7/9: Cubs (Lester) at Pirates (Kuhl), 6:15 p.m. CT; TV: FOX, Radio: 670 AM

[gobigred]

2008 had some bad stretches. Every team have has had some bad stretches. I don't know if all the good ones have had ones like this or not but I'm sure they have. We're just in one. I'd like to keep a sizeable division lead though.

 

That's a good question. In 2008 what was like the worst stretch?

The series against the Dodgers

[Bryants Disco Ball]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

 

In Duke I will trust.

[bcl412]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

This team is playing, like, .250 baseball lately. That isn't sustainable and even after that stretch they are still up a decent margin. I wouldn't be shocked if they division is blown just because 6.5 game isn't THAT much but Cubs won't be this bad because they aren't the Cleveland Spiders.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

2008 had some bad stretches. Every team have has had some bad stretches. I don't know if all the good ones have had ones like this or not but I'm sure they have. We're just in one. I'd like to keep a sizeable division lead though.

This isn't a bad stretch anymore. They have the 3rd worst record in baseball in the last 30 games and have been a below .500 team in their last 60 or so. At this point, you have to wonder if the start of the season was more of a fluke than this bad stretch.

 

Do we really need to go over this again?

 

The Cubs played at a 125 win pace in April

 

The Cubs played at a 104 win pace in May

 

The Cubs played at a 114 win pace in June up until the Cardinals series

 

The Cubs have played at a 41 win pace their last 20 games(assuming today is a loss)

 

What's the fluke now?

[bcl412]

What's silly is just one stupid win tomorrow and I'll feel pretty damn comfy with a 7 game lead despite this garbage play. 5.5 and I'm sweating. 1.5 difference isn't much but it is what it is I suppose.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

Yeah, that kinda puts into context how big of a lead that is, ya know?

[Andy]

The Cubs are going to be at best .500 in a 58 game stretch after tomorrow, a stretch nearly twice as long as the world beating 30 before it. This team scares me to death at the moment and if they 1969 this horsefeathering season... I mean God I don't even want to think about it

[TMan92]

The team last year went on a tear in August and September. Would like to see that again. I would rather be a hot team going into the playoffs vs last year's Cardinals.

[badger]

I mean it's legitimately crazy we had a 15 game lead in June.

[Gilby]

At least Kang looked stupid there. Small victory.

[Thusly Boned]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

Isn't 12.5 as big as it has been over the second place team? Regardless, that doesn't refute the notion that 6.5 is a big lead.

 

I think the point to remember is that even with the last two to three weeks of hot garbage, the lead is still 6.5 games. Unless you expect this to continue unabated, I think that's pretty comforting.

[badger]

I don't know if I'm feeling comforted right now but I know we're not the last 3 weeks bad. So there's that. And as TT posted, the first 3 months were not some kind of mirage. I just wanna feel a win vs. a non Reds team.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

Isn't 12.5 as big as it has been over the second place team? Regardless, that doesn't refute the notion that 6.5 is a big lead.

 

I think the point to remember is that even with the last two to three weeks of hot garbage, the lead is still 6.5 games. Unless you expect this to continue unabated, I thin that's pretty comforting.

 

Yeah. It was 12.5 at its most. So we've lost 6 games. So if everything that's just happened over the last three weeks happens exactly the same over the next three weeks, then we'd still be leading the division.

 

That's not to suggest that 6.5 games is an insurmountable lead or anything. It's just that there is a lot of baseball to be played. And a lot has to happen to blow a 6.5 game lead. So having that cushion is nice.

[badger]

At least Kang looked stupid there. Small victory.

 

Rodriguez getting hit in the nuts would also be a victory in my book.

[tawfiqmp]

0-14 in their last 14 against teams that aren't the Reds. It's been over 2 weeks since they beat a team that wasn't the Reds.

[Thusly Boned]

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

Isn't 12.5 as big as it has been over the second place team? Regardless, that doesn't refute the notion that 6.5 is a big lead.

