Critical two week stretch comming up for the Cubs

by moose97 on Aug 24, 2007 8:05 AM CDT

3 @ Arizona
3 vs. Milwaukee
3 vs. Houston
4 vs. Los Angeles

After these 13 games, the Cubs don't play another game vs. a team currently above .500 (the closest is St. Louis, who may be above .500 before all is said and done).

Meanwhile, in the next two weeks, the Brewers have:

3 @ San Francisco
3 @ Chicago
3 vs. Pittsburgh
3 vs. Houston

And St. Louis has:

3 vs. Atlanta
3 @ Houston
3 vs. Cincinnatti
4 vs. Pittsburgh

If the Cubs can keep their head above water the next two weeks (i.e., stay within a game or two of first place) with their tough schedule, they will be in great position to win the Division. Here's why:

As mentioned, the Cubs have a fairly easy schedule down the stretch. The Cards still have the series with the Braves, plus home sets with the Cubs and Phillies and road trips to Arizona, Milwaukee, and singles to Chicago and New York. That a tough schedule.

Milwaukee's got: the Cubs road trip, plus a trip to Atlanta. They also have the Cards home series, and close the season with San Diego...

Again, critical two week stretch comming up. If the Cubs can hang in there, I think they'll be alright.

Moose

PS - It sure would have been nice to have had a game and a half lead going into this 13 game strech, eh? Oh well...

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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OK, let's try to predict

Cubs @ Arizona - It's really hard to imagine more than 1-2 against the Snakes. But...

Brewers @ SF and Cards host Atlanta. I think both those teams go 1-2 as well. So, at the end of the weekend, the standings remain the same.

Cubs
Mil .5
Cards 3

Cubs host Brewers while Cards @ Houston

Cubs go 2-1, making their lead over the Beers 1.5 games.

Meanwhile, Cards also go 2-1, so they remain 3 back of the Cubs, but gain a game on Mil.

Cubs --
Mil 1.5
Cards 3

Cubs host Houston, while Boids and Beers have Cincy and Pittsburgh, respectively. This is where it gets dicey.

Cubs go 2-1, but Boids and Beers both sweep. Everyone gains a game.

Cubs --
Mil .5
Cards 2

Cubs host Dodgers, and split 2-2 (and are probably damn lucky to do so) and Mil and Cards swap creampuffs, so, Cards get 4 with Pitt and Mil gets 3 with Cincy

Milwaukee retakes lead with 2-1 over Pitt. Cards go 3-1 against Pitt.

So, at the end of this brutal stretch, I'm calling it like this:

Mil
Cubs .5
Cards 1

And then the Cubs retake when they slap the holy feces out of the Boids in September and then play creampuffs themselves.

But, hide the razor blades and sleeping pills until then. This will be bumpy.

by lancaster99 on Aug 24, 2007 8:14 AM CDT reply actions

The Cards...

will probably be undefeated during this stretch, thus ending our playoff dreams.

MARQUIS! YES, MARQUIS!

by thekansasian on Aug 24, 2007 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions

didn't we just get out of a 'crititcal stretch'

When the race is as close as ours is every game is critical. period. at this point in this season, until you have clinched the division or have been eliminated from contention every game is critical. That being said I see no reason why they can't keep rocking out like they have this past week. I expect the "W" flag to get a bit of use once they get home.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Aug 24, 2007 8:45 AM CDT reply actions

Obviously

every game is importaint. I never said that the Cubs could coast after the next 13...

Also, I fail to see how games vs. Houston, Colorado, Cincy, St. Lou and San Fran (a total of one series out of five vs. teams above .500, plus the St. Louis series - a team the Cubs have OWNED) compares to a stretch where three of four series are vs. teams over .500, while the other three teams in the race have relativly easy schedules...

Bottem line, the Cubs are going to need to win the games remaining vs. the Brewers, and St. Louis, plus take care of business vs. the teams under .500 on the schedule. However, they can't fall too far behind in the next two weeks, while their schedule is tough, and the Crew and Cards have it easy... Is that a better way to put it?

Moose

Hubbs!

by moose97 on Aug 24, 2007 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions

I suppose I was nit picking a bit

and nobody likes to pick nits.

I get what your saying though. You gotta keep it close while we play tougher teams so that when we get to the easier part of our schedule hopefully we can take advantage of that and zoom ahead of them.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Aug 24, 2007 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Yea they're all equally impt.

with 36 games left Cubs need to win 20 of them somehow, somewhere and take their chances...85 wins might be enuf to win Central.

Can't see Cards winning above 85 Milw could if get hot...gonna be fun!!

Getting Zambrano back on winning track is key he hasn't won in Aug.

by writerinwrigley on Aug 24, 2007 9:02 AM CDT reply actions

20-16...

... is certainly doable.

22-14 would be better.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Aug 24, 2007 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions

and 36-0 would be...

Really awesome

by jbowling13 on Aug 24, 2007 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions

beware the Reds

The Reds suddenly seems like a team nobody wants to play. Their pitching remains suspect, but that lineup can give any team fits. They sure didn't do the Braves any favors.

by KedzieKid on Aug 24, 2007 10:04 AM CDT reply actions

Reds

Yeah, the Cubs have struggled against the Reds this year and I really hope the season doesn't come down to needing a sweep or 2 out of 3 that last weekend in Cincy. With that said, looks like the Cubs are getting somewhat lucky when it comes to pitching matchups. They miss Webb, and then will miss Sheets and Osawlt next week, and hopefully get to tee off on newly signed David Wells the week after.

by ms9av on Aug 24, 2007 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions

This is baseball

I would say every game is a critical one-game stretch from here on out. And there is no team you can count on beating or count on beating you. It's baseball. Any team can beat any team any day. There are no Duke/Prairie View A&M games on the schedule.

by park on Aug 24, 2007 2:41 PM CDT reply actions

sub 500 teams

these are the dangerous teams to play. they have nothing to look forward to in oct except to go home and count their money.so they,ll try to ruin it for the next guy. never take a lousy team for granted. remember 2004 when a crappy mets- reds team pretty much cost us the wild card.

by NOMAR on Aug 25, 2007 4:55 AM CDT reply actions