As a service to (and to sober up) those partaking in the Cubs Kool-Aid and who still believe, we offer a look at what it would take for the Cubs to overtake each team and win the wild-card race. Not only would all the planets have to align, aliens may need to land too.
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER
The elimination number is the number of wins by first-place team PLUS the number of losses by the trailing team that will eliminate the trailing team
THE SEASON SO FAR
Florida Marlins (LEADERS)
WON LOST: 77-67 .535
2ND HALF: 33-25 .569
HOME: 41-31 .569
AWAY: 36-36 .500
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER: 19
IF the Marlins play .500 ball the rest of the way (9-9), the Cubs must go 16-2