Real MLB Thread

[MUDPT]

Excellent recap of the series this weekend: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-cardinals-lay-waste-to-the-cubs-2019-season/

Chances of Cubs losing 4 in a row and Brewers winning 4 in a row was 1 in 240.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Mets lost, so the Brewers magic number over them is two.
Cubs idle, so the magic number remains at three.
Nats won so they are a half game up.  They have a day / night double header today.  If they lose this afternoon, the Brewers will control their destiny for home field in the Wild Card game going into this evening's game.  (They own the tie-breaker.)

Cards won so the division isn't looking real probable at this point.

[MUBurrow]

Lost among the Brewers-Cubs stuff (as much as I hate to admit it) is the awesome job the Cardinals coaching staff did with that team.  Their position players have been blessed with good health, but they've mixed and matched their spare parts well. And Mike Maddux remains one of the most valuable coaches/managers in all baseball.  Flaherty always looked like a stud, but to get 170 IP and a chance to win just about every start along the way from each of Mikolas, Hudson, and the ghost of Wainwright is fantastic work.

[dgies9156]

Cards won so the division isn't looking real probable at this point.

Heaven.

I'm in Heaven!!!!

The balance of the world is back to normal. Satan can take his ear muffs off, as things are getting better!

[Benny B]

Lost among the Brewers-Cubs stuff (as much as I hate to admit it) is the awesome job the Cardinals coaching staff did with that team.  Their position players have been blessed with good health, but they've mixed and matched their spare parts well. And Mike Maddux remains one of the most valuable coaches/managers in all baseball.  Flaherty always looked like a stud, but to get 170 IP and a chance to win just about every start along the way from each of Mikolas, Hudson, and the ghost of Wainwright is fantastic work.

Meh... all that is nowhere near holding a candle to the Cardinals' one true stroke of genius this year: they didn't sign Kimbrel.

[#UnleashSean]

Meh... all that is nowhere near holding a candle to the Cardinals' one true stroke of genius this year: they didn't sign Kimbrel.

[Benny B]

Brewers Cheering Guide (Sep 24):

Brewers to Win, Nats to lose, Cards to lose. (duh)

Cleveland over the White Sox and Tampa Bay over the Yankees.  Why: Cleveland is a half-game behind TB for the 2nd wild card in the AL and finish the season with at Washington this weekend.  TB's magic number is 6 and they have a day off on Thursday, so at least the Tribe will still be in contention at the start of Friday's game vs. the Nats, but with the Nats a half-game up on the Crew going into today, Brewer fans want CLE playing their best ball all the way through Sunday.

White Sox over Cleveland and Yankees over Tampa Bay.  It probably would have been easier simply to say "whatever happens to Cleveland, hope the same thing happens to Tampa Bay."

Cubs over the Pirates.  Or maybe not?  At this point, it really doesn't matter what the Cubs do... if the Brewers keep winning, the only way they don't benefit is if Washington wins out (which more or less requires a Cleveland collapse).

Granted, the only way the Cardinals lose a Division Title is at the hands of the Cubs.  Certainly, it would be great for the D-Backs to do their part, but with last night's loss, they're officially eliminated from the Postseason so who knows what they'll bring the next two games.  And sure, the Cubs still have meaningful baseball ahead of them, but the only realistic shot the Crew has at the division probably requires them winning out, which with a magic number of 3 for the Brewers, that would mean the Cubs will be eliminated by Friday. 

That being said - and this is where it gets complicated - if the Cubs can sweep the Pirates and the Nats drop four to the Phillies, the Cubs would find themselves just a game behind the Nats heading into Friday's games.  That would make the Cardinals' life a little more difficult this weekend... so if you're rooting for the Brewers to win the Division, you want the Cubs in contention through the weekend, which is more likely to occur if Cleveland is also in contention through the weekend.  All the while, the Brewers have to keep winning.  It's a pretty tall order, and even if all of this still happens, the Brewers' Division hopes likely still come down to a Game 163 in St. Louis.

Of course, I want nothing more than for the Brewers to win the NL Central outright, but frankly, I'd rather give the division to the Cards than play a Game 163, thus putting the Brewers into the best possible position to win the Wild Card game.  Albeit a home game, the prospect of having to play a Wild Card game the day after throwing everything out there in St Louis in Game 163, well, suffice to say I don't like those odds... recency bias perhaps, but look no further than what happened to the Cubs last year.  Of course, all of this is predicated on the Cubs being in contention until Sunday morning, so if the Cards were forced to throw everything out there against the Cubs on Sunday, perhaps I do take my chances with Game 163.  In any event, that's not a choice that's on the table under any circumstances, i.e. if the Brewers end up tied with the Cards, come hell or high water, there will still be a Game 163.

