Lose Cubs Lose, Lose Cubs Lose!

[Fear The Chorizo]

Fear The Chorizo wrote:

 

The Brewers should scare nobody in the playoffs with...CC scuffling...

Since his last complete game shutout:

 

26.2 IP, 25 K, 4 BB, 29 H, 9 ER, 3.04 ERA, .684 OPS against

 

I hope every pitcher on the Brewers scuffles like that.

Good job of taking only one of the 4reasons I listed why the Brewers shouldn't scare anyone in the playoffs and expanding on it without understanding the context. My point regarding C.C. is that he's had to throw alot more pitches to get through innings in his last few outings - he's not putting away hitters as easily as he had been during July and part of August. Because of that, games C.C. starts haven't been bullpen off days lately, and with Sheets out we're left pondering who will even start 1/2 of their remaining games. C.C. scuffling is better than 90% of the league's starting pitchers, yes, but with what the rest of the pitching staff looks like with Sheets injured, the Brewers need him to completely dominate and keep the bullpen off the mound. He hasn't been doing that of late. I'm not faulting the guy for still being solid, I was just pointing out that along with how brutal every other phase of the Brewers' team was going, he was no longer an automatic complete game with 105 pitches thrown.

[GormanHarvey]

I have a feeling that if our offense gets out of its funk (which I think it will) the pitching will fall in line too. Seems like pitchers always struggle when they feel like they have to be perfect

[nate82]

The amount of love for the Cubs in here is making me sick. I'm so sick I have a feva and the only cure is a Brewers win.

 

Yes I know that was cheesy but I just can't handle all this Cub loving.

[yount19.u]

Who would've thought we'd see this thread a month ago? ha

 

Hey Chicago Whattaya say?

The Cubs are going to win today! (and 3 more after this)

I know your joking, but c'mon man. Does anyone else's blood boil at the mere mention of this moronic jingle the Cubs have force fed us all?

 

I must say, though, I did not feel disgust after seeing the Cubs/Mets score tonight. I guess a tiny part of me does want to see the Brewers in the playoffs at any cost (even if it does mean a helping hand from that team down south that has nothing but dolts for fans).

[razzzorsharp]

The Cubs are like any other team to me in the fact that it's Brewers (1) everyone else (2). If I have to choose a team to pick if the Brewers aren't the team to win it all, I hope its the Cubs though.

[RockCoCougars]

Say what you want about Lou, but he's scored a lot of points in my book by playing to win these games that are meaningless to the Cubs (even though it might not turn out good for the Crew this weekend). He very easily could have went Tony Dungy on us, but he is maintaining the integrity of the game.

[statman0007]

I doubt it plays much of a factor, but I wonder if the Cubs are a little motivated to put the Brewers in the playoffs so that they play away games at Miller Park instead of Shea. Their recent history (against the Astros) is obviously impressive, and they would probably have 50% of the fans even at their away games. Plus, we're closer to their home and they wouldn't have to put up with all the hype/extra things that come with a New York series.

 

Like I said, I don't think it's a big factor, but it would be kinda nice seeing as they practically have as much of a hand in our fate as we do.

[bucks2281]

I guess a tiny part of me does want to see the Brewers in the playoffs at any cost (even if it does mean a helping hand from that team down south that has nothing but dolts for fans).

 

All of me wants the Brewers in the playoffs at any cost. I want them to play in the tournament for a world championship. The Cubs won homefield advantage tonight -- it really doesn't matter to anybody if they lose anymore games. Not one of their fans is going to feel a twinge of disappointment if they lose. The Cubs love on this board is a joke, more or less. Most of us dislike/loathe the Cubs, but I promise you I'm rooting like hell for them for the next three games because I want the team I love and adore to make the postseason. That should be the the number one or only priority.

 

but I wonder if the Cubs are a little motivated to put the Brewers in the playoffs so that they play away games at Miller Park instead of Shea.

 

The Cubs cannot play the Brewers in the NLDS. Should the Brewers make it, the Cubs would play the Dodgers. I can promise you they'd rather face the LA Dodgers than the Mets. Despite their woeful bullpen, the Mets have a powerful lineup and Johan Santana. And I can promise you there will be a bunch of Cubs fans at the game(s) in LA. I'm wondering if we'll see an NFL-esque situation during the Cubs-Brewers series. I can't think of a situation off of the top of my head in the NFL recently, but perhaps Lou will "try to lose" in order to create a more favorable playoff matchup. Who knows?

[rluzinski]

Not sure if this was mentioned but Harden's start get's bumped to Thursday, so no Zambrano or Harden for that last series. Not too surprising, obviously.

 

Johan Santana wins tomorrow. Zambrano and Harden win the final two games of the series. Brewers take 2 of 3 from Pirates and are all tied up going into that last series with the sleeping Cubs.

 

Why not?

[dlk9s]

Not sure if this was mentioned but Harden's start get's bumped to Thursday, so no Zambrano or Harden for that last series. Not too surprising, obviously.

Was about to come post this.

 

So, it looks like we'll face Dempster, Lilly, and Marquis. I was hoping Dempster would be given the series off, but hey, I'll take it.

