Cubs WC chances

[Garwilly]

Might be only 5 games back in the loss column if SF holds on, so who knows what would happen if we can get super hot down the stretch.

 

 

Assuming the Giants hold this large lead heading into the 9th...

 

Cubs/Rockies have 37 games left, Cubs need to "go" 25-12 in them.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Not that I have tremendous faith in the happeneing, but the Cardianls have 2 more games vs. the Marlins and 3 vs. Rockies. Remember 2004 when people accuse Tony LaRussa and the well in 1st place Cardinals of intentionally rolling over for the Astros, who the Cubs were competing with for the Wild Card to keep the Cubs out of it? We better rack up some Ws vs. the NL Central, because those 4 games in San Fran will not be fun, and we'll surely run into Cain and Lincecum. That would be a good time for these guys to prove what they're really made of though. This means no more pulling lineups out of a hat.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So assuming Lou and co. decide they're in this thing...

 

1. Soto is the starting catcher, no more platooning

2. Fukudome and Bradley remain everyday outfielders, no platooning. Platoon Hoff and Fox in left with Fuld as a late inning defensive replacement. We all love the Bobby Scales story, but not if we want to win

3. Marmol is the closer and use him as such with Guzman and Grabow as primary set up men, with Heilman and Marshall if a long man is needed. Maybe give Caridad a few more looks to see what he can do. Ive liekd what Ive seen so far. As far as Im concerned, the rest are mop up men and nothing else

4. Jeff Baker is our primary 2B. Maybe Font vs. a tough RHP. Andres Blanco is out back up SS. Miles in nothing more than the last bat off the bench behind Fox/Hoff, ddpending whose not starting, Fontenot, Scales, Hill, Fuld, and Zambrano if necessary

5. We really need a solid #5 hitter. Im going to go with Bradley and bat Theriot #2 behind Fukudome. The everyday lineup should look like

 

Fukudome

Theriot

Lee

Ramirez

Bradley

Soto

Foxpauir

Baker

P

 

Hey, it could happen. Im not saying its going to happen. Im not saying theres a decent chance of it happening. Im just saying it could happen.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

I would continue to run Bradley in the 2 hole and keep Soto in the #5 spot. With a runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs Soto will get them in, Bradley probably will not. We need as many people on base for Lee and Rammy as possible to win the majority of the remaining games. Soto is starting to rake and Bradley is useless with people on base.

 

I really do not see Theriot getting the bulk of the starts from here on out, he is struggling lately and for the 3rd straight season is wearing down in September and Lou has even acknowledged this. I could see Blanco getting some more time at SS.

 

Fuku

Bradley

Lee

Ramirez

Soto

Fox/Hoff

Baker

Theriot/Blanco

[UMFan83]

Not that I have tremendous faith in the happeneing, but the Cardianls have 2 more games vs. the Marlins and 3 vs. Rockies. Remember 2004 when people accuse Tony LaRussa and the well in 1st place Cardinals of intentionally rolling over for the Astros, who the Cubs were competing with for the Wild Card to keep the Cubs out of it? We better rack up some Ws vs. the NL Central, because those 4 games in San Fran will not be fun, and we'll surely run into Cain and Lincecum. That would be a good time for these guys to prove what they're really made of though. This means no more pulling lineups out of a hat.

 

That happened in 2004 because supposedly the Cubs were thought to be a tough out in 2004 with Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement and Maddux. Do you think the Cardinals would tank so that the Cubs couldn't win the WC, giving a scarier team (most likely) a chance to win the WC?

 

I would buy the argument if you are trying to tell me that the Cards would rather play the WC winner (COL/SF/ATL/FLA) than Philly or LA, but not if you are saying the Cardinals would rather the Cubs not be amongst the 4 playoff teams, they of 9 straight playoff losses.

[JasonMath1679667476]

For tonight, Cubs fans need to root for...

 

San Francisco (against the Rockies)

 

and...

 

New York (against the Braves)

 

The wild card race is probably a better shot than the division at this point, so we should also root for the Cardinals to beat the Marlins.

[Fro]

Not that I have tremendous faith in the happeneing, but the Cardianls have 2 more games vs. the Marlins and 3 vs. Rockies. Remember 2004 when people accuse Tony LaRussa and the well in 1st place Cardinals of intentionally rolling over for the Astros, who the Cubs were competing with for the Wild Card to keep the Cubs out of it? We better rack up some Ws vs. the NL Central, because those 4 games in San Fran will not be fun, and we'll surely run into Cain and Lincecum. That would be a good time for these guys to prove what they're really made of though. This means no more pulling lineups out of a hat.

