UMFan83

I'm pretty sure that if the Cubs win tonight, they will have their largest lead in 1st place since October 6, 1929. I looked up several years to make sure I was right (2001, 1989, 1984, 1977, 1969, 1945-1929) and none of them had a lead larger than 9.5 games (in 84) Biggest leads: 1906 - 20.0 GA 1907 - 18.5 GA 1929 - 14.5 GA 1910 - 13.5 GA 1918 - 11.5 GA 1984 - 9.5 GA 2008 - 9.0 GA 1969 - 9.0 GA 1973 - 8.5 GA 1977 - 8.5 GA 1932 - 8.0 GA 1945 - 7.0 GA 1989 - 6.0 GA 2001 - 6.0 GA

Does it make sense to have 11 pitchers on the roster? If so Marquis and Gaudin if healthy. If not Wuertz. Also wouldn't be surprised if Pie was considered. Don't know why but I have a feeling.

Actually, baseball is a sport where home field advantage makes a noticeable difference in the game, stemming from the home team batting last. In football and basketball it's much more of a minimal difference. So, for situations like the last Astro series, the games could've been played in Wrigley with the Astros batting last, and they'd have more of a home field advantage than the Cubs. What's the difference between home and road winning percentages in those leagues? The biggest difference in winning percentage is in the NBA, where I'm of the opinion that the officiating makes the majority of the difference. All I was saying is that baseball is the only major sport where home field advantage actually makes a difference in the way the game is played. That's why I added crowd effect instead of the rule but yeah the rules are set for the home team advantage. Also when it comes to crowd for football and basketball I always have college sports in mind. The crowd probably doesn't make as big a difference for pros because it is a lot harder for a professional player to become rattled. And because of cavernous arenas and fan apathy over an 82 game season, the crowds simply aren't as loud in the NBA. (unless the Fan-o-meter is on)

As someone who was convinced the Brewers were overrated all along and thought the Cubs might beat them by 10 games, there's a lot of threads I'd like to dig up. Were you the one posting the run differentials earlier in the season? Were you at least nervous when the Brewers tied up the Cubs in July?

That was the series at the end of May, wasn't it? ?? I meant the Cubs are ending their season at Wrigley vs. AZ, first time since 2006 that we would end the season at home. He means the season ended in May. Oops, I get jokes :oops: It's a pet peeve of mine when people, mostly sports writers, write or say stuff like "first time since 2006", which implies it hasn't happened in a long time. That was 2 freaking years ago. I see sportswriters often write stuff like the STL is trying to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They make it sounds like there have been several seasons since something occured when it was not that long ago. Sorry...I just like when the season ends at home. It had nothing to do with making it sound like its been a significant amount of time in between occurrences.

Actually, baseball is a sport where home field advantage makes a noticeable difference in the game, stemming from the home team batting last. In football and basketball it's much more of a minimal difference. So, for situations like the last Astro series, the games could've been played in Wrigley with the Astros batting last, and they'd have more of a home field advantage than the Cubs. Without actually looking at statistics, I think it would be hard to guess which sport (between football, baseball and basketball) as a biggest HFA. Baseball probably has the least variation, but I believe that to be because over the long grind of a baseball season, these things tend to even out at least a tiny bit.

That was the series at the end of May, wasn't it? ?? I meant the Cubs are ending their season at Wrigley vs. AZ, first time since 2006 that we would end the season at home. He means the season ended in May. Oops, I get jokes :oops:

We're done with the Rockies by April 14th?? Yup, just like we were done with them in Denver this year in early April

That was the series at the end of May, wasn't it? ?? I meant the Cubs are ending their season at Wrigley vs. AZ, first time since 2006 that we would end the season at home.

Also, read somewhere that the Cubs might be ending their season at home against Arizona. Would be nice to end at home. We haven't done that since 2006.

Derrek Lee last 8 games: .333 .351 .556 .907 Remember, when Lee gets hot, its usually not for like a week. It's for a month.

