Quantifying Hope: Cubs Near Locks for Postseason at 99.8% Odds

You why Craig Clownsell needs to be fired? Because he doesn’t know how to correctly identify which relievers will pitch perfect innings and which players will hit homers each game. A real manager would have the Cubs winning every game 7-0 on the way to the first-ever undefeated season and another World Series title. Instead, we’re stuck watching a team that’s on pace for a measly 93 wins. They have the audacity to prioritize the long-term health of a young pitcher rather than trying to burn him out just to fall short in the division race.

I’m being more than a little bit facetious here, but I don’t think the fake criticism falls too far from a lot of what’s out there. And I get it, I really do, because fans want to feel like their team is doing everything possible to win…even when gaining a victory in the battle might cost the war. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to make sure I’m viewing things with perspective rather than perception.

I may not always be successful, but I’m working on it.

The fact of the matter is that the Cubs’ postseason position is almost cemented with a little over three weeks remaining in the season. So while they’re not going to punt games in the meantime, they understand full well the importance of having a healthy, well-rested team heading into the most important games of the year. If that means pulling Cade Horton after 75 pitches with a no-hitter going, so be it. And if that means replacing him with Ben Brown because that made sense based on matchups and availability, well, it’s not the end of the world.

Everyone would rather secure the division lead and a first-round bye, but the reality of the situation is that the Cubs can finish with the second-best record in baseball and still be a Wild Card team. That reality is what’s driving decisions by the front office and manager, and that can be tough to swallow when it looks as though they’re not going balls-to-the-wall in every inning of every game. Ah, but perhaps there’s a spoonful of sugar in knowing that coasting now could mean mashing the gas in October.

Nothing is guaranteed one way or the other, but the Cubs are trying to put themselves in position to make noise when it matters most. In the meantime, that might result in everyone hearing a few sad trombones and maybe even a little flatulence from time to time as a game you thought they should win turns into a loss.