[fondybrewfan]

If the Cubs can somehow beat Santana tonight I would be in heaven. If the Mets lose the Santana vs. Marshall match up tonight I could see them absolutely falling apart (If they aren't doing it already)

 

Hopefully Zambrano doesn't throw another 1.2 Inning 8 ER performance up there again

 

If the Cubs can take 2 out of the next 3 and the Brewers can right the ship and sweep the Pirates we would have a 1 game lead with 3 to play. If that were the case I would like our chances. However I won't get greedy, I'll be happy with a tied wildcard.

 

That scenario brings up an interesting point. Would you rather pitch CC Sunday on short rest or would you rather pitch him in the play in game and just hope that we make it that far? I would hate to have to throw Suppan/Parra/McClung in the play in game.

[naivin]

I am curious as to what others are realistically hoping for. Obviously anything can happen and I'd love to be able to overtake the Mete, but as I think about it, I guess I don't think we will be able to make up 2 games, so when you get right down to it, I suppose I am simply hoping for game 163 on Monday.

[Bob Sanders]

Not sure if this was mentioned but Harden's start get's bumped to Thursday, so no Zambrano or Harden for that last series. Not too surprising, obviously.

Was about to come post this.

 

So, it looks like we'll face Dempster, Lilly, and Marquis. I was hoping Dempster would be given the series off, but hey, I'll take it.

Don't be too surprised if you don't see Dempster or Lilly. I have a feeling Marshall will probably get the start on Sunday.

[JJHardy7]

The Cubs cannot play the Brewers in the NLDS. Should the Brewers make it, the Cubs would play the Dodgers. I can promise you they'd rather face the LA Dodgers than the Mets.

 

This is true, but should the Brewers and Cubs advance the Cubs I'd imagine would love to play at Miller Park in the NLCS. They'd have home field and on the road it might be split. Sounds like a winning strategy if you ask me.

[DeacCub]

There is no strategy. As evidenced by last night's game. Like every team, the Cubs want to win. They may give some of their guys a bit of rest, but whoever plays is still trying to win the game. That'll be the case when they get to Milwaukee as well. Whoever wins the wild card will have earned it. And both of the contenders have three games against the Cubs after the Cubs have clinched homefield for the national league playoffs.

[Glennron]

I am curious as to what others are realistically hoping for. Obviously anything can happen and I'd love to be able to overtake the Mete, but as I think about it, I guess I don't think we will be able to make up 2 games, so when you get right down to it, I suppose I am simply hoping for game 163 on Monday.

That's basically as realistically optimistic as I can get. I'm hoping for the Brewers to go 4-2 and Mets 3-3 to force the playoffs. That should be decently attainable, 2/3 from Pit and then 2/3 from the Cubs assuming no Harden/Z/some other regulars. A sweep of the Pirates would be huge but I won't expect that considering the Brewers haven't even won a series since August. The best chance of the Brewers winning outright would be 5-1 vs 3-3 for the Mets.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Interesting watching the game last night. Lou was very intense. It was like he was sending a message to his players that they will not be taking the last week off. Reed Johnson missed a sign and got pulled from the game in the 4th. He came out and argued a call pretty hard as well. They trotted out Marmol and when he failed, brought in Wood. My guess is some of their regulars get a game off this weekend and the starters are likely to be on pitch counts, but it bodes well that they are playing the Mets hard and we miss their primo starters (ex-Dempster) this weekend. I doubt they'll pitch their top relievers this weekend either.

 

We just need to take care of business for once.

[Invader3K]

We just need to take care of business for once.

Exactly. The Brewers have gotten all the help they can possibly hope for to stay in contention. They need to do their best to win these next two series to have any realistic hope. Hopefully they build on their win from Sunday.

[naivin]

Interesting watching the game last night. Lou was very intense. It was like he was sending a message to his players that they will not be taking the last week off...

I think your overall assesment is probably right, but I'm not sure we will see the same the rest of the week. I think more than anything he wanted to get home field out of the way last night so they could just put everyting else to bed and spend the rest of the week getting ready for next week. I suspect they'll still play hard and all that, but they now have three games left against both the Mets and the Brewers, and if he treats them all the same, nobody can really complain. You are right about the pitchers...starters will get pulled, certain releivers may not come in, etc. Guys will get days off...They'll still play, but I don't suspect we'll see the same kind of thing we saw last night.

[Bring Back the Stein]

I've taken a few steps to make rooting for the Cubs palatable. First off, I got myself a nice trust fund after being adopted by a Palatine insurance adjuster whose grandfather used to live in Sauganash and so therefore have a tangential tie to Cubs and Chicago mythology, since grandfather was the last in our family to work an honest job and apparently he went to Wrigley from his shift at the train barn once and saw Andy Pafko's stool.

 

Then, I made sure to miss the first, second, third, fifth, seventh and ninth innings of the games waiting in line, either for the bathroom or to buy Captain and diets and $11 Old Style carafes at Yak-zie's, while making breast jokes about the three DePaul undergraduate sorority sisters near to puking in the beer garden and on their way to inevitable date rape.

 

After urinating in some condo owners' well off Damen, I finally blared the Blink 182 from my Hummer 3, struggling to wrap the seatbelt around my distended gut, as I drove westward down Irving Park, making sure to forget the names of anyone on the Cubs roster other than "Wood" and "that "Fuku" guy," and not minding that my "It's Gonna Happen!" poster blocks my rear view for my drunk drive home.

[wisconsinfan47]

Well said, Stein, very funny! Your writing is right along the lines of the Brewers guys over at Bugs and Cranks.