So back to the realm of the realistic... given all possible outcomes over the next few days, the most likely outcome involves the Cubs being eliminated by Saturday morning, so I don't think it's unfair to think that the Cards are pretty well set up to cake walk through Saturday and Sunday... ergo, the Cards clinch the Central with just one win (or Brewers loss) between now and Saturday morning.  Nevertheless, if the Nats drop just one game to Philly and has to face a still-going-strong Cleveland this weekend, with the tiebreaker the Brewers are in position to clinch Wild Card "host" before Sunday... accordingly, if Sunday's game is meaningless, that gives CC a bit more room to line up his pitchers for the Wild Card game, although it's a double-edge sword because the Nats would have the same luxury (again, with the Cubs eliminated).  So as a Brewers fan, you actually want the Cubs at the Nats' heels as long as possible.

Despite the "rule" of never looking beyond what's in front of you - stupid as it may be - forget about the Brewers clinching the Wild Card... the Cubs rattling off six straight - although not realistic in and of itself - is a prerequisite
to a) the only realistic chance the Brewers have at winning the NL Central or b) the best chance of winning the Wild Card game.  In other words, if the Brewers' goal is to get to a 5-game series, two of the three ways for that to happen essentially require the Cubs to go 6-0.  And since 6-0 always starts with going 3-0, Hey Hey... Let's go Cubbies!!!

[Jockey]

Wow. You could include that post in a book of short stories. Hopefully you copyrighted it.

[Jockey]

I love it when teams go out and earn spots in the playoff with good play. The Nats, Cards, and Brewers have done so - so far.

The Cubs folded like a cheap suit with no life whatsoever. The Phils and Mets did the same to a lesser extent.

Things can change dramatically in 6 days, but as of now, ALL of the teams that deserve to make it in the NL are in.

[Its DJOver]

I love it when teams go out and earn spots in the playoff with good play. The Nats, Cards, and Brewers have done so - so far.

The Cubs folded like a cheap suit with no life whatsoever. The Phils and Mets did the same to a lesser extent.

Things can change dramatically in 6 days, but as of now, ALL of the teams that deserve to make it in the NL are in.

Makes me feel bad whomever gets the short straw in the AL.  Potential for a 95+ win team to be left out.

[HouWarrior]

Makes me feel bad whomever gets the short straw in the AL.  Potential for a 95+ win team to be left out.

As of today my Astros will home host the winner of the one game AL wildcard playoff...

of the three pending... I most fear the A's ...they have been hot and recently came into our park , taking three out of four from us.

We will have Verlander, Cole , Grienke and all hitters healthy so ...on paper we should go to WS...my guess is though MLB wants us to actually play the games, durn it ...and in baseball anything can happen

[Jockey]

Going out with a whimper...........

[wadesworld]

I wasn’t going to doubt Stearns anymore but when his moves to fix the pitching staff were Pomeranz, Black, Faria, and Lyles I thought he was punting the season. Turns out...

[#UnleashSean]

oooooof thats a hell of a 7th inning

[MU82]

I would say the Cubs have officially mailed it in, but that's an insult to mailing it in.

The 2004 choke was more stunning because it came in the very last week of the season and with guys like Maddux, Prior and Wood on the mound. And the 2003 NLCS Game 6 choke was the most amazing half-hour I've ever personally witnessed.

But this was a pretty impressive choke job.

[Anti-Dentite]

I would say the Cubs have officially mailed it in, but that's an insult to mailing it in.

The 2004 choke was more stunning because it came in the very last week of the season and with guys like Maddux, Prior and Wood on the mound. And the 2003 NLCS Game 6 choke was the most amazing half-hour I've ever personally witnessed.

But this was a pretty impressive choke job.

I’d go so far as to say this choke job has now become epic and legendary.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

[HouWarrior]

I would say the Cubs have officially mailed it in, but that's an insult to mailing it in.

The 2004 choke was more stunning because it came in the very last week of the season and with guys like Maddux, Prior and Wood on the mound. And the 2003 NLCS Game 6 choke was the most amazing half-hour I've ever personally witnessed.

