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Cubs magic number is 39

It's time to acknowledge this fact, since the number went below 40 after Wednesday's doubleheader sweep in Atlanta. Which means -- all together now -- that any combination of Cubs victories and Brewers defeats totaling 39 means the Cubs clinch the division. (And those of us who are old enough to remember 1969, when the magic number never went down to zero, need to take a deep breath or two.)

Cool Standings, by the way, says the Cubs have an 81 percent chance of winning the division and are 97.4 percent to make the playoffs.

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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Let also not forget

that the Cubs magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 34. Any combination of Cubs wins and the second place wild card team (currently the cardinals) loses will give no worse then the WildCard spot.

"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"

by MerlinDog on Aug 14, 2008 9:22 AM CDT reply actions  

i'm still

scared to talk about this subject although I think about it 500 times a day.

from the mouth of Uecker:

"Am I the only one who’s glad it’s only a 4-game series? If was a 9-game series, I think the Cubs would win them all."

by cubsluver22 on Aug 14, 2008 9:26 AM CDT reply actions  

That's exactly how I feel.

I won’t discuss it further till September.

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

by Al Yellon on Aug 14, 2008 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions  

Me too

I was calculating it in my head this morning, while simultaneously yelling at myself for even thinking about it at this point….

The other very remote possibility I try not to think about is a 100-win season….

by SuperContext on Aug 14, 2008 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions  

SHHH!

Don’t talk about it. Just enjoy it as it happens.

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

by Al Yellon on Aug 14, 2008 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions  

WINNER!!!!!!!

One of the best….Especially with the “SHH!”

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 14, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions  

Little Early to Talk About It

Let’s have the Iowa Cubs clinch their division title (magic number-15) before we worry about the Chicago Cubs’ magic number

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Aug 14, 2008 9:31 AM CDT reply actions  

No one's "officially" eliminated, yet, but...

…a combination of a mere 14 Angel wins and Mariner losses knocks Seattle out of things. Your link gives them a 0.0% chance of making the playoffs in any capacity, so it’s shouldn’t be surprising to see them go first.

by MarchHare on Aug 14, 2008 9:31 AM CDT reply actions  

I don't want to jinx things by starting to think about these things

As “giggly” as Im getting, this is a few weeks early for me.

"We've had our ups and downs, but as long as you have a reason, something to fall back on and a plan, that's all there is to it," Soto said.

by Madison Cub Fan on Aug 14, 2008 9:37 AM CDT reply actions  

Too early.

One game at a time.

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 14, 2008 9:38 AM CDT reply actions  

+1

WAY too early.

*Synth intro to "Jump"*

by SouthsideCub on Aug 14, 2008 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions  

You are 100% correct.

Can we at least wait until September?

Theriot, Fonty, and Johnson = The Scrappy Pyramid of Victory

by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 14, 2008 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions  

I admit

I think about these things a lot.

I also agree its bad mojo to start a countdown and whatnot. But dear God, my excitement is hard to restrain.

If nothing else it is nice to see a magic number (so low) in mid-August! That’s impressive…. But not the goal.

"This is an environment of welcoming, and you should just get the hell outta here." --Michael Scott

by Reddevil on Aug 14, 2008 10:14 AM CDT reply actions  

Never too early

Thanks for posting this. I like having this sort of countdown.

My question would be: which of the next 40 odd games should we win? What scenarios drop the number? Which ones should the Brewers lose?

by Arbusto on Aug 14, 2008 10:14 AM CDT reply actions  

we should win

ALL OF THEM! :D

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 14, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions  

I agree

I’m not going to mark the calendar daily or anything, but it’s fine to keep something like this in the back of your mind, especially when both teams (Cubs & Brewers) arte both winning at such an amazing clip.

CRAFTY BEAVER!!!

by lostinthevines on Aug 14, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions  

I could take a 100 deep breaths

and it would not be enough. Don’t like magic number countdowns until it hits at least 10.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~Earl Wilson

by tucsoncubsfan on Aug 14, 2008 10:18 AM CDT reply actions  

i look at that web page quite a bit

I think it’s kind of neat.

as far as the magic number talk….way to early. call me when it’s single digits.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Aug 14, 2008 10:21 AM CDT reply actions  

I have no problem with the magic number...

It’s not necessarily a countdown, but a measure of how much work there is left to do in order to make the playoffs. It’s only a countdown if you’re assuming that we’re going to make it.

by SouthernCub on Aug 14, 2008 10:23 AM CDT reply actions  

I don't mind counting down from 40

Always worked for Casey Kasem. :)

I find that the slow inexorable magic number march was, in the words of Scrubs’ Dr. Cox, “the most fun I could possibly have without being force to cuddle afterwards.”

"Years of academy training, wasted"--Buzz Lightyear (not a flying toy)

by spoiledcubbage on Aug 14, 2008 10:23 AM CDT reply actions  

i like this post

there are NO jinxes, curses, bad karma, bartmans, goats, black cats……

so when a black cat stares you down, stare back

by cubswynn on Aug 14, 2008 12:19 PM CDT reply actions  

+1 for a new century!

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 14, 2008 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions  

you ever seen a nekkid cat?

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 14, 2008 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions  

This only makes me hate cats even more.

"I think Hendry still has a few years to serve on his 'grand larceny' sentence before he can shop in Pittsburgh again" - ballhawk

by NittanyCub on Aug 14, 2008 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions  

LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE

TO MR. BIGGLESWORTH!!!

"Years of academy training, wasted"--Buzz Lightyear (not a flying toy)

by spoiledcubbage on Aug 14, 2008 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions  

I'm lost when it comes to magic numbers....

or just plain retarded.

So if the Cubs win / Brewers lose on a given day 39 more times the Cubs win the division?

I don’t really understand dudes……. I think someone needs to break this down for me.

DEROSA: How did it feel when you're sitting in Baton Rouge and it came across the ticker that Mark DeRosa had just signed to play second base with the Chicago Cubs.

THERIOT: In all honestly, when I saw it, I really felt like punching you right in the mouth and or breaking your leg.

by EJThunder on Aug 14, 2008 8:55 PM CDT reply actions  

Let's not use terms like "retarded" here, please.

However, you are correct. Any combination of 39 Brewer wins/Cub losses gives the Cubs the division. Actually, it’s 38 after the Brewer loss this afternoon.

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

by Al Yellon on Aug 14, 2008 9:02 PM CDT up reply actions  

My apologies, but thank you.

DEROSA: How did it feel when you're sitting in Baton Rouge and it came across the ticker that Mark DeRosa had just signed to play second base with the Chicago Cubs.

THERIOT: In all honestly, when I saw it, I really felt like punching you right in the mouth and or breaking your leg.

by EJThunder on Aug 14, 2008 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions  

Hey, new magic numbers:

Division: 37
Playoff Spot: 33

Current temperature in hell: 45 degrees F - and falling!

by wnielsen on Aug 14, 2008 10:40 PM CDT reply actions  

Now, I'm confused.

I always thought that three was a magic number. That’s what schoolhouse rock told me, anyway.

Before each game, please remember to feed the bats.

by Cool Hand on Aug 15, 2008 7:44 AM CDT reply actions  

37?

39 – 1 win – 1 Brewer loss = 37, right?

by Arbusto on Aug 15, 2008 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions  

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