 

I think the point to remember is that even with the last two to three weeks of hot garbage, the lead is still 6.5 games. Unless you expect this to continue unabated, I thin that's pretty comforting.

 

Yeah. It was 12.5 at its most. So we've lost 6 games. So if everything that's just happened over the last three weeks happens exactly the same over the next three weeks, then we'd still be leading the division.

 

That's not to suggest that 6.5 games is an insurmountable lead or anything. It's just that there is a lot of baseball to be played. And a lot has to happen to blow a 6.5 game lead. So having that cushion is nice.

 

Baseball is a game of ebb and flow, and we're feeling some serious ebb right now. 6.5 isn't an insurmountable lead, but that 12.5 will probably prove to have been, when all is said and done.

[soccer10k]

A 6.5-game lead is a huge lead. To put it into context: If we were to lose our next seven games and the Pirates win their next seven games, then it would still be basically a toss-up for the division. Having a 6.5 game lead is definitely settling. This is aside from, you know, other worries.

They had a 15 game lead 3 weeks ago.

 

Even worse: they had a 14 game lead 10 days ago.

 

EDIT: Just over Pittsburgh, not over the team in 2nd.

Edited July 10, 2016 by soccer10k

[Sammy Sofa]

I feel like the repeated longing for Soler is truly the best barometer for how bad things have gotten.

 

I haven't consigned Soler to oblivion like many here have. That said, The offense isn't the problem, and the rotation will probably right itself.

 

The bullpen is a different story.

 

Soler's injury has also forced guys like Szczur, Coghlan, etc to play way more and be exposed.

 

As opposed to Soler playing more and being exposed?

[tawfiqmp]

 

I haven't consigned Soler to oblivion like many here have. That said, The offense isn't the problem, and the rotation will probably right itself.

 

The bullpen is a different story.

 

Soler's injury has also forced guys like Szczur, Coghlan, etc to play way more and be exposed.

 

As opposed to Soler playing more and being exposed?

I don't think people realize how average Jorge Soler actually is. He had a 0.1 fWAR in 99 games last year and has a -0.1 fWAR so far this year. Dude is literally a replacement level player right now. The Cubs can't afford to wait and see what they might have in Soler.

[NOLA]

 

Soler's injury has also forced guys like Szczur, Coghlan, etc to play way more and be exposed.

 

As opposed to Soler playing more and being exposed?

I don't think people realize how average Jorge Soler actually is. He had a 0.1 fWAR in 99 games last year and has a -0.1 fWAR so far this year. Dude is literally a replacement level player right now. The Cubs can't afford to wait and see what they might have in Soler.

On that note, I've watched an abnormal number of Jays games lately. Junior Lake is horrible at every facet of baseball, and he is every day player for them.

[Tim]

 

As opposed to Soler playing more and being exposed?

I don't think people realize how average Jorge Soler actually is. He had a 0.1 fWAR in 99 games last year and has a -0.1 fWAR so far this year. Dude is literally a replacement level player right now. The Cubs can't afford to wait and see what they might have in Soler.

On that note, I've watched an abnormal number of Jays games lately. Junior Lake is horrible at every facet of baseball, and he is every day player for them.

?

 

He only has 21 AB.

[NOLA]

I don't think people realize how average Jorge Soler actually is. He had a 0.1 fWAR in 99 games last year and has a -0.1 fWAR so far this year. Dude is literally a replacement level player right now. The Cubs can't afford to wait and see what they might have in Soler.

On that note, I've watched an abnormal number of Jays games lately. Junior Lake is horrible at every facet of baseball, and he is every day player for them.

?

 

He only has 21 AB.

Guilty of overstating, but he looks lost in OF, which should be his calling card, and he is terrible at the plate.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm a little stunned anyone at this point finds the idea of Junior Lake: terrible baseball player to be a debatable conclusion.