But this was a pretty impressive choke job.

and

I’d go so far as to say this choke job has now become epic and legendary.

Maybe...but... in Cubs history this 2019 choke  is likely just in their top ten. Some have guessed that despite the Cubs' many good early season starts...the entire summers of day games causes a slowing at the end....who knows

here is another....

50 years ago this month....

My junior high teacher back in fall of '69(?) had played a year or two in the minors for the Cubs.

 Poor guy....I watched him emotionally crater in September as:
 first place Cubs lost 17 of last 25 games (ie 8-17), while ....
second place Mets closed out on 23-7 roll over the final 30.

Remembered as the Amazing Mets in their WS win over a great Orioles team

....for Cubs fans ....well it was just another fall spit of the bit...

[jsglow]

Maybe...but... in Cubs history this 2019 choke  is likely just in their top ten. Some have guessed that despite the Cubs' many good early season starts...the entire summers of day games causes a slowing at the end....who knows

here is another....

50 years ago this month....

My junior high teacher back in fall of '69(?) had played a year or two in the minors for the Cubs.

 Poor guy....I watched him emotionally crater in September as:
 first place Cubs lost 17 of last 25 games (ie 8-17), while ....
second place Mets closed out on 23-7 roll over the final 30.

Remembered as the Amazing Mets in their WS win over a great Orioles team

....for Cubs fans ....well it was just another fall spit of the bit...

I remember the '69 collapse fairly well as my friends and I were Cubs fans up in MKE prior to our getting our own team.  We were just in the right age not to be bitter about the Braves departure and the Brewers were not yet in town. 

Anyway, while the Cubs collapse over the full month isn't as dramatic as '69 (.400 winning percentage vs. .320 back then), the Crew's playing of .818 ball in September so far is the second hottest month in franchise history surpassed only by April '87 when the famous 13-0 start propelled them out of the gate. By way of comparison, last year's blistering September was played at a .731 pace; top 5(ish) in team history.  I'm certainly not predicting anything now but overlook them in the postseason at your own peril.

[Mr. Nielsen]

[MU82]

Maybe...but... in Cubs history this 2019 choke  is likely just in their top ten. Some have guessed that despite the Cubs' many good early season starts...the entire summers of day games causes a slowing at the end....who knows

here is another....

50 years ago this month....

My junior high teacher back in fall of '69(?) had played a year or two in the minors for the Cubs.

 Poor guy....I watched him emotionally crater in September as:
 first place Cubs lost 17 of last 25 games (ie 8-17), while ....
second place Mets closed out on 23-7 roll over the final 30.

Remembered as the Amazing Mets in their WS win over a great Orioles team

....for Cubs fans ....well it was just another fall spit of the bit...

Yes, this franchise has made choking an art, that's for sure. In some ways, winning in 2016 "ruined" things - ha!

I have many, many, many Cubbie fan friends and it's amazing how many of them have such fond memories of the 1969 team. It would be like Red Sox fans saying 2003 or 1978 was their favorite team. But Cubbie fans embrace those chokers from 50 years ago; no wonder the Lovable Losers monicker came to pass.

[Anti-Dentite]

Maybe...but... in Cubs history this 2019 choke  is likely just in their top ten. Some have guessed that despite the Cubs' many good early season starts...the entire summers of day games causes a slowing at the end....who knows

here is another....

50 years ago this month....

My junior high teacher back in fall of '69(?) had played a year or two in the minors for the Cubs.

 Poor guy....I watched him emotionally crater in September as:
 first place Cubs lost 17 of last 25 games (ie 8-17), while ....
second place Mets closed out on 23-7 roll over the final 30.

Remembered as the Amazing Mets in their WS win over a great Orioles team

....for Cubs fans ....well it was just another fall spit of the bit...

I agree, this year is probably a top 10 all time gag job, certainly not the Cubbies all time choke but because of this delicious losing streak it has taken on epic status.

[Benny B]

Brewers Cheering Guide (Sep 25):

Before we get started, let's allow Brian Griffin to set the stage for us.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/9uUH6o-jdog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/9uUH6o-jdog</a>

Just like childless adults are incapable of understanding the protective anxiety of parenthood, until you're a fan of the Cubs, you are incapable of understanding what it means to be a loser.  Sure, us Cheeseheads can cry all we want about what might have been if Rollie Fingers had not been injured in 1982 or if Drake hadn't been allowed to sit courtside last year or if Brandon Bostick would have thrown a block as he was supposed to, but I understood why I could never know the gut-wrenching, heart-ripping pain that Cubs fans feel on a regular basis.

Until last night.

For 24 hours, I was a true blue Cubs fan.  Being confined within a decaying mess of spalling concrete and corroding steel actually felt friendly.  I was completely desensitized to navigating scores of bandwagon jumpers and homeless people just to see a baseball game.  The common depiction of Harry Carrey plastered everywhere around Addison and Clark was no longer a caricature of closet racism.  And of course, my heart was stripped of any hope that remained after seven runs in the seventh inning led to seven straight losses at the hands of a team upon which they hung 700 runs last week.  Lucky seven, it was not.  Though last night may have cured my arithmomania, I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a slot machine again.

As I watched that third out in Pittsburgh playing on the jumbotron in Washington that was on the 110" projector screen in my sunroom, I felt lower than the subgrade underneath rock bottom... that is until I realized, being a Cubs fan was a choice.  And so I shed myself of the stench of stale beer and patchouli, and my gray, lifeless heart returned to a bright red as though it was stepping out of Auntie Em's house into Munchkinland.  And yet, even as my spirit regained the vigor of life, I couldn't help but to look back over my shoulder at my former Cubbie brethren wallowing in their own personal seventh ring of hell and feel that tiny pin in my soul as a result of my recent acquisition of the true wisdom of knowing just how much it sucks to be a Cubs fan.

------

So with that said, let's play would you rather.... a) be a Cubs fan or b) spend 7 hours in cleats blowing a lead in the 9th, blowing a lead in the 13th, and losing in the 19th?  Of course, the correct answer, ironically, was popularized by the most famous Cubs fan of all, Monty Brewster: NONE OF THE ABOVE [GO CREW] (emphasis mine).

So no help last night from the Phillies against the Nats, but no immediate worries there since Cleveland and Tampa Bay did indeed walk hand-in-hand as the Crew dispensed the Cincinnati level-2 subdemon colloquially known as Sonny Gray.  So keep on keeping on Tribe and Rays (or keep it off... again just keep doing the same thing).

------

Interesting Takeaway from Tuesday night's games:

Scherzer pitched last night, and although he wasn't his dominating self, he is now lined up to pitch Sunday on normal rest.  And so it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if the Brewers didn't lock up Wild Card "host" before Sunday... even if that means not locking it up at all (or even losing it), because meaningful baseball on Sunday burns the Scherzer card from being played on Tuesday.  Regardless, the Brewers need to keep winning, but if the Nat's do as well - at least for a couple days - so be it.  Candidly, best case - if you're hoping to avoid Scherzer on Tuesday - is for Brewers & Nationals (as well as Cleveland & Tampa Bay) to go into Sunday all-square.  While careful what you wish for Brewer fans, because the consolation prize is Strasburg on regular (or Anibal on long) rest; however, if earlier season matchups mean anything, you absolutely take either of those over Scherzer any day of the week (especially Tuesdays).  That said, don't be surprised if Scherzer only is pulled early on Sunday, or even throws a few innings on short rest Saturday, thus making him available on Tuesday, if needed.  Of course, if the Nats look ahead, they'll realize that using Scherzer on Tuesday essentially means they can only use him once (Game 3) in a 5-game series against the Dodgers... so let's hope that Martinez (privately) also does not subscribe to the idiocy of not looking beyond the game in front of you.

Of course, all this becomes moot if the Snakes can perhaps hand another loss to the Cards today.... although that means I may have to make a choice to become a Cubs fan again come Friday, yay.

-----

Last but not least, welcome to the Brewer Neighborhood Watch Party, Oakland.  Do what you're doing (lose), but not too much.  Whatever you do, just keep Cleveland honest for us.

[StillAWarrior]

Makes me feel bad whomever gets the short straw in the AL.  Potential for a 95+ win team to be left out.

The AL Wildcard race is fantastic.  Five days left, and one game separates three teams seeking two spots.

OAK	94-63	+0.5
TB	94-64	-

CLE

93-64

0.5

Should be interesting.  I really hope the Indians get one of those spots.  Getting Ramirez back last night (with 2HR/7RBI in his return game) was a nice boost.

[MUfan12]

Cleveland has three with the Nationals, who clinched last night. I hope that helps the Crew grab homefield for the WC game.