NL Run Differentials

[Rob]

1. Cubs (+193)

2. Phillies (+88)

3. Mets (+73)

4. Brewers (+72)

5. Cardinals (+55)

6. Diamondbacks (+34)

7. Dodgers (-2)

8. Braves (-22)

9. Marlins (-29)

10. Astros (-41)

11. Rockies (-56)

12. Giants (-103)

13. Reds (-108)

14. Padres (-110)

15. Pirates (-120)

16. Nationals (-159)

 

I think the numbers speak for themselves.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I think the numbers speak for themselves.

so what you're saying is you created a thread with no need for discussion?

[manbearcub]

Im still scared of the D-backs.

[CubsBears29]

Im still scared of the D-backs.

 

I would rather face LAD than ARI, but that said... we'd get HFA for the series and with that going for us, I'd take our Z/Harden/Dempster trio vs their Webb/Haren/Johnson matchups.

 

That's assuming of course that the normal dominant Z shows up and not his evil twin we've been seeing in his last few starts.

[Cynosure]

Cubs are the best team in baseball, whether their record shows it or not. (Just so happens, their record shows it too.)

[chuckywang]

You're gonna look awfully foolish when the Cubs lose their next game 193-0.

[ParadigmShift]

Are we currently playing below our Pythagorean Record? I can't seem to find the stat anywhere. Edited August 29, 2008 by ParadigmShift

[badnews]

I wonder how the Cubs will fare against the playoff starters. Especially if they happen to be Haren, Webb, and Johnson. You could see the Cubs getting swept again. Some of the hitters, I don't know. Maybe it's just my wrong assumption, but it seems like Soriano gets a lot of his production off garbage pitching and he's the last guy I'd count on in the playoffs.

 

I mean, does anyone feel the opposite, that Soriano is going to do well in the playoffs?

[Bote McBoteface]

Are we currently playing below our Pythagorean Record? I can't seem to find the stat anywhere.

 

The Cubs are playing 2 games below their pythag. What a bunch of bums.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/2008.shtml

[Jehrico]

Luckiest teams in all of baseball, by pythagorean? LAA is +9 games over what they should be, and the Rays are +7.

[wade]

I wonder how the Cubs will fare against the playoff starters. Especially if they happen to be Haren, Webb, and Johnson. You could see the Cubs getting swept again. Some of the hitters, I don't know. Maybe it's just my wrong assumption, but it seems like Soriano gets a lot of his production off garbage pitching and he's the last guy I'd count on in the playoffs.

 

I mean, does anyone feel the opposite, that Soriano is going to do well in the playoffs?

 

He has a pretty famous playoff home run from back when he was a Yankee. That was off a good pitcher, so I'm gonna extrapolate that out to 2008, divide by three, and say he will do well.

Edited August 29, 2008 by wade

[17 Seconds]

I wonder how the Cubs will fare against the playoff starters. Especially if they happen to be Haren, Webb, and Johnson. You could see the Cubs getting swept again. Some of the hitters, I don't know. Maybe it's just my wrong assumption, but it seems like Soriano gets a lot of his production off garbage pitching and he's the last guy I'd count on in the playoffs.

 

I mean, does anyone feel the opposite, that Soriano is going to do well in the playoffs?

 

I think the Cubs could be undefeated right now and you still would question if they're for real or not.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I knew we topped the league, but had no idea that it was by that much.

 

As for the D-Bags, Im not that scared of them anymore. Unless something drastic happens, wed have home field advantage, and Harden and Z can match Webb and Haren. As for Freakshow, we're due a win against him, and if we only win 1 game againt him in his 38 year career, be it in October.

[abuck1220]

I wonder how the Cubs will fare against the playoff starters. Especially if they happen to be Haren, Webb, and Johnson. You could see the Cubs getting swept again. Some of the hitters, I don't know. Maybe it's just my wrong assumption, but it seems like Soriano gets a lot of his production off garbage pitching and he's the last guy I'd count on in the playoffs.

 

I mean, does anyone feel the opposite, that Soriano is going to do well in the playoffs?

 

I think the Cubs could be undefeated right now and you still would question if they're for real or not.

 

aren't you the chicken little guy from the game threads?

[biittner77]

I wonder how the Cubs will fare against the playoff starters. Especially if they happen to be Haren, Webb, and Johnson. You could see the Cubs getting swept again. Some of the hitters, I don't know. Maybe it's just my wrong assumption, but it seems like Soriano gets a lot of his production off garbage pitching and he's the last guy I'd count on in the playoffs.

 

I mean, does anyone feel the opposite, that Soriano is going to do well in the playoffs?

 

I think the Cubs could be undefeated right now and you still would question if they're for real or not.

 

 

If the Cubs were undefeated I'd put their chances of mking the playoffs about 60%

[ISUCubsFan]

The most impressive thing is the Cubs are more awesome than the Nationals are terrible. That's pretty hard to do.

[bukie]

Thanks to their latest run of wins this month, they're getting into an elite company. The current difference between their run differential and the next best team in the league is 105. The last time the difference between one team and the rest of the league was that large in the NL was 1986, when the Mets had a +205 differential and the Astros had a +85 differential for a difference of 120 runs.

[David]

They have the best pythag in baseball by 7 games, over Boston.

[imb]

A lot of this is going to come crashing down a bit when our schedule ramps up

[bukie]

A lot of this is going to come crashing down a bit when our schedule ramps up

 

Oh, of course. But, for now, it's a little amusing.

[David]

The upcoming schedule doesn't really even concern me that much. The only games left that worry me at all are the Brewers and maybe the Mets, but we could very well have the division wrapped up by the time most of those games come up.

[Balsa]

Wow, that number is absurd.

 

I wonder where it will be at the end of the season though....What's the post-mound lowering record?

[ELCABALLO45]

The Cubs are the best team in baseball (as hard as it is to say it). However, im not a big beliver in Run Differential, thats just me tho.

[RedFlash]

The upcoming schedule doesn't really even concern me that much. The only games left that worry me at all are the Brewers and maybe the Mets, but we could very well have the division wrapped up by the time most of those games come up.

 

I agree. If the Cubs were say 15 games worse then what they are now (say 70-65), I could see the September schedule looming and making alot of people nervous, but seeing as the Cubs have established themselves as the game's best and the schedule in Septmeber doesn't look as daunting.

 

In other words that Septmeber schedule is a fine tune up for October.

[Rob]

The Cubs are the best team in baseball (as hard as it is to say it). However, im not a big beliver in Run Differential, thats just me tho.

 

It depends on what you're using it for. If you're using it to establish the overall quality of the team from top to bottom, it's pretty useful.

 

If you're using it to say which team is going to win in the playoffs, that's a bit different... it no longer matters that Jason Marquis is one of the best #5 starters in baseball, or that Sean Marshall is a pretty good swingman. So run differential is less useful than a head-to-head comparison of key players.