Quantifying Hope: Cubs Now 4th in NL Central with 39.2% Postseason Odds

Their win in Denver on Thursday helped just a little bit, but the Cubs still trail three divisional opponents when it comes to projected playoff odds. They now sit at 39.2%, up from a season low 35.4% earlier in the week, putting them six percentage points below the Pirates. They’ve been playing such bad baseball for so long now that even an offensive outburst to avoid a sweep does little to stoke optimism.

It’s going to take a lot more games with crooked numbers on offense and a lot more pitchers staying healthy for prolonged stretches to turn the mental momentum around. Then there’s the matter of that 7.5-game deficit in the division, though a Wild Card berth sits only one game out of reach right now.

Another win streak would do wonders for everyone’s outlook, but even getting another taste of sustained success won’t banish the fear that a collapse lies in wait at the end. How the Cubs play in San Francisco will tell us a whole lot about what to expect the rest of the way, provided there are any of you out there who haven’t given up on them yet.

This column is always meant to be ironic at the start of the season because there’s no need to follow playoff odds after a game or three, but now it’s in danger of becoming a joke in June. I just hope we can see some better baseball, though I can’t say I’m looking forward to the next two nights of late starts.