Trachsel keeps getting starts and Z and Lilly go on three days rest. The Brewers play some tough teams but they've been fairly dominant at home. The Cardinals won't win this division this year.

[Guest]

I think the Brewers will need to sweep the Reds this weekend to top that.

[CubsBears29]

Should the Cards lose to Cincy and Cubs beat HOU, StL would be 5 back going into the weekend series. Split and they'd still be 5 back; 6 back if can take 3 games.

Actually it would be 7 games if the Cubs take 3 of 4 and 9 games if the Cubs sweep.

 

Thanks for the correction. Simple math was never my forte.

[CubsBears29]

the cubs have what, 11 more on the road and six at home? I would think bringing it home better than 10-7 is unlikely for this team - especially if Trachsel keeps getting starts and Z and Lilly go on three days rest. The Brewers play some tough teams but they've been fairly dominant at home. The Cardinals won't win this division this year.

 

Remaining schedules for the 3 teams; (**-**) = current record of opponent;

 

Chicago 74-71:

9/13; @ Houston (63-82)

9/14-16; 4 @ St Louis (69-74)

9/17-19; 3 vs Cincinnati (66-79)

9/21-23; 3 vs Pittsburgh (65-81)

9/25-27; 3 @ Florida (63-83)

9/28-30; 3 @ Cincinnati (66-79)

 

Milwaukee 74-71:

9/14-16; 3 vs Cincinnati (66-79)

9/17-19; 3 @ Houston (63-82)

9/20-23; 4 @ Atlanta (74-72)

9/24-26; 3 vs St Louis (69-74)

9/27-30; 4 vs San Diego (78-66)

 

St Louis 69-74:

6/13; @ Cincinnati (66-79)

6/14-16; 4 vs Chicago Cubs (74-71)

6/17-19; 3 vs Philadelphia (76-69)

9/20-23; 4 vs Houston (63-82)

9/24-26; 3 @ Milwaukee (74-71)

9/27; @ NY Mets (83-62)

9/28-30; 3 @ Pittsburgh (65-81)

 

Would 84-78 win the division? If the Cubs can take the series finale later tonight, vs the Stros, then 2 of 4 from StL, 4 of 6 on final home stand, and then 3 of remaining 6; that'll get us to 10-7 and 84-78 overall.

 

If did go 10-7, MIL would have to take 2 from Cincy, 4 on final road trip [2 from HOU wouldn't be the hardest thing ever, but chances are that ATL will be giving all they got and holding out hope for the WC], and 4 in final home stand just to tie us [2 (or even all 3) from StL might be a given, but SDP will be fighting "tooth and nail" to either hang on to the WC spot or win it].

 

I think what it boils down to is, we need to do as I outline above but take either 3 of 4 from StL this weekend, and/or 4 of 6, of last 6, to give us a good shot to at least force a 1-game playoff with MIL, if not win it outright by finishing 11-6 or 12-5.

Edited September 13, 2007 by CubsBears29

[chuckywang]

Brewers are 22-23 so far this season against teams they still have to play.

Cubs are 24-28.

[inari]

I know no one wants to talk about this yet, but I'm gonna ask anyway... let's say we win tomorrow and are a half a game up. What's our magic number?

[Mephistopheles]

Brewers are 22-23 so far this season against teams they still have to play.

Cubs are 24-28.

 

this is statistically meaningless. thanks for the effort though

[BigSlick]

At first glance, the remaining schedules seem to favor the Cubs.

 

Of course, we always get reamed by Pittsburgh and Cincinatti, so we're boned anyway.CAN WE PLEASE BEAT SOME BAD TEAMS?

[NCCubFan]

I know no one wants to talk about this yet, but I'm gonna ask anyway... let's say we win tomorrow and are a half a game up. What's our magic number?

It's one less than currently reflected in Roast's signature. :D

[Rob]

I know no one wants to talk about this yet, but I'm gonna ask anyway... let's say we win tomorrow and are a half a game up. What's our magic number?

