Mets (Peterson) vs Cubs (Horton): 9/23/25, 6:40pm

[SparkMark1]

I suppose my only point of optimism is nearly every playoff team has had periods of this season where they absolutely stunk.

I don't really think the Cubs will do much in the playoffs, but there is a non-zero chance they have everything come together for a few weeks.

 

[BKHoo]

Do we know who has the Cubs Padres tie breaker yet?

[Geographyhater8888]

12 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Do we know who has the Cubs Padres tie breaker yet?

Padres currently hold the tie breaker with a 29-20 interdivisional record and the Cubs at 27-22 with both finishing the season vs divisional opponents. Then it comes down to intraleague record where the Padres would have already clinched a better one.

Edited September 24, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Soul]

20 minutes ago, SparkMark1 said:

I suppose my only point of optimism is nearly every playoff team has had periods of this season where they absolutely stunk.

I don't really think the Cubs will do much in the playoffs, but there is a non-zero chance they have everything come together for a few weeks.

 

It's an entire half of the season.

[Soul]

It is what it is.  The team that were world beaters up until Summer is gone.  Tucker gone.  PCA tanked out, Suzuki forgot how to hit.  Boyd tired.  Shota fading.  Blah blah blah.  At least they made the playoffs.  That's a tick better than last year.

 

(yes I'm writing them off as a 1st round ouster)

[Stratos]

5 minutes ago, Soul said:

It is what it is.  The team that were world beaters up until Summer is gone.  Tucker gone.  PCA tanked out, Suzuki forgot how to hit.  Boyd tired.  Shota fading.  Blah blah blah.  At least they made the playoffs.  That's a tick better than last year.

 

(yes I'm writing them off as a 1st round ouster)

Accurate except i think they have a solid chance if Tucker can at least DH and hit like normal, which is still a huge question mark

[Rcal10]

11 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Padres currently hold the tie breaker with a 29-20 interdivisional record and the Cubs at 27-22 with both finishing the season vs divisional opponents. Then it comes down to intraleague record where the Padres would have already clinched a better one.

If they finish with identical records within the division the Padres would have to be a game behind the Cubs in the standings. If the Cubs beat the Cardinals twice and the Padres lost to the Dbacks twice that would be the Cubs with 90 wins and Padres with 89. Cubs cannot tie the Padres in division record without having more wins than the Padres. 

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, Soul said:

It is what it is.  The team that were world beaters up until Summer is gone.  Tucker gone.  PCA tanked out, Suzuki forgot how to hit.  Boyd tired.  Shota fading.  Blah blah blah.  At least they made the playoffs.  That's a tick better than last year.

 

(yes I'm writing them off as a 1st round ouster)

You can certainly do that. And at this very moment it looks like that is the case. But baseball is a funny sport. They can win just as easily as they can lose. But I do understand why you think they will lose. 

[Geographyhater8888]

4 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

If they finish with identical records within the division the Padres would have to be a game behind the Cubs in the standings. If the Cubs beat the Cardinals twice and the Padres lost to the Dbacks twice that would be the Cubs with 90 wins and Padres with 89. Cubs cannot tie the Padres in division record without having more wins than the Padres. 

Correct. I answered the question before analyzing.

[gflore34]

Could be worse, we could be Tigers' fans, now that's a horsefeathers epic meltdown.  If the Tigers don't get their horsefeathers together, it'll read see 2025 Tigers under the definition of meltdown in the dictionary.

[Brian707]

44 minutes ago, SparkMark1 said:

 

I don't really think the Cubs will do much in the playoffs, but there is a non-zero chance they have everything come together for a few weeks.

 

Yeah like most seasons whomever gets hot going into the playoffs and October generally wins it. See Texas a couple years ago. The Dodgers of last year and the 2016 Cubs were just dominate and got the job done. This season we dont really have a dominate team.

[Geographyhater8888]

11 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

Yeah like most seasons whomever gets hot going into the playoffs and October generally wins it. See Texas a couple years ago. The Dodgers of last year and the 2016 Cubs were just dominate and got the job done. This season we dont really have a dominate team.

Texas had a potent offense scoring 881 runs and were streaky, capable of getting hot, plus a potent top of the order. We need Tucker to be our Seager and we’re hoping he’s even healthy enough to DH. The lack of middle of the order bats and star power is what’s been missing for years and still missing unless Tucker miraculously shows no rust.

