Cubs/Cards or any Stros fans...

[RebelBruiser]

I know there are a lot of you on here, and with the Brewers recent struggles, the Cards are right back in the thick of things.

However, I wanted to see if any of the rest of you are concerned about the Astros yet? I've been keeping an eye on them for the past month or so, ever since they went on a winning streak to get back to .500. In 2005, they were all but left for dead around the All-Star break, and then somehow they got confidence, went on a roll and rode that wave all the way to the NL Championship.

As a Cubs fan, with them still 8+ games back with only 18 to play, I'm not all that concerned with the thought of them catching us in particular. However, I am concerned about them staying hot long enough to sneak in the playoffs as the wild card. That would be a nightmare scenario for me, because I believe they are one of the hottest teams in the majors right now, and that's dangerous in the playoffs.

Believe it or not, I'm actually more concerned about them right now than I am any other team in the NL. The Brewers are struggling and are primed to pull a good choke job, and the Phillies are struggling, which all points to the Stros having a very good shot at at least winning the wild card. Thoughts? Can they finish the run and make it to October?

 

[RobbieRandolph]

First and foremost, our run has coincided with Oswalt regaining his dominant form. The bullpen has be doing solid, but as of right now the rotation is simply patched together. When C. Lee went down with injury, i thought that was it, but then Wigginton stepped up huge. But now Wiggy is hurt as well (groin), though Berkman and Pence have been hitting the crap out of the ball lately. (Puma was 3/4 4 RBI 1 HR last night which has become his norm)

We're hot right now, and our only hope is to simply stay hot and the Brewcrew to hit some serious rough patches (which I doubt happens with CC throwing lights out). I'd love to back into to playoffs because after that anything can happen. We need Wiggington and Lee back in the lineup and for Wandy Rodriguez to quit missing starts with random injuries. Surprisingly enough, Randy Wolf, our trade deadline acqusition from San Diego, has been a solid addition to the rotation. One i did not see coming.

 

[Fogell]

I am concerned about them staying hot long enough to sneak in the playoffs as the wild card. That would be a nightmare scenario for me, because I believe they are one of the hottest teams in the majors right now, and that's dangerous in the playoffs.

Oh, so you're not worried about the Cubs losing 8 of their last 9 (in true choke fashion), but you do admit that the teams that get hot in September generally have the best chance of making it to the World Series.

OK

 

[KingBarkus]

When Cooper mentioned the Astros would need to go 42-17 to get into the playoffs, I thought the guy had lost his mind. The Astros are 34-16 since the break, the best record in baseball. The incredible part of the story is Carlos Lee, an RBI machine, has been out most of the streak and a red-hot Wiggington just got injured. Roy threw a 1-hitter at Coors Field last weekend, throwing mid-90's in the 9th. He had thrown 78 pitches going into the 9th.

Timely hitting and pitching have been the catalyst. Is it enough to get the wildcard? To be sustained? I don't know, but it's been a helluva run.

 

[RebelBruiser]

I am concerned about them staying hot long enough to sneak in the playoffs as the wild card. That would be a nightmare scenario for me, because I believe they are one of the hottest teams in the majors right now, and that's dangerous in the playoffs.

Oh, so you're not worried about the Cubs losing 8 of their last 9 (in true choke fashion), but you do admit that the teams that get hot in September generally have the best chance of making it to the World Series.

OK

Exactly. Again, as I said last night, I'll start worrying when the Cubs's playoff spot starts to be in danger. As of right now, they'll have to have two teams pass them in an 18 game stretch, the 2nd of which will have to come from at least 8 games back in that time. And the only other way I'll be worried is if they don't pick it up offensively in time for the final week of the regular season.

As I mentioned last night, they went through a skid right after the All-Star break when the bats went cold, and they blew a 5 game lead over the Brewers, letting the Brewers pull even for a day. And of course, they followed that up by playing some of their best baseball of the year. With 3 weeks left in the season and with Harden and Zambrano both working back into the rotation, they still have plenty of time to regain their form before the playoffs.