 

We'd be a game up in the win column, but still tied in the loss column. We could win out after a win tomorrow, and we might still have to have a one-game playoff if the Brewers do the same.

 

Looking at that stuff this early is meaningless.

[Little Slide Rooter]

First one who can string together a 3 game win streak will probably take the division.

[Schwarber Fan]

What worries me is all the games MIL has left at home. If they can play even mediocre baseball on the road, those series they have at home could get them 1st easily. I hope Atlanta sweeps them.

[Ender]

I'd rather face San Diego at home than the Pirates on the road any day of the week as the Brewers. Sometimes the matchups aren't quite as easy as they look.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Our offense just needs to make Woody Williams look like Woody Williams, and hope that Trashel can keep us in the game for 5 or 6 innings.

 

Ramirez, Soriano, and Lee are a combined 3-26 with a handfull of walks the past 2 games, and their bats are going to be the difference maker, especially with Berkman and C-Lee being eerily quiet as well. Wasnt it just 2 or 3 days ago when Ramirez urged the rest of the team that he, Soriano, and Lee couldnt do this alone? How about the rest of the team cant do it without these 3? With a pair of broken down pitchers on the mound, all 5 of the afor mentioned sluggers should have big games.

[XZero771679666304]

I'd rather face San Diego at home than the Pirates on the road any day of the week as the Brewers. Sometimes the matchups aren't quite as easy as they look.

 

Even though you guys look to draw Peavy, Maddux and Young that series? No thanks.

 

The Pirates are pesky, but I'd rather play them than the Padres regardless of venue. You can talk about deceptive matchups, but the fact is that neither the Brewers or Cubs are that strong.

[hardcorecubfan]

We had a storm role through last night just after Lamb hit the double and it took out my dish signal so I missed the dbl play, boy it was a restless night.

[Soul]

A split with the Cards would gain them nothing and effectively kill them.

 

They need to take 3/4 from us or it's over. Cards' collective backs are now against the wall.

[The Voice of Reason]

I'd rather face San Diego at home than the Pirates on the road any day of the week as the Brewers. Sometimes the matchups aren't quite as easy as they look.

 

Even though you guys look to draw Peavy, Maddux and Young that series? No thanks.

 

The Pirates are pesky, but I'd rather play them than the Padres regardless of venue. You can talk about deceptive matchups, but the fact is that neither the Brewers or Cubs are that strong.

 

All Cubs fans should be cheering for the Phillies, Rockies, Dodgers and Braves so that the wild card stays close as long as possible. A bad sceanario for the Cubs would be if the Padres clinched prior to their season-ending series with the Brewers and rested their starters.

[Guest]

A split with the Cards would gain them nothing and effectively kill them.

 

They need to take 3/4 from us or it's over. Cards' collective backs are now against the wall.

 

 

the '98 giants beg to differ.

[Ender]

I'd rather face San Diego at home than the Pirates on the road any day of the week as the Brewers. Sometimes the matchups aren't quite as easy as they look.

 

Even though you guys look to draw Peavy, Maddux and Young that series? No thanks.

 

The Pirates are pesky, but I'd rather play them than the Padres regardless of venue. You can talk about deceptive matchups, but the fact is that neither the Brewers or Cubs are that strong.

 

Yes for sure I would. The Brewers are 20-42 in PNC park now, they simply cannot play there. Maddux and Young both carry over a 4 ERA on the road this season and the Padres don't play very well in HR hitting parks which is what Miller park is.

 

Give me the padres at home any day of the week over the pirates on the road.

[SouthSideRyan]

Back on my shaky limb.

 

Cubs 86-76

Brew 83-79

Cards 78-84

[Pushfrog98]

milwaukee is rolling over and playing dead. unfortunately so are we. and so are the cardinals. its like no one wants to win.

I've been saying this for a while (though maybe not on here), but the National League Central must be the "ugly girl" that nobody wants to take to the dance.