The Official 2008 NL Central Division Champions Thread

[Cry Havoc]

GO CUBS GO!

5-4 over the Cards!

[Reggie Miller]

To risk a cliche,

the game wasn't as close as the score indicated...


In the early innings, virtually every Cubs' hit was either off the ivy or bouncing around behind Brian Barton. (Almost forgot to mention, anyone count the warning-track fly-outs?) If the Genius had left Piniero in for another inning, the Cubs might still be batting around even now.

It was an exciting game; that's for sure.

[ATRAIN]

Congrats for the clinch cubbies.

[ducks]

they better hope they do not face the d-backs in the postseason again
they got swepted last time

[Strike]

they better hope they do not face the d-backs in the postseason again
they got swepted last time

Too bad the Diamondbacks have a better shot at getting herpes than getting to the playoffs. The only team that concerns me in the National League is the Dodgers.

[BRHornet45]

sons it just sucks the poor cubbies will get knocked out in the first round :(

[ducks]

if they let manny beat them they deserve to lose

manny is not as good on the road but cubs field is not that difficult to hit homeruns

[Reggie Miller]

1. The Diamondbacks would have to make the playoffs, even assuming what happened last year is relevant. The 2008 Cubs are a hell of a lot better team than last year. The 2007 Cubs' playoff squad featured Jacque Jones and Cliff Floyd on a rascal scooter. You are also substituting Rich Harden for Rich Hill. No comparison.

2. I don't understand why the Dodgers' fans can't seem to understand that Piniella isn't dumb enough to pitch to Ramirez. Ain't going to happen. If you pitch around Ramirez, LA doesn't have enough offense to beat Harden, Zambrano, or even Dempster.

Billingsley = 15-10, 3.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
Kershaw = 4-5, 4.28 ERA, 1.49 WHIP
Kuroda = 9-10, 3.84 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
Lowe = 14-11, 3.41 ERA, 1.14 WHIP
Maddux = 7-13, 4.31, 1.23 WHIP

(Everyone else available, like Stults, actually have worse statistics. I'm assuming LA will actually carry a four man rotation.)

Dempster = 16-6, 3.02 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
Harden = 10-2, 2.03 ERA, 1.06 WHIP
Lilly = 16-9, 4.17 ERA, 1.25 WHIP
Marquis = 10-9, 4.39 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
Zambrano = 14-6, 3.77 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

(It's pretty much an open secret that Marquis is coming out of the bullpen, for a four man rotation.)

Assuming you think WHIP is the most important metric, the Dodgers' and Cubs' staffs are almost identical on paper. It is also clear that Maddux may have more to offer than Kershaw. Kershaw is LH, though.

Moving to the offense, forget about it.
Dodgers' team line: .263 BA, .331 OBP, .396 SLG, .727 OPS
Cubs' team line: .277 BA, .354 OBP, .443 SLG, .797 OPS

I can't find a "post-Ramirez" split, but here is the line after the All-Star break.
Dodgers' team line: .278 BA, .346 OBP, .432 SLG, .777 OPS
Cubs' team line: .271 BA, .347 OBP, .444 SLG, .791 OPS

Even the "new and improved" Dodgers do not any power to spare. Assuming you can pitch around Ramirez, the Cubs would have a significant advantage. Assuming you can't, the Cubs still have the advantage.

At least on paper, the Cubs are the best team in the NL. That's not really debatable.

[Slinkyman]

Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go, in chicago whaddya say? Cubs are gonna win today!