Phillies and Cubs, living together... MASS HYSTERIA!

by WholeCamels on Sep 15, 2008 11:13 PM EDT

A close look at the National League playoff contenders' schedules the rest of the way reveals the one team that has almost as much power to put the Phillies in the postseason as the Phillies have themselves: the Chicago Cubs.

At this point, the Phillies essentially have to play better than just one of two teams -- the Brewers or the Mets.

Of the Cubbies' last 13 games, six are against the Milwaukee Brewers, and four are against the New York Mets. TEN GAMES against the Phillies direct playoff competition. They already did us a favor this week, no-hitting and otherwise humiliating Ed Wade's previously white hot Houston Astros in two games, knocking them 2 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race and putting a severe hurting on their playoff hopes.

If the Cubs hang tough for the rest of the season and give the Brewers and Mets the fits, it really, really eases the path to the postseason for Philadelphia. Each Cubs victory is almost as good as a Phillies victory.

AN URGENT PLEA to Lou Piniella! PLEASE don't put your J.V. team on the field once you clinch! The integrity of the game depends on it! I mean, you want to keep your starters sharp, after all. Keep 'em busy until the very end. No lull in the action. If I see Kerry Wood at a Mexican resort with Jessica Simpson next week, I'll be quite peeved!!!!!

So, Phillies fans, it's time to hoist a flag for our friends in Chicago. It's time to come together. Calzone and deep dish, cheesesteak and Italian beef, Comcast Tower and Sears Tower, big bellies and broad shoulders... we're in this together! At least until October...

Update: Yes it's true, this man has no dick.

Ghostbusters (1984) "Cats and Dogs" speech in Mayors Office (via LarryNorman)

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Should the Cubs clinch before the Mets series...

… I presume they’d probably play a B team lineup for one day, just to give the rest of the team a well deserved day off. After that, it’d be back to business, because you can’t rest too long, you need to stay sharp for the postseason.

Not wanting to count anything for sure before it’s reality, I think Lou knows how to play and manage the game right.

Hope to see you guys sometime in October.

Al, visiting from Bleed Cubbie Blue

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 15, 2008 11:32 PM EDT reply actions

The Cubs

Have not been overly sharp lately and I think Pinella will focus, within reason, on getting his regulars sharp after they clinch, which should be any day now.

He won’t let Zambrano go nine innings again though.

by RodeoJones on Sep 16, 2008 12:29 AM EDT reply actions

That’s okay. They’ve got a much better bullpen than either the Mets or Brewers.

Actually, since I’m thinking about it, here’s how the Cubs rotation sets up the rest of the way. They have no off-days left, so the only way this changes is if Lou skips or rests someone.

Milwaukee (3): Dempster, Marquis, Harden
St. Louis (3): Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster
@Mets (4): Marquis, Harden, Zambrano, Lilly
@Brewers (3): Dempster, Marquis, Harden

Hmm… Big Z won’t face the Brewers. Though they do get Harden and Dempster twice each, unless Lou skips Harden on that last game so he could pitch Game Two of the NLDS.

by dajafi on Sep 16, 2008 12:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Really, that Cubs bullpen is just sick. And the top three in the rotation (Harden, Zambrano, and Dempster, and toss Lilly in there). It’s a team built for the postseason (which I can say without fear of cursing, Billy Goats, etc., because I’m not actually a fan).

by WholeCamels on Sep 16, 2008 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

A little Chicago perspective on the Cubs rotation...

Look for Lou to give Harden an extra day or two of rest once the Cubs clinch. As dominant as he is, it’s the worst kept secret in baseball that the guy is a little fragile, and the Cubs organization will take every necessary precaution to ensure he gets to pitch in the playoffs. Depending on how things pan out, you may see Harden pitching Game 3 or 4 of the Mets series, and probably on a pitch count, to boot. Definitely look for less innings from the guys listed above, and more from the likes of Sean Marshall & Co.

Nevertheless, I’m sure Lou will field competitive teams for the rest of the season. After all, who in Chicago wants to see something good happen to the Mets?

by Flatley on Sep 16, 2008 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Could the Mets bullpen hold a lead even against the Cubs B team?

I mean the Cubs B team might be better than the Nats A team and the Mets fell to them tonight..

Bleeding Green Nation - Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Sep 16, 2008 12:43 AM EDT reply actions

Good post. Though in fairness, Ike also deserves a little bit of the credit for the Astros’ humiliation.

by taco pal on Sep 16, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

I'm all for the Mets and/or Brewers NOT making the playoffs.

From a fellow Cubs fan, I despise the Mets for obvious reasons, and am somewhat afraid of the Brewers up-n-down struggles…will CC throw every game in the playoffs? Can Ryan Braun hit a ball 600 feet? Meh. Let’s Go Cubs, and I’ll welcome the Phills.

Dan

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Sep 16, 2008 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

It would be pretty sweet to

See a Cubs vs. Phillies matchup in October.

As a Cubs fan I cringe every time we have to face Cole Hamels, though.

Wouldn’t mind having him in a Cubs uni =)

DeRosa: And who is the best and who is the worst card player?

Dempster: I think the best is yourself. [ . . .] I think the worst player is D-Lee. I think he bets every time just to bet.

by EJThunder on Sep 16, 2008 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

We will try our best

to help you guys out! I am hoping for 100 wins, so we got to do well against your competition.

It is kind of like the world is ending, isn’t it? haha

by TyCubsfan on Sep 16, 2008 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

So far, so good… three innings to go and it’s 3-2 Cubs.

by dajafi on Sep 16, 2008 10:01 PM EDT reply actions

Some news (brief) news from Chicago...

Lou doesn’t SEEM to be putting out (as Al of BCB would say) the ~~Iowa~~ Cubs — yet. Ostensibly, he’s still worried about home field through the NLCS… we’ll have to see, since the “magic number” on that one is now 1. The “good” news for Phillies fans is that you’re losing every single fan poll in Chicago: in the “Who would you rather face?” contest. Lots of respect out here for the Phils. It’d be a helluva series.

by chidino on Sep 21, 2008 11:00 PM EDT reply actions