If they don't start clicking in the next 3 weeks, then I'll be worried. As of right now, I'm not worried, because as I said, the playoffs are a new game, and what matters most is not how you get there but how well you play when you get there. I still don't understand why that ticks you off so much.

Again, the Cardinals lost 9 of their final 12 games of the 2006 season (including a 7 game losing streak) and went on to win the World Series. That should illustrate my point that it doesn't matter how you get in, just that you play well once you get there.

 

[Todd4State]

I'd say it's highly unlikely that the Astros make it to the postseason, but I've seen stranger things happen.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

(Obviously) I am not going to get my hopes up until we are actually in the playoffs. I am so pissed at management right now, they have to show me something. We have a tattered rotation, an old lineup and by far the WORST farm system in the league. If they make the Playoffs - that is great and anyone can win at that point, but I still say they should have sold everyone but Pence, Oswalt and Berkman to replenish the farm. Lee, Tejada, Wiggington and Kaz would have brought plenty of farmhands. Regardless, it will be hard for them to make it this year - if they had MIL for a 4 game set between now and the end of the season that would make it interesting though.

 

[1msucub]

Cubs fan myself, and I am never....NEVER not worried about the Astros or anybody else.

We could have a 10 game lead with one game to go and I'd still be nervous about losing it.

The Cubs and the Bulldogs..........Lord have mercy on my tortured soul.

 

[McMeat]

and go to quite a bit of the games every year. I can honestly say, I am sick of the astros doing this **** at the end of the season. They have done this crap the last couple of years, then Drayton thinks the team is ok for next season.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

We could have a 10 game lead with one game to go and I'd still be nervous about losing it.

Yes. What he said.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

We could have a 10 game lead with one game to go and I'd still be nervous about losing it.

Yes. What he said.

Yep...shades of 1969 keep cropping up in the back of my thoughts.

 

[Fogell]

It doesn't change the fact that you obviously haven't seen the way they've been losing these games. You seem to think the Cubs can back into the playoffs, and then just turn it around and win the whole thing. Baseball doesn't work that way. They need to build some momentum. Guess what, the 2006 Cardinals don't happen very often. If the Cubs don't turn it around right now, they are as good as done.

And don't even bother replying, I have no interest in reading any more of your inane ********.

Sincerely,

Fogell

 

[Todd4State]

they had a TON of players who were injured by various maladies and then they just happened to all get healthy by the postseason. Plus, Adam Wainwright stepped up as the closer for Izzy that postseason, and that was as much the key to success as anything for them.

 

[RebelBruiser]

They've been losing games because the bats have gone cold, and they've had Zambrano and Harden miss starts recently. It's really that simple.

You can go cry in a corner all you want, but the season is far from over, and very few Cubs teams have been in this comfortable of a spot this late. There is still plenty of time to turn it around, just like they did right after the All-Star break, but apparently you'd prefer to just write off the season, because they've played poorly for a week and a half.

That's fine if that's what you want to do. My suggestion is for you to quit following them, since they're obviously doomed in your mind. It'll make you feel better, and you apparently already know what is going to happen.

 

[1msudawg]

It doesn't change the fact that you obviously haven't seen the way they've been losing these games. You seem to think the Cubs can back into the playoffs, and then just turn it around and win the whole thing. Baseball doesn't work that way. They need to build some momentum. Guess what, the 2006 Cardinals don't happen very often. If the Cubs don't turn it around right now, they are as good as done.

And don't even bother replying, I have no interest in reading any more of your inane ********.

Sincerely,

Fogell

cause going 21 of 22 will win you the world series..
Signed,
2007 Rockies

 

[Fogell]

But for you to act like there isn't a problem suggests you know little to nothing about the Cubs. When exactly was Zambrano's last win anyway? I'm sure you'll have an excuse for that too.

And take a writing class. Why do you always write a paragraph to say something that could be said in one or two sentences.

Edit: I prefer Goatholder to you. At least when he makes a statement (however retarded it may be) he doesn't go halfway around the world to make it.