Seems the Cubs are sort of taking berselius’ advice. Despite some offensive hiccups lately to go with injuries to the pitching staff, the Cubs made out with a 3-2 home stand that probably should have been 5-0, but is better than the alternative where they completely collapse.
The Cubs currently sit three games out of first because the Texas Rangers were completely useless all weekend. The better news is that they are also a game ahead of the Reds in second place, hold the final wild card spot outright, and are within spitting distance of both the Giants and the Phillies for a higher seed.
The Cubs also have two additional games to play compared to their closest division rivals, one more than either San Francisco or Philly, and are ahead two games in the loss column for the closest wild card contenders behind them.
In this next week before the Cubs host the Brewers at Wrigley for Battle to the Death III, the schedule is allegedly easy since they face struggling Detroit (3) and Pittsburgh (4). It is highly unlikely the Cubs run the table against the Pirates in all 13 games, and since these are all MLB teams and baseball can be stupid, you can’t really bank on a 7-0 week. While 7-0 would be nice, I think something closer to 5-2 is probably more reasonable to expect, and anything less than that has to be considered disappointing or devastating depending on your perspective. Kind of glad the Brewers still haven’t run away with the division, but we’re now at 39 games remaining and time is running out, so wins are about as critical as they’re going to get.
Odds-wise, the Cubs playoff probability stands at 55% and they still have non-zero shots at winning the division and even scoring a bye. We can take a look at what comes next for the other teams this week:
- Philly – SF (3) & STL (3)
- SF – Philly (3) & ATL (3)
- MIL – Twins (2) & SD (3)
- AZ – Rangers (2) & CIN (4)
- CIN – Angels (3) & AZ (4)
- MIA – SD (3) & Nats (3)
I do not think I’m alone when I hope for mutually assured destruction from all those teams playing each other while the Cubs hopefully reignite their offense against some relatively soft competition. The Cubs should definitely take advantage, but honestly, I can’t tell them what to do.
Comments
You’re welcome, Cubs. Please send me a cut of the revenue since the turnaround in the form of an enormous Happy Gilmore sized-check.
berseliusQuote Reply
I vaguely remembered most of these guys but did double check my work on B-Ref so that’s probably cheating but I also don’t care
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs can gain on Beers this week since Mil has a short sched.
Play good, Cubs.
BVSQuote Reply
It me the hairsplitter
Baffled that all this california hurricane stuff keeps referring to southern CA as the ‘Southwest’
berseliusQuote Reply
We’d sure love some rain in the actual southwest
berseliusQuote Reply
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Rough one today. I kept coming up with matches for teams that didn’t cross, like Kenny Rodgers (DET-TEX) (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Ho boy
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Nats being shitty probably not Davey’s fault but still
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I have to dispute the claims of a non-zero chance of the Cubs getting a bye. Pretty sure all the networks have called that race for βNot the Cubsβ with 76% of precincts reporting.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
It’s non-zero because the Cubs could potentially go an unprecedented 39-0 to finish the season
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Interesting…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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I had zero idea for DET-SFG
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Based on the relatively low percentages on all of the top choices, seemed like a lot of head scratching today (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Yeah itβs probably not a good sign when the most common answer is a player Iβve never heard of.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I used Andres Torres, who is a player I have heard of
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tigers only 10 games under so they’re bad but not atrocious, though Faedo just made Tauchman look silly
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Uh
I’ll take it
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
That too
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Will definitely take that
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Jed Hoyer in Starkville, fun listen
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Good Seiya makes me happy
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Nice
Rice CubeQuote Reply
From BN, White Sox stuff
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2023/08/21/report-white-sox-may-be-pondering-a-move-out-of-chicago/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Fulmer is shitting the bed here.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Bad luck but also bad pitches
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Eh. Fulmer got screwed on 3-2, broke Javyβs bat, and induced a pop-up to center. Not really sure what else a dude is supposed to do.
andcountingQuote Reply
Summer of Madrigal
Rice CubeQuote Reply
andcounting,
He probably shouldn’t have walked that one guy but yeah he got lucked
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wow
Cubs win in 2:52
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
He didnβt though. The 3-2 pitch was a strike. That was an ump walk.
andcountingQuote Reply
These games where it feels like thereβs no acceptable explanation for losing are murder to watch. Beat the Braves 7-6 and youβre walking on air. Against the Tigers it feels like barely not drowning.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
That was definitely a baseball inning
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Rangers might be trash
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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Meh
Gonna stop using Guerreros as guesses, unless I pivot to Pedro Guerrero.
