Cubs-Dodgers: Who has the edge in the NLDS?

Phil, this system is too complex. Couldn't you boil it down to a simple +1,-1 system? Example: The Cubs have Rich Harden!+1. The Dodgers have Juan Pierre!-1. Wouldn't that be an extremely intelligent way to analyze baseball? Don't you think so?

do we know when the first game is?

Actually, Phil's system is WAY too complex, because until further notice, the Cubs are still the Cubs. So to use your way, Adam, Dodgers +3, Cubs -3. LA sweeps.

first game is wednesday 10/1

dude wrote:

do we know when the first game is?

Wednesday.

You can count on prime time too.

Remember how everyone picked the Cubs to sweep the D-Backs last year?

Remember when Cubs fans were chirping how the 2003 Marlins series would be "easy"?

If fool me once is shame on you and fool me twice is shame on me, what is fool me thrice?

The Dodgers are dangerous right now--sorry Cubs fans, but you're going to run into the wrong team at the wrong time. Dodgers in four.

well played, Adam :)

Original Six = idiot.

tell me why the dodgers are the 'dangerous' team and the cubs should be 'worried' using, i dont know, maybe evidence? The Cubs have been the best team in the NL since day one, and the stats bear it out. There is no logical reason to pick against the Cubs to be in the WS (and that includes the dopes that want to hark on the 100 year thing, as if that has anything to do with this year and this team).

Lol. Cubs in 5? Dodgers dangerous? Come on.

Cubs will take it in 4. Have faith.

This officially makes no sense.
I understand these are a totally subjective waste of time but...
If you're going to say these teams are closely matched and give the "intangibles" (whatever the hell that means) to the dodgers, why would you pick the cubs to win the 5th game? That is absurd.

The Dodgers have outscored their opposition by 52 runs in September. This is amazing: the Angels have outscored their opposition by only 67 runs ALL YEAR.(The Angels are a really overrated team that benefited from a weak division, but a run differential of 67 for the whole year often is good enough to compete.)

The Cubs were outscored by 5 runs in September. Now, granted, the Cubs did not really play the last week: we got the sCrubs instead. Still, this is a run differential difference of 57. When the difference is only 10 or more, then the team with the better Sept. run-differential wins 65% of the time.

So, I'm betting Dodgers in 4: a split in Wrigley and a sweep in Dodger's stadium.

Similarly, the Phillies Sept. run differential was a very good 27. The Brewers had a very poor -28. The Phillies get the first two home games, so I'm betting on the Phils in 3.

After that, I'd bet on the Dodgers in 6 or 7 over the Phils.

The Cubs were outscored by 5 runs.

Given 49 playoff series this decade, teams with

I'll be at the game... I have faith!!!

The Dodges barely won the NL West, a weak division to say the least. They
will be whipped by these Cubs in four games. The home field advantage will be huge...Cub fans are the tenth starter!
Let's Go Cubs

Chicago Tough wrote:

Remember how everyone picked the Cubs to sweep the D-Backs last year?

To follow up on the prior posts, the DBacks were the favored team. Also, remember that if you have two evenly matched teams, then one team or the other will sweep in 3 games 25% of the time.

joseflanders wrote:

The Cubs have been the best team in the NL since day one, and the stats bear it out.

The Dodgers have been by far the best team in the NL over the last month. They've outscored their opponents by 52 runs. The Cubs have been outscored by their opponents.

In the playoffs, what happened in the first 5 months is not too important. The only thing that predicts success at all is run differential in September. The Dodgers stand head and shoulders above all other teams on that score.

Lou could regret not knocking the Brewers out by playing starters to set up a first round series with the Mets. A rested Dodger team plus Torre and Manny...two post-season giants scares the hell out of me. Cubs have been smoking and jokin on the bench the last two weeks. I just hope they can turn it back on.

PJW wrote:

The Dodgers have been by far the best team in the NL over the last month. They've outscored their opponents by 52 runs. The Cubs have been outscored by their opponents.
In the playoffs, what happened in the first 5 months is not too important. The only thing that predicts success at all is run differential in September. The Dodgers stand head and shoulders above all other teams on that score.

And in those 25 games in September the Dodgers played some of the worst teams in all of baseball:

9 games with San Diego
6 with San Fran
4 with Pittsburgh
3 with Colorado
3 with Arizona

The Cubs played a far tougher schedule in September - Mets, Brewers, Cardinals, Houston - and outscored their competition by 187 runs this season - best in the majors - and had the second best pitching staff.

Cubs in 4.

If Pinella thought the fans expect too much, then he hasn't seen anything yet imo. His decision to play this final game as if it meant nothing, now has cost the Cubs a much tougher matchup against the Dodgers, than what it would have been vs. the Mets. I for one, am not going to listen to any of his excuses either. His fear of Zambrano, now has the Cubs going into the playoffs w/o their best pitchers lined up. Finally, if D.Lee and all his DP's, along with Soriano and his hitting slump, fail to come through against that tough Dodger pitching, then yes Pinella, you will see alot of very, very, unhappy fans. Fortunately for you, i'm sure you'd book em directly to Tampa without even facing the fans should you come up short. As if anyone can't tell, i'm quite p.o'd Pinella didn't manage this game to win.

Giving the advantage to the Angles is one thing but the Cubs are playing the Dodgers butt jockey!!!

Dodgers in 4.