Edited September 24, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[muntjack]

If it were up to me, I'd shake things up. I know it's incredibly late but it can't get worse at this point.  The offense is lifeless.  Rest Seiya. 

Nico

Ballesteros

Happ

Busch

Shaw

Caissie

Kelly/Amaya

PCA

Swanson

 

[Geographyhater8888]

2 minutes ago, muntjack said:

If it were up to me, I'd shake things up. I know it's incredibly late but it can't get worse at this point.  The offense is lifeless.  Rest Seiya. 

Nico

Ballesteros

Happ

Busch

Shaw

Caissie

Kelly/Amaya

PCA

Swanson

 

Yes. I want Busch down in the order. This team isn’t hitting homers with runners on base with any consistency with PCA and Suzukis power outage. Busch moving down in the order will create more of those opportunities, the only hitter who’s shown consistent pop from April-September. Even if it’s a marginal difference there’s nothing to lose.

[gflore34]

11 minutes ago, muntjack said:

If it were up to me, I'd shake things up. I know it's incredibly late but it can't get worse at this point.  The offense is lifeless.  Rest Seiya. 

Nico

Ballesteros

Happ

Busch

Shaw

Caissie

Kelly/Amaya

PCA

Swanson

 

I'd sit PCA for the remainder of season, go with Alcantara in CF.

[gflore34]

14 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Texas had a potent offense scoring 881 runs and were streaky, capable of getting hot, plus a potent top of the order. We need Tucker to be our Seager and we’re hoping he’s even healthy enough to DH. The lack of middle of the order bats and star power is what’s been missing for years and still missing unless Tucker miraculously shows no rust.

I think it unreasonable to expect anything from Tucker.  Have to start with the assumption that Tucker will not be available.

[Geographyhater8888]

18 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

I think it unreasonable to expect anything from Tucker.  Have to start with the assumption that Tucker will not be available.

Aroldis Garcia would be our Suzuki, who’s been a replacement level hitter for months getting crossed up on breaking balls like a 13 year old who saw a curve ball for the first time in his life. Don’t have our Marcus simien. The WAR comes from great fielding. That’s fine if you have pitchers who don’t allow home runs which the cubs lack. So yes, Tucker at 80% won’t cut it, unless some unsuspecting hitters go on a power tear on a lineup that has scored 5+ runs in consecutive games once in 2 months against very soft pitching.

Edited September 24, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[17 Seconds]

3 hours ago, gflore34 said:

I'd sit PCA for the remainder of season, go with Alcantara in CF.

pca probably wants 30/30 pretty badly

[Chicago Al]

10 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

pca probably wants 30/30 pretty badly

PCA is trying to be a hero every at bat. He refuses to adjust his approach, he can’t lay off the high fastball and sliders or curves 3 feet off the plate. Pete and Seiya not reaching 30 homers and 100 RBI’s this far really sucks.

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Chicago Al said:

PCA is trying to be a hero every at bat. He refuses to adjust his approach, he can’t lay off the high fastball and sliders or curves 3 feet off the plate. Pete and Seiya not reaching 30 homers and 100 RBI’s this far really sucks.

PCA so far in his career has either been on fire or dreadful.  Seiya is similar. 

Nico is my Cubs MVP this year.  Productive and steady pretty much all year on all sides of the ball. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

5 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Nico is my Cubs MVP this year.  Productive and steady pretty much all year on all sides of the ball. 

And also on both ends of the court.

[Chicago Al]

21 minutes ago, Stratos said:

PCA so far in his career has either been on fire or dreadful.  Seiya is similar. 

Nico is my Cubs MVP this year.  Productive and steady pretty much all year on all sides of the ball. 

I agree, Nico is the Cubs’ MVP this year. 

[Papa Cub]

11 hours ago, Michael Busch Light said:

Blame MAGA Matt 

Or the simpletons like yourself that literally make comments like you just did - lol you’ll never be able to see your own words truly anyway, so 🤷‍♂️

[Brian707]

16 minutes ago, Papa Cub said:

Or the simpletons like yourself that literally make comments like you just did - lol you’ll never be able to see your own words truly anyway, so 🤷‍♂️

[Michael Busch Light]

20 minutes ago, Papa Cub said:

Or the simpletons like yourself that literally make comments like you just did - lol you’ll never be able to see your own words truly anyway, so 🤷‍♂️

You MAGA freaks are a lot of fun.  I’m impressed you can spell simpleton although it probably auto corrected on your phone.