Extremely. Usually it's not released until January or so, correct? It's not early for tentative schedules. Teams (usually teams out of the race) will release these schedules early all the time. As far as an official MLB release, this is extremely rare.

Do you think that the Cubs are basically shutting Fukudome down for the season, hoping he dedicates his offseason to making adjustments and coming back revitalized next season or are the Cubs essentially giving up on him? I'm guessing the former based on his contract, but if its the latter will the Cubs be searching for a new RF this offseason?

Len mentioned on the telecast tonight that Bush was going Thursdsy instead of Parra. http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080916&content_id=3488160&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil Haha, I know Parra's been bad lately, but making Dave Bush pitch on short rest doesn't seem like the answer.

More like "And the Cardinals lose. This will drop them to 5 and a half games behind the Wild Card leading Mets. The Cubs are celebrating wildly on the field at the expense of the Cardinals. This is unprofessional any way you look at it. Just a DISGUSTING display of unsportsmanship at Wrigley Field today."

Not to sound like a frat boy Cubs fan, but it is hard to top the awesomeness of last year's clincher. First of all it was a really close race that was in doubt until the end, second of all it happened on a Friday night. The walk towards Wrigleyville was awesome. You could hear helicopters flying around the area in anticipation, and that only increased the buildup. That said, this years clincher will be far less dramatic. All I ask is that the clinching game either happen when I am not in work.

April 13 - Rockies @ Cubs April 14 - Rockies @ Cubs August 7 - Cubs @ Rockies August 8 - Cubs @ Rockies August 9 - Cubs @ Rockies August 10 - Cubs @ Rockies

They are definitely pressing. That quote shouldn't piss him off. Heckling is part of the agme. I want the Brewers to get their crap together (after this series) and edge into the playoffs. Now their top 2 pitchers don't scare me.

Meh he stunk up the first half instead of the second.

Or much simpler; Cubs and Brewers have 2 games remaining vs each other in Wrigley tomorrow and Thursday: 2-0 Brewers = M#: 4 1-1 finish = M#: 2 2-0 Cubs = Brewers (& everyone else) eliminated from divisional race If the Cubs can beat Sheets tomorrow night, you realllly gotta like the chances of ending all the suspense on Thursday, where its Bush vs Harden. Parra not Bush

