carolinacubbie

Well, it did happen in 1998 as the Giants overcame a 5 game deficit to two teams in one week to force a playoff tiebreaker. That Giants team was way better than this Astros team. I doubt it happens. I was just saying it could happen. I would honestly think we'd play our guys. I could see a lineup of this. LF- Soriano 2B- Fontenot 1B- Lee 3B- Ramirez CF- Johnson RF- Fukudome C- Blanco/Hill SS- Cedeno P- Sean Marshall? Say the Mets go 2-4 last 6. The Brewers go 2-4. And the Astros go 5-1. That could happen IMO. If the Brewers happen to go 3-3 during that time. How would they figure out a three way tie for the wild card? I'd guess that the Astros and Brewers have some kind of tiebreaker indivision. Head to Head maybe? Whoever won that tiebreak would play the Mets Tuesday night or something?

As much as I hate the White Sox, I really kind of want them to make the playoffs. I'm not gonna lie a possible Cubs/White Sox World Series would be really, really cool.

Hell, if we keep playing as good as we are playing we might be forced to play that last Astros game. They are 3.5 back behind the Mets. It looks like to me we are going to play our guys, so their is no reason to think we can't win 5 of 6 against the Mets and Brewers. The Stros play Cincy and Atlanta. Two teams that are very beatable. Just throwing it out there that we are so good, we might force ourselves to play an unneeded final game.

With Soto hitting .286/.364/.504 where does this season stand all time for Chicago Cubs catchers? Also I feel like from just watching the game that he is a pretty good defensive catcher, but is their a better stat than fielding percentage and throwing out runners to tell if he is or not?

Fixed. You can't leave God out of the lineup.

When I first heard it, I agreed with you. But honestly after listening to it a few times, I like it a lot, it has really grown on me.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Webb 3.26 212 2/3 77 Haren 3.24 203 73 Johnson 4.11 162 74 TOTAL 3.49ERA 577 2/3 IP 224 ER Tampa Bay Rays: Shields 3.50 200 2/3 78 Garza 3.66 179 2/3 73 Kazmir 3.50 141 1/3 55 TOTAL 3.55 ERA 521 2/3 IP 206 ER Seriously, the Cubs are way wayyyyy better than any other team when it comes to playoff rotation. I think we are too, but you do have to take into account that the Angles and the Rays both play in the AL, so those ERAs will be a little higher no matter what.

It lines up good enough for me. It isn't that hard to read it. Try Arizona with Webb, Haren, and whoever else. Tampa Bay as well.

Obviously the Cubs are going to win the division no matter what, but this is the same mentality that I heard before Game 5 of the NLCS in 2003. People debated the Cubs losing Game 5 so they could win at home. Sorry that you might not be able to see them clinch in person, but you should be cheering for the Cubs to win every game until it doesn't matter anymore. In 03, I was driving to Atlanta while Game 4 was being played. I honestly was totally torn about what to root for in that game. I wasn't crushed when they lost, but I did want them to win. At least in the NLCS we were coming home and only had to win one. How could you be torn at all considering we hadn't won a series since what 45? And we had to go on the road against the team with the best record in the NL to win the series. Because I had tickets to game 5 and I was driving there to see the game? I guess I could've made that more clear. Thought it was obvious. It was obvious. I don't give a damn if you were going to the game or not. How could you ever possibly have mixed emotions about your favorite team winning a game, and a freaking playoff game even more. Especially when it is the Cubs. That seems like a pretty damn selfish thing of you. It is easy to look back now, and not think bad about it, but think if we would have lost that game 5. I just can't imagine rooting for a team all year, make the playoffs, and be torn over a playoff game, because you might get to see us win the series in person. Especially since I'm sure in Vegas we weren't favored to win game 5.

Obviously the Cubs are going to win the division no matter what, but this is the same mentality that I heard before Game 5 of the NLCS in 2003. People debated the Cubs losing Game 5 so they could win at home. Sorry that you might not be able to see them clinch in person, but you should be cheering for the Cubs to win every game until it doesn't matter anymore. In 03, I was driving to Atlanta while Game 4 was being played. I honestly was totally torn about what to root for in that game. I wasn't crushed when they lost, but I did want them to win. At least in the NLCS we were coming home and only had to win one. How could you be torn at all considering we hadn't won a series since what 45? And we had to go on the road against the team with the best record in the NL to win the series.

Man I hope I don't get to start a thread this year. I want to see us get hot at the right time heading into the playoffs.

I LOVE CARLOS ZAMBRANO! It has to happen this year, it just has to.

Go Cubs, lets reel of a 4 game streak, than a couple more 4, I am about 5th or so line. I don't want to see myself start a thread the rest of the year!!