 

Cards will still have to win some games to lock up the division in any scenario where we're actually a threat to win the wild card in 9 days. Plus there will be other teams in the mix.

[Garwilly]

Cubs/Rockies have 35 games left, Cubs need to "go" 23-12 in them.

[17 Seconds]

Only 4 back in the loss column

[C.C.]

The Cubs are starting to get what any hopes I had up. Dammit.

[NCCubFan]

I'm getting close to thinking I need to start watching Cubs' games again. It will probably turn out to be wasted time.

[C.C.]

I'm getting close to thinking I need to start watching Cubs' games again. It will probably turn out to be wasted time.

 

Watch them. There is 19 games left and they are playing good ball. You are going to miss them when they are gone.

[Wheelimus]

But I'm worried if I start watching again, they'll start losing again. What if the curse was me all along?*

 

*Wheelimus cannot take any credit for losing seasons prior to 2/2/1980

[champaignchris]

Baseball is a weird game.

 

Looking at their remaining schedule, I could see the Cubs going about 12-7 the rest of the way, which would probably leave them about 4 games out of the playoffs with no real drama toward the end of the year. It would also give them 87 wins, which would be two more wins than the '07 playoff team and only three or four games off of most people's projection for the team this year.

 

As disappointing as this year's been (and it has been disappointing) and as much as the Cubs have underperformed (and they have underperformed), you have to give a whole bunch of credit to the Cardinals cobbling together a real good team mid-season, and the Rockies and Giants playing way above expectations.

[SCCubbieFAN]

Considering the injuries they had this year, an 87 win season will be most surprising. what is really frustrating tho is the poor or at best inconsistent play when the key players were not injured.

[Schwarber Fan]

I'm getting close to thinking I need to start watching Cubs' games again. It will probably turn out to be wasted time.

 

Watch them. There is 19 games left and they are playing good ball. You are going to miss them when they are gone.

 

Hey, someone with common sense

[Soul]

Only 4 back in the loss column! Refuse to die, dammit!

 

GO CUBS!

 

:mrgreen: :pig: :mrgreen: :cool:

[Roast]

So.. I didn't even realize it but my boss mentioned last night that we're only 5 and a half out now.. This is the first time I've looked at this page in a little while but...I might actually be starting to get kinda hopeful. This can't be good.

 

Only 4 out in the loss column and BP has our playoff odds all the way up to about 2.5% For reference, about a week ago we were at <1%

 

Oh, and just for kicks and giggles...we're down to 8.5 back in the division as well (though it's 7 in the loss column).

[Irrelevant Dude]

I'm getting close to thinking I need to start watching Cubs' games again. It will probably turn out to be wasted time.

 

Watch them. There is 19 games left and they are playing good ball. You are going to miss them when they are gone.

My thoughts exactly. Playoffs or no playoffs, it's a long offseason.

[soapy]

don't do this to yourselves, guys.

[Little Slide Rooter]

don't do this to yourselves, guys.

 

Whats wrong with enjoying the game? I know we need to be careful not to get our hopes up, but I spent many years of my life watching Cubs teams that werent going to be in the playoffs, so why stop now? As long as they're playing well, Ill be there watching.

[J.R.]

The long and awful winter will be here soon enough. I'm going to enjoy the games while I have them.

[Roast]

don't do this to yourselves, guys.

Shhh. We're cubs fans. What do you expect? If both us and the giants win tonight - things could get interesting.

[soapy]

don't do this to yourselves, guys.

 

Whats wrong with enjoying the game? I know we need to be careful not to get our hopes up, but I spent many years of my life watching Cubs teams that werent going to be in the playoffs, so why stop now? As long as they're playing well, Ill be there watching.

 

nothing at all wrong with enjoying the games (i've still been watching every chance i get). it's just going to take a near miracle for them to get in the playoffs and i haven't really seen any reason to believe they are capable of going 16-3 or whatever it's going to take to get there with SF and STL still on the schedule.

 

what i meant was, don't get your hopes up.

[bukie]

The Cubs playoff odds are up to a whopping 2.5%, which is the highest they've been in 2 weeks.

 

They are also the 8th highest in the NL, behind St. Louis, Philly, LA, Colorado, San Francisco, Atlanta and Florida.

 

If they can somehow get to a 1 in 5 shot or better, then they have a realistic shot. Keep in mind, the Giants are 2.5 back and they don't even have a 1 in 5 shot.