Cards Vs. Cubs: Who Should We Root For?

[Ennder]

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/MLB.html

 

That site says the Cubs winning increases our chances the most so I'll cheer for the Cubs today.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'll definitely take note of the score and follow the series with interest, but I'm more concerned with the Brewers beating the Nationals to increase their playoff chances than any other games.

 

The team I'm rooting for the most over this next week is the Marlins - they play the Mets, Cards, and Cubs - if the Brewers play well and the Marlins don't tank or get red-hot, their chances improve regardless.

[Patrick425]

Not sure if someone mentioned this, but I'm rooting for 3 extra innings that go deep into the bullpen each game.

[yount19.u]

I hope yount19 doesn't mind me speaking for him in this instance, but here is some "real data." Take it for what it's worth.

I don't mind at all, and thanks for providing some actual data.

 

I would love to see you justify this completely ridiculous statement with real data.

My statement was based on the general perceptions of the two areas. I understand general perceptions and stereotypes are supposed to be wrong, but they are usually based on some fact as the data monty57 shows. Also, I am not trying to argue how much each area is actually blue collar, white color or affluent or poor. What I am saying is that Chicago is a much larger, metropolitan and world known city, while Milwaukee has always been in its shadows. This gets at the base of the hatred towards the Cubs and their fans, as they represent more than just a baseball team. You could say they represent the stereotypical condescending, affluent, cocky Chicago tourist that so many Wisconsinites have loved to hate over the years. You could also say that hatred many Milwaukeeans and Brewer fans feel reflects our own shortcomings, poor self image and self confidence as a group. I am not trying to argue this statement with actual data as it may not exist to completely prove my point. But, the perception does exist as well as the general disdain for the other team/region. It exists in large numbers as well, even though everyone may not feel the same way.

 

 

Edit: Added space, made quotes more clear. - Toby

[fondybrewfan]

Well they did go into extra innings. Ryan Franklins was so good last year and for the most part this year, but he has completely fallen apart in the last month or so.

 

I don't mind that Cubs won either, we could be up 2 games in the WC rather than only 4 games back of the division. I would just assume the Cubs sweep the Cards and then proceed to lose like 3 out of their next 5 or something like that. Meanwhile the Brewers go 7-0 against the Nats and Padres. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[MadisonBrewerBlue]

i always root against the cubs, though I would like to see some separation between the brewers and any wild card contender. for right now we need to increase the wild card lead so the cards losing doesnt hurt to bad....as long as we win that is

[Bring Back the Stein]

"Blanco's Walkoff." Has the ring of "Abe Vegoda's Nobel Prize in Chemistry."

[lukevan]

Not to pick on anyone in particular, but why are people saying "we should just be taking care of business and worrying about the brewers winning games"? Obviously, we want the Brewers to win every game the way out. The question is: which team losing gives us the best chance at the playoffs and the answer for me is the Cardinals. Even after tonight's loss, they are just 2 games behind us, which can evaporate in a blink. Catching the Cubs is a secondary concern, albeit an emotionally important one. All we need is to make the postseason. I'd love to see a Cubs/Brewers 7 game playoff series.

[BrewCityUnit]

I disagree lukeevan....I want to reach the World Series. Winning the division makes that easier to obtain. That is why I am rooting for the Cardinals. The Cardinals are not going to win the wildcard. The closer we get to the Cubs by the end of the month the better. My goal is to be 3 games back heading into September 1st. I like our chances for a division crown if that is the case. I still think we can play 2 or 3 games under .500 the rest of the way and still win the wild card.

[endaround]

No winning divisions has almost no effect on getting to the World Series. Now that said I was torn today, I wanted the Cubs to win but I also always want to see Zambrano get lit up. One out of two today

[lukevan]

Yeah I don't see how winning the division improves our chances much to go to the World Series. The extra home game would be nice but this season has shown that it doesn't matter much where they play the games.

 

Brewers vs Cubs on the road: 4-2

Brewers vs. Cubs at home: 0-4

[pebadger]

Until there are less than 15 games left in the season and the Brewers are more than 3 games out, I'm cheering against the Cubs. At this point the Brewer have the WC lead, and I expect them to keep the WC on of the strength their own efforts. That, and I simply can't stand the Cubs.

 

To bend a phrase associated with Mayor Daley, I want them to lose early and often. As Mike Tyson says, I want them to fade to Bolivian. I don't want them in the playoffs. I don't want a single car driving north because some worthless season ticket holder figures he can sell his Game 3 NLCS tickets to a Cub fan, pocket a few grand, then go to games 4 and 5 and still proclaim himself a Brewer fan. I want to hear Ron Santo wailing "No! Oh, no!" and sobbing in the background as the Brewers clinch the division title and the Cubs fall behind in the wildcard race in New York on September 25.