2006 MVP?

Weird. I guess the MLB is doing something new this year and releasing next year's schedule all at once. April 6: @ HOU April 7: @ HOU April 8: @ HOU April 9: OFF April 10: @ MIL April 11: @ MIL April 12: @ MIL April 13: vs. COL April 14: OFF April 15: vs. COL April 16: vs. STL April 17: vs. STL April 18: vs. STL April 19: vs. STL April 20: OFF April 21: vs. CIN April 22: vs. CIN April 23: vs. CIN April 24: @ STL April 25: @ STL April 26: @ STL April 27: @ ARI April 28: @ ARI April 29: @ ARI April 30: vs. FLA May 1: vs. FLA May 2: vs. FLA May 3: vs. FLA May 4: vs. SF May 5: vs. SF May 6: @ HOU May 7: @ HOU May 8: @ MIL May 9: @ MIL May 10: @ MIL May 11: OFF May 12: vs. SD May 13: vs. SD May 14: vs. SD May 15: vs. HOU May 16: vs. HOU May 17: vs. HOU May 18: OFF May 19: @ STL May 20: @ STL May 21: @ STL May 22: @ SD May 23: @ SD May 24: @ SD May 25: vs. PIT May 26: vs. PIT May 27: vs. PIT May 28: vs. LAD May 29: vs. LAD May 30: vs. LAD May 31: vs. LAD June 1: OFF June 2: @ ATL June 3: @ ATL June 4: @ ATL June 5: @ CIN June 6: @ CIN June 7: @ CIN June 8: OFF June 9: @ HOU June 10: @ HOU June 11: @ HOU June 12: vs. MIN June 13: vs. MIN June 14: vs. MIN June 15: OFF June 16: vs. CWS June 17: vs. CWS June 18: vs. CWS June 19: vs. CLE June 20: vs. CLE June 21: vs. CLE June 22: OFF June 23: @ DET June 24: @ DET June 25: @ DET June 26: @ CWS June 27: @ CWS June 28: @ CWS June 29: @ PIT June 30: @ PIT July 1: @ PIT July 2: vs. MIL July 3: vs. MIL July 4: vs. MIL July 5: vs. MIL July 6: vs. ATL July 7: vs. ATL July 8: vs. ATL July 9: OFF July 10: vs. STL July 11: vs. STL July 12: vs. STL July 13: AS Break July 14: AS Break July 15: AS Break July 16: @ WAS July 17: @ WAS July 18: @ WAS July 19: @ WAS July 20: @ PHI July 21: @ PHI July 22: @ PHI July 23: OFF July 24: vs. CIN July 25: vs. CIN July 26: vs. CIN July 27: vs. HOU July 28: vs. HOU July 29: vs. HOU July 30: OFF July 31: @ FLA August 1: @ FLA August 2: @ FLA August 3: @ CIN August 4: @ CIN August 5: @ CIN August 6: OFF August 7: @ COL August 8: @ COL August 9: @ COL August 10: @ COL August 11: vs. PHI August 12: vs. PHI August 13: vs. PHI August 14: vs. PIT August 15: vs. PIT August 16: vs. PIT August 17: @ SD August 18: @ SD August 19: @ SD August 20: @ LAD August 21: @ LAD August 22: @ LAD August 23: @ LAD August 24: OFF August 25: vs. WAS August 26: vs. WAS August 27: vs. WAS August 28: vs. NYM August 29: vs. NYM August 30: vs. NYM August 31: vs. HOU September 1: vs. HOU September 2: vs. HOU September 3: OFF September 4: @ NYM September 5: @ NYM September 6: @ NYM September 7: @ PIT September 8: @ PIT September 9: @ PIT September 10: OFF September 11: vs. CIN September 12: vs. CIN September 13: vs. CIN September 14: vs. MIL September 15: vs. MIL September 16: vs. MIL September 17: vs. MIL September 18: @ STL September 19: @ STL September 20: @ STL September 21: @ MIL September 22: @ MIL September 23: @ MIL September 24: @ SF September 25: @ SF September 26: @ SF September 27: @ SF September 28: OFF September 29: vs. PIT September 30: vs. PIT September 31: vs. PIT October 1: vs. PIT October 2: vs. ARI October 3: vs. ARI October 4: vs. ARI

Cubs by OPS: Fontenot .903 Soriano .902 Soto .871 Ramirez .868 DeRosa .852 Lee .826 Edmonds .820 Johnson .782 Theriot .748 Fukudome .740 A couple things I thought were interesting: -The Cubs lead the NL in runs despite only have one regular (Soriano) with an over .900 OPS, and he is a fringe .900 player -Our 3 and 4 hitters are both having bad seasons compared to their typical seasons -There is a crap load of very good hitters in the lineup -If we could replace our RF or CF with a dominant middle of the order hitter, our offense would be even scarier than it is. Imagine instead of Lee hitting third you had something like Manny Ramirez hitting 3rd. I'm just being hypothetical here.

I'll be bringing something just in case.

Here is where the Cubs stand historically with wins in a season. 116 - 1906 107 - 1907 ----------------------Highest Cubs can attain 104 - 1909 104 - 1910 100 - 1935 99 - 1908 ------------------------Current pace 98.5 98 - 1929 98 - 1945 96 - 1984 93 - 1904 93 - 1937 93 - 1989 92 - 1905 92 - 1911 92 - 1969 91 - 1912 91 - 1928 90 - 2008 90 - 1930 90 - 1932 90 - 1998 (*in 163 games)