So we are on a little losing streak, and honestly I truly am not that worried. The Dodgers are actually on a little bit of a run though which excites me. I honestly don't want to play the D-Backs. Outside of the Brewers (which we obviously can't play in the NLDS) the last team I want to play is the D-Backs. So my question is even though I'd love homefield. Would you rather lose the division and play the Phillies/Mets in the first round than the D-Backs? If the Dodgers end up winning that divisioin than that'd be great, because that would be my first choice. I don't even really think we will lose the central, but their is that chance. I mean I'd love homefield for our fans, but at the same time I don't think is that big of a deal. I don't think the Brewers are good enough to take it from us down the stretch though so this is probably a mute point. But is their anyone out there that would give up the division to not have to play Arizona and Webb and Haren? I think being hot going into the post season is overrated. Look at St.Louis and Detriot a couple years ago, they were both about as cold as you can be, and they made the world series. I guess my question is, would you give up the division and home field in the NLCS for an easier first round match up like someone in the EAST? My fantasy would be somehow someway the Phillies catching Milwaukee in the Wildcard. A part of me just really fears Arizona more than anyone else in the NL. and for the record, I am pretty drunk when I posted this, so if it sounds stupid don't bash me. I am just a 20 year old Chicago Cubs fan at 4:20 trying to write a message.

I didn't get to see it, is their anyone who has a link to it by any chance?

I think Harden is the best of the three, but I would like to know everything considered going into the game. If our bullpen was beat and we are were counting on Howry and Cotts in the 7th and 8th I wouldn't want Harden. If everyone was fully healthy and rested I would pick Harden. I think I would have to go with Z over Dempster in a big must win game though. He has a lot of experience in the playoffs, Dempster doesn't really have much starting experience. It is unbelievably nice to have all three of them though.

I realize he has had a really good career thus far, but honestly I would rather have Soto. Mauer is a great contact hitter, but I feel like Geo has a better upside honestly. I can see why they would rate Geo where he is rated this year, but if he can put up numbers like this next year or even better, I will be interested to see his status next year. For the record Soriano should be on the list somewhere.

How many starting hitters hit .366 let alone pitchers? Sorry but your biased is getting in the way here. If this was a Cards pitcher it would not even be a thought in your head. I clearly stated I know he has no way of winning the MVP, but if he ended up with numbers like I mentioned could he garner the most votes for any Cub. I love how plenty of you pick and choose what you want to read in a thread. I never said Carlos Zambrano should win the MVP. All I said was if he ended the year ridiculously strong pitching wise, and kept at it hitting wise he should at least receive some votes. But good job all of you haters on totally missing the point of the post!!! I guess I should just start more I hate Derrek Lee and I hate Kosuke Fukudome threads.

How many starting hitters hit .366 let alone pitchers? How much more valuable does 70 ABs make Zambrano than say Dempster? Much. yes you're right, especially when the difference in production is very large. still, zambrano may be marginally better than dempster when taking offense into account, but i don't see how that could make him an MVP candidate. i'd have no qualms about voting for pedro as MVP during his peak years, but the starter has to be really great to be a contender, IMO. I totally understand where you are coming from, but my original post was using a lot of IFS. They are ifs for a reason. I was saying IF Z hit a couple more home runs this year, and won the rest of his outings. He could sit with 16 wins, .360+ avg, 6 home runs, 3.00 ERA. Those are just crazy good all-around numbers. If Zambrano ends up with those pitching numbers then he will be pretty much right in line with Dempster as far as pitching goes and he would be greatly superior to him as far as hitting. I know this is very unlikely to happen, but with how good everything is going for us right now, who knows?

Is that updated with today's outing?

Well I know their are a lot better stats than this, but Z has given up 60 earned runs this year and drove in 13 runs. That is a +/- of 47 runs. Dempster has given up 53 earned runs and drove in 2. That is a +/- of 51. We went 6-8 while Zambrano was on the DL.

How many starting hitters hit .366 let alone pitchers?

Z for MVP?? He gets something like four or five starts the rest of the season. Say he ended the year with a record of 16-5 with an ERA right about 3.00. Lets just say he finds a way to hit two more home runs this year, and finishes the year hitting around .365 with 6 home runs. Those are just crazy good numbers all around. He fields his position fairly well too. I know he has no chance to win the MVP, but could he possibly finish with the most votes for Cubs players? Put it this way, he probably has a better chance to win the MVP than he does Cy Young.

My post on the Cubs Discussion worked. At least we didn't get a lot of negativity towards the team and all directed at me. I just wanted to show everyone how dumb they look when they complain at all during this season after one loss. I'm glad I got bashed though. Funny it came from the exact people that would have been bitching about the result of the game, but got to take out their anger on me. :D

Anybody have any clue why in Columbia,SC this game is blacked out in my region on MLB.TV?