BVSQuote Reply
berselius,
Like the Dakotas being in the Midwest.
Did you get any rain in the actual SW?
BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Talks about the magic about being in Boston and Chicago. No mention of San Diego, (dying laughing).
BVSQuote Reply
The grid today has some super-picky squares but I was displeased to see only 3% so far chose Willie Mays for the corner
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Madrigal’s Vlad/Beltre impression
Rice CubeQuote Reply
He’ll get paid, but this looks pretty bad
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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Damn Orioles and Angels
PerkinsQuote Reply
I used Albert Pujols for that and was surprised to see him all the way up at 7%. He usually gets less recognition in this game.
PerkinsQuote Reply
That’s a negative. Should be our ‘monsoon’ season right now but rain has been scarce :(. Luckily we had a very wet winter.
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
Only 9% for Henry Aaron, so people are probably just picking their faves.
berseliusQuote Reply
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Stupid AL teams
berseliusQuote Reply
Eddie Murray getting 33% on Orioles 500 HR hitter instead of Palmeiro is a clear indicator of how many people cheat (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Wander Franco probably in some kind of trouble, redux
https://theathletic.com/4788279/2023/08/22/wander-franco-investigation-update-rays-star-placed-on-administrative-leave/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Game two…fight!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
go cubs win
berseliusQuote Reply
Mike Trout —–> back at last
berseliusQuote Reply
Everyone getting fired on the South Side
https://twitter.com/whitesox/status/1694118576351785450?t=7xSbR7-msaePUonP7Esb5g&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
TLR coming back?
BVSQuote Reply
berselius,
I used Palmeiro and Bagwell in the 40 HR slots, and Bags was over 60% then. Now at 58. Bit to illustrate your point, Sosa for the Sox 500 HR only had 2% at 9.30 this morning, but at 5% now.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
They didn’t say they fired Grifol but that’s probably coming at end of season once they hire the new guy.
Wouldn’t mind the Cubs scoring a few runs soon
Rice CubeQuote Reply
BVS,
I wish Iβd had the presence of mind to use Sosa instead of Palmeiro.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Not for manager, but as Pres of Baseball…
Throw strikes Smyly
BVSQuote Reply
Wesneski probably should have been warming up to start this inning. Smylyβs gotten a longer leash than youβd hope.
Absolutely no reason to have left him in to give up that HR.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Did anyone but Ross not know Smyly was done after 3?
andcountingQuote Reply
Smyly βΉοΈ
berseliusQuote Reply
Well if the bullpen holds the Cubs can obviously score (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yeah Wesneski
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This oneβs on Ross.
PerkinsQuote Reply
At least they took less than three hours to lose, yay pitch clock
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
an oldie but goodie
berseliusQuote Reply
Splendid
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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I tried Drabek for PIT 200K before going with Cole.
PerkinsQuote Reply
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Have a False Memory of Johnny Cueto in a Pirates uniform for some reason (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Hmm, interesting lineup vs Skubal
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1694357340114370821?t=GmOy7owUfDvpPlo9kcpdRg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Lots of that guys
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
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BVSQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Wisdom’s last hurrah?
Huzzah!
BVSQuote Reply
Well then
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
The news of the day is that Smyly was slated to start the finale against the Pirates this Sunday, but this might be like the Moneyball thing where Billy had to trade away Carlos Pena so Art Howe would stop being an ass
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This is nice…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cody is hitting quite Wellinger
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Spencer Torkelson is no Rod Torfulson
/beats dead horse
berseliusQuote Reply
Taillon doing the thing so far
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
DFA time smh
berseliusQuote Reply
Jesus fuck, Taillon.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sweet Jesus
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs win in 2:40 with that brief rain delay
Rice CubeQuote Reply
New shit you can listen to –> http://www.obstructedview.net/podcast/dreamcast-70-this-game-will-drive-you-crazy/
Not as diligently edited as usual but still tons of really nifty content in our conversation the other night.
Rice CubeQuote Reply