 

I'm a Brewer fan, and this is my short answer to the question.

[hawing]

Tip of the cap to you, pebadger. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I've been pretty much hoping for a non-sweep, so now that that's clinched, I'm content, considering that I don't much like either team.

That, and it's hard not to love a Zambrano meltdown under most any circumstances.

[BrewCityUnit]

So you think an easier path to the World Series is to go to New York/Philadelphia in the first round and then go on the road in the second round compared to playing the DBacks/Dodgers at home in the first round and host the second round?

[razzzorsharp]

According to Sportsclubsstats when the Cards lose our chances of the postseason go up. That tells me who I should root for.

[BrewCityUnit]

Tim Allen and Sparky were talking about this after the game tonight. They both agreed....a winning attitude wants the Cardinals to win. A losing attitude is rooting for the Cubs. I'm not calling everyone who is rooting for the Cubs to have a losing attitude......I'm just saying have some faith. The Brewers are better than the Cardinals and will finish ahead of them. If they can't finish ahead of this current Cardinals squad then they don't deserve it. Lets go get the division!

[And That]

They both agreed....a winning attitude wants the Cardinals to win. A losing attitude is rooting for the Cubs.

1) No offense, but the day I start basing my opinions on radio talk show hosts is the day I donate my brain to science. Radio talk shows pander to the most basic of fan desires, and have little basis in what makes a good team good, IMO.

 

2) If on the last day of the season, for whatever reason: A Cardinals loss would guarantee Brewers entry into the postseason, or a Cardinals win and a Brewers win would get us there, I'm cheering like hell for the Cardinals to lose. I'll lose my way into the postseason any day.

 

[DHonks]

To be honest it doesn't matter. It's win-win for us. They still have 7 games left. As long as nobody goes 6-1 against the other, we're fine

[BrewCrewRising]

To be honest it doesn't matter. It's win-win for us. They still have 7 games left. As long as nobody goes 6-1 against the other, we're fine

Yeah, I'd like them to just have these heated battles where one wins every other game. I was optimistic on Friday when they went extra innings. I was hoping that was a sign that the WHOLE series would be extra innings. I know not very probable, but a guy can dream.

 

[naivin]

So you think an easier path to the World Series is to go to New York/Philadelphia in the first round and then go on the road in the second round compared to playing the DBacks/Dodgers at home in the first round and host the second round?

I'm not sure about this one, personally, I am thinking that facing a 1-2 of Hammels and Blanton is preferrable to a 1-2 of Webb and Haren, regardless of location.

[rluzinski]

Tim Allen and Sparky were talking about this after the game tonight. They both agreed....a winning attitude wants the Cardinals to win. A losing attitude is rooting for the Cubs.

 

Yes, rooting for the outcome that gives the Brewers the best chance to reach the playoffs is a loser's attitude. Makes a hell of a lot of sense.

[BrewCityUnit]

I think the point they were trying to make is....why should Brewer fans not have faith in their team that they are a playoff caliber team and will make the playoffs. We are ahead of the Cardinals so why shouldn't we be focused on catching the Cubs and not holding off the Cardinals?

 

The way I look at it is like this....when playing blackjack, and you get dealt a blackjack and the dealer turns up an ace....do you buy insurance? I don't.

[crewcrazy]

I don't think anyone who is hoping the Cardinals lose doesn't believe the Brewers can make the playoffs -- it's the thought that the Cardinals losing further increases their chances at making the playoffs. I don't know why Tim and Sparky consider this a "losing attitude"...as far as I'm concerned, the fewer wildcard contenders, the better, and I'll go back to hoping the Cubs lose every game once this series is over.

[Ennder]

Couldn't you say a winning attitude is having confidence we can beat anyone in the playoffs regardless of whether we are wild card or division champs and a losing attitude is our only shot in the playoffs is to win the division....

 

I'm more interested in getting into the playoffs than winning the division. If we do both that is great but missing the playoffs is much worse than just being stuck with the wild card so I'm going to stay focused on whatever gets the team into the playoffs.

[BrewCityUnit]

as far as I'm concerned, the fewer wildcard contenders, the better, and I'll go back to hoping the Cubs lose every game once this series is over.

 

 

So when the Cubs play the Braves and Astros this week are you going to be rooting for the Cubs too....so we can gain some distance between us and those teams as well? At what point is a team close enough for us to feel they are a threat of overtaking us for the wildcard? Last time I checked, every Cub loss increases our chances of making the playoffs as well (as well as home field advantage)