The Cubs enter this week having won a hard-fought series against the literal best team in baseball. They also did, once upon a time, win another series against the current best team in the American League as well. They also lost a bunch of winnable series but at this point, if you look at the breakdown, the only bad month was May when we thought the sky was falling. Every other month (including this one so far), the Cubs have been at or above .500, so that’s encouraging. You kind of wish they didn’t take that long to onboard Jameson Taillon and Michael Fulmer, or that Drew Smyly hadn’t turned back into a pumpkin, or that Marcus Stroman didn’t try to pitch through his nagging hip thing, but what’s done is done.
As of today:
By math, the Cubs winning percentage (which is a decimal but whatever) is 0.517857 while the Reds are at 0.51754, so that’s why they’re above Cincinnati. Note that if the season ended today, the Cubs and Reds would probably be in a play-in game to fight for that final wild card spot, but for now the Cubs have two extra games to play and are one ahead in that critical loss column. They also aren’t that far away from the division lead, with 50 games to play. Here are the odds:
It’s amazing what a few good series will do, and the Cubs have been on a tear, per this Tweet or Xeet or whatever they’re calling it, and sorry if it disappears whenever Elon and Zuckerberg finally kill each other in their alleged cage match:
Since the Cubs are not going to win 50 straight games (although that would be fun), I’m hoping for three of every five going forward, which seems very doable given this schedule (with problem teams in bold):
August
3 @ Mets
3 @ TOR
2 v White Sox
3 v KC
3 @ DET
4 @ PIT
3 v MIL
September
4 @ CIN
3 v SF
4 v AZ
3 @ COL
3 @ AZ
3 v PIT
3 v COL
3 @ ATL
3 @ MIL (ends October 1)
While I don’t think the Cubs are going to run the table against Pittsburgh, that would be kind of fun and hilarious. August looks to be a much easier month, and the downward spiral for some of the Cubs’ opponents may be a good thing:
Putting aside the Nightengale curse, and the fact that trades haven’t helped the Diamondbacks, Reds, or Giants much, September might start easier before the Cubs head into trouble territory again. In my mind, the remaining 50 games in the schedule are fairly balanced in terms of “should be easier” and “might be tough” games. Winning two of every three games gets the team to 90 wins, while three of five gets them to 88 wins, both of which might be enough to secure the wild card and/or even the division if the Cubs triumph in their final head-to-heads against the Brewers and Reds.
Lots can happen between now and October, but it is fun to know that as of today, the Cubs are in, and sometimes, all you have to do is get in.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Edgar Renteria was on the team that got to the World Series but that team won a couple years later (he of course won with the Marlins and I forgot he was on that first Giants team during their run)…Rod Beck was just shy of 300 saves, grumble
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hehe Brett did one of these too unbeknownst to me at the time
Rice CubeQuote Reply
That defensive focus has apparently caught the attention of the analytics folks
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Quick primer on last-chance additions after the trade deadline
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlbs-trade-deadline-has-passed-but-there-are-still-three-ways-for-contenders-to-acquire-players/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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43 of this is K-Rod. I made good use of former Cub luminaries such as Dance Fever and the Infield Predator.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Cubs have multiple off days over these next two weeks to ride out Stroman’s IL stint and their bullpen fatigue:
8/7 thru 8/9 @Mets
8/10 off day (plus Dreamcast, the fortunes willing)
8/11 thru 8/13 @Blue Jays
8/14 off day
8/15 & 8/16 vs White Sox
8/17 off day
Then no off days until the 31st, with the Brewers series coming just before that off day (brutal)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
After my Renteria guess failed I just chose obvious guys because I no longer cared (dying laughing)
I used Troy Percival
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I forgot about Percival and Isringausen. I always associate them with DET and STL, respectively.
Proud of Julian Tavarez for CHC-STL at 0.08% though.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Tavares is a poor man’s Octavio Dotel in this game
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Mlb.com provides a handy cheat sheet
https://www.mlb.com/news/baseball-players-who-played-on-the-most-teams-c282859016
If you use one of the pre-1900 guys and get 0.001%, post it here!
I got my 1st 1/100% answer today thanks to baseball cards of my youth and José Cardenal. 0.04%. I’ve had 0.x% before, but never 2 digits.
Then I was sure Lance Berkman had a WS ring with Houston and it blew everything up. So 146/163 is the Astros row.
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BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I do try Kenny Lofton a lot
Rice CubeQuote Reply
White Sox just traded for Tyler Naquin from the Brewers for cash. Eligible for trade because he was on a Minor League contract all year and not on the 40 man.
He was in the same situation as Bote. Listening to you guys on the last Dreamcast, my guess is that the Cubs are hoping someone will need some middle IF help yet this year and will want Bote. They obviously won’t oay much for him, but since the Cubs have a contract they are paying him already, if they can get another team to take him for more than league minimum, it’s a win, and cuts the luxury tax. Similar to the Sampson deal, I think, although that was pre-deadline.
BVSQuote Reply
Maybe also Lance’s fault but also WTF
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Anyone half paying attention to the WSox knows it has been a broken franchise for quite some time.
BVSQuote Reply
The TLR hire was a symptom, imo, not a cause, though I’m sure it made things worse.
BVSQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
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The Angels killed me (87%), but I was pretty proud and surprised that my column of Cubs relievers totaled 1.77% (Eckersley, Bottenfield, and Aguilera). Kent Bottenfield fit a whole lot of possible squares, and I remember him because a friend of mine knew him and could get us will-call tickets anytime his team was in town. Now that it’s over I wish I had done all ex-Cubs. I’m pretty sure it would have been attainable since ex-Cub save leaders and WS champions are so prevalent.
andcountingQuote Reply
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tonight’s lineup
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Oh my
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
It’s crazy how not bad this lineup looks now compared to what I would have thought if I’d seen it in April.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I’m still holding out hope that Seiya figures it out so he can be penciled in more but this is the bed he’s made for himself, and Tauchman has certainly earned his spot
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I got to 7/9 ex-Cubs: Haren, Tavarez, Theriot, Hawkins, Cedeno, Gossage, and Sutter
PerkinsQuote Reply
Orioles announcer (and not the pitcher) Kevin Brown got suspended for some reason that nobody understands
https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/kevin-brown-baltimore-orioles-masn-suspension.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Now that Dan Snyder is out of the picture, Peter Angelos can reclaim his title as pettiest DC sports franchise owner.
berseliusQuote Reply
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Need more coffee – I was pretty sure Craig Kimbrel had 300+ saves but it didn’t work, so I guessed Lee Smith and it did. Then I realized I was trying to put this in the Cubs-STL square and not the saves one (dying laughing).
Also thought there was a mistake when I put in Mike Fiers for the Hou WS winner since he was the key guy behind the banging scheme story, but he wasn’t actually on the WS roster.
I also (correctly) guessed that Troy Percival played for the Cards and Angels, then found myself in a bind for angels 300 saves
berseliusQuote Reply
Oof Padres
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
It would have been nice if the Mets and Padres could have records that at least justified their expenditures so other teams would be more inclined to break the bank too, but also it’s fun to laugh at them
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Go Marlins
Go Rockies
Go Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Arraez on the bench because he’s only hitting .375 now, what a bust
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs now losing and the Marlins are again useless
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Damn Smyly
PerkinsQuote Reply
That ghost fork is a bitch
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yeah the Marlins won’t be much help tonight barring a reversal of fortunes
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Should probably talk about Smyly on the podcast 😬😜
Rice CubeQuote Reply
If only there were a way to stop when reaching a base.
andcountingQuote Reply
This feels like one the Cubs lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The weather will likely shorten the comeback attempt
Rice CubeQuote Reply
In addition to certain borderline calls, the umpires are certainly not endearing themselves to the fans
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Unfortunately the Rockies have also become useless
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Huh, they’re gonna resume in 15 or so
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Kinda glad I shut this off at the rain delay, but then again I thought the game would just be called instead of them resuming
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Berselius —-> C league softball champ!
Only took us 26 seasons to get our first title (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
As a Cub fan, you should be happy that your championship occurred in your lifetime. (dying laughing)
Congratulations!
Maybe that’s what we should talk about tonight.
BVSQuote Reply
I guess the crazies are clowning on the women’s team for losing to Sweden but also
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 128 8/9:
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Could not think of a 20 game winner for the Rangers. Apparently Fergie Jenkins was one of them and I used him for 200K/20 wins.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Baseball America had some pretty smart guys back then
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/reviewing-bas-20-ideas-to-save-baseball-from-30-years-ago/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Perkins,
I put Fergie in the 20 game Tex winner and thought he was screwing up the rarity, but when there are only 3 options there, and he was the 2nd choice at 40%, guess I should be happy. I had to set this aside for an hour or so because I got stuck on Toronto and 200K because I kept saying, “I know Roy Oswalt didn’t pitch for Toronto, but what was that guy’s name, rrrrr.” Eventually I remembered a more explosive option.
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BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Nice work! I went with Clemens for Jays 200K season. I did manage to use Mark DeRosa and Kyle Farnsworth, so a good day for relatively obscure former Cubs.
PerkinsQuote Reply
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Whiffed on a bunch of 90s jays pitchers. Disappointed that Jay Carrieta was only at 1% for the 20W/200K square.
berseliusQuote Reply
Conjuring up good juju today I hope
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The postseason schedule, should we dare to hope
https://www.mlb.com/postseason
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Slightly newer shit –> http://www.obstructedview.net/if-you-dare-to-hope/
Rice CubeQuote Reply