Althouse: "And the Chicago Cubs have company at the top of the National League Central."

September 30, 2018

"And the Chicago Cubs have company at the top of the National League Central."

First place mood. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/4fwwlDgwMO
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 30, 2018

29 comments:

mockturtle said...: So, if both Chicago and Milwaukee win their games today [or if both lose] there will be an extra playoff game?; 9/30/18, 8:10 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: Joe Maddon's greatest managerial feat has been getting the Cubs to this point.

All three major Cubs' free agents failed or dropped out early in the season because of illness.

Kris Bryant has been out half the season with injuries and ineffective compared to his healthy production. That's just the beginning of the injury problems.

Letting Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis go were terrible miscalculations by Theo Epstein.

That said, the Brewers are a better team at the moment than the decimated Cubs.; 9/30/18, 8:11 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Yes.

But how do they decide where they play? I'm assuming coin flip.

The NL West has the same situation today, with the Dodgers and the Rockies.; 9/30/18, 8:12 AM
Ann Althouse said...: (My "yes" is to mockturtle.); 9/30/18, 8:12 AM
traditionalguy said...: Yell for Yellich.; 9/30/18, 8:22 AM
Original Mike said...: The Brewers and Cubs have played each other a gazillion times this season. Why wouldn’t they use the head-to-head record to break a tie?; 9/30/18, 8:22 AM
traditionalguy said...: Whomever. Atlanta’s 19 and 20 year old murderer’s row is too young to be afraid of super stars.; 9/30/18, 8:25 AM
mockturtle said...: Thanks, Althouse. This will be an interesting day in sports: Two crucial NL games and the Ryder Cup.; 9/30/18, 8:29 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: It was 6AM when I began a taste test between a pork chop with Shake-N-Bake and one with just bread crumbs. AND THE BREAD CRUMBS WIN!!!!

Sports at my house....; 9/30/18, 8:34 AM
Darrell said...: It's Shake-N-Bake.
And I helped!; 9/30/18, 9:10 AM
D 2 said...: Put Parmesan pepper onion & spice in the bread crumbs. Make the pork a chicken thigh. Maybe some roasted potato to side. All set for sports, a day away from the political madness ...; 9/30/18, 9:26 AM
Roughcoat said...: Two excellent teams playing well and honorably. May the best team win. Hope that's the Cubs, but either way, it's a pleasure to watch them both.; 9/30/18, 9:39 AM
mccullough said...: It’s not a playoff game. It’s one more game added to the regular season for two teams.

The 1978 Boston Red Sox did not make the playoffs.

They lost the extra regular season game to the Yankees.; 9/30/18, 9:40 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: D 2 said...

"Put Parmesan pepper onion & spice in the bread crumbs."

Wait - is that four items or two, and what kind of "spice" are we talkin' here?

I ain't goin' to the Orient before a game.

BTW - D12 says Hey.; 9/30/18, 9:55 AM
jb said...: Speaking of my Red Sox, of whom I am a lifelong fanatic in the truest sense, they had one of those years where we fans had little anxiety. Sox fans could use that once a decade or two.

But all summer I have also been hooting for the Brew Crew as well. They have more than a bit of the Sox' 2004 "Idiots" about them; I took a shine to Josh Hader, and Christian Yelich has had a remarkable year. I think he will be the NL MVP, as I think the same for Mookie in the AL. And, of course, who doesn't love "Ueck?"

Been a great year for MLB. And the playoffs promise no less excitement.; 9/30/18, 10:00 AM
mezzrow said...: What Shouting Thomas said. Eamus catuli.

Let the tournament begin. Really would rather not have that playoff game. Cubs are knackered.; 9/30/18, 10:19 AM
Curious George said...: "Yes.

But how do they decide where they play? I'm assuming coin flip."

Nope, it will be in Chicago. Cubs won head to head.; 9/30/18, 10:31 AM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Yeah!; 9/30/18, 10:43 AM
OldManRick said...: Ironically, it would be better for both teams if it was not a tie. Pitching rotations are the key.

If it's a tie, they have a one game play off.
The loser will have to play another game, the next day - wasting two pitchers in the rotation before getting to the multi-game series. Not to mention the lost day of rest and travel.
The winner is only slightly better off. They just waste one pitcher in the rotation, a day of rest, and potential travel.

If it's not a tie.
The loser could get to the multi-game series with their rotation more intact and with a day of rest.
The winner gets a day of rest and a better pitching rotation.

I can see a playoff for when the second wild card is tied, or the tie for division is an in or out issue tut a tied division when they both have made the playoffs is unnecessary punishment for both teams.; 9/30/18, 10:44 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "The Brewers and Cubs have played each other a gazillion times this season. Why wouldn’t they use the head-to-head record to break a tie?"

Did you think I suggested a coin flip to break the tie?!!; 9/30/18, 12:17 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I think they should play at Miller Park rather than Wrigley just because if it rains, at Miller, they can close the roof.; 9/30/18, 12:18 PM
Original Mike said...: ”Did you think I suggested a coin flip to break the tie?!”

No. I know that the tie-breaker is a game and I’m questioning why mlb does that. It seems dumb to me. The teams have played each other a lot. Use that record to establish the top team.; 9/30/18, 12:25 PM
Jim at said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/30/18, 1:21 PM
Bricap said...: Tie breaker explained.

I'm not sure how the Cubs have made it this far. The pitching staff is running on fumes at this point. The front office has done a great job of adding new arms to keep it going. The biggest different maker for the Cubs this year has been the arrival of Javy. So much fun to watch him play.

I haven't watched a lot of the Brewers this year, admittedly. I see a bullpen that has become formidable this year, and who could forget the rise of Jesus Aguilar? This was my AL team growing up, and I saw my first MLB game ever at County Stadium in 1978.

Whatever happens, I'm okay with it, anyway. And I remember what Jeter said, that the best teams get in, but the hottest team wins it all.; 9/30/18, 1:46 PM
Meade said...: Yeli for MVP! Check his stats. For example: hits for cycle twice in one week. WHA?; 9/30/18, 1:57 PM
Bricap said...: A big day for Yelich today and he could get the Triple Crown. 2 RBIs behind Baez, and tied with Carpenter for HRs.; 9/30/18, 2:01 PM
Meade said...: All hail the NL Central Division!; 9/30/18, 2:08 PM
Mid-Life Lawyer said...: Cubs fan - Born in Chicago. Regarding the extra games dilemma, I saw this coming a week ago and would rather we went straight to the wild card playoff rather than having to play a tie-breaker for the division. I might not normally say this but the Cubs played 40 days in a row before getting a day off and I believe this is their 10th in a row since the day off. It's just the way it worked out because of weather early in the season, not unfair per se, just unfortunate. The thing is, though, that with both teams playing at the same time, you just have to try to win and hope the other team loses. If you mailed it in and the other team did as well, then you would be in the same boat. Of course you want to win the division anyway. I noticed this morning that the teams have identical home and away records as well as overall records. They have the top two MVP candidates in Yelich and Baez but Yelich seems clearly the MVP.; 9/30/18, 3:08 PM
mockturtle said...: I think they should play at Miller Park rather than Wrigley just because if it rains, at Miller, they can close the roof.

Yes. Far too many games postponed this year because of rain. Retractable roofs should be standard equipment by now.; 9/30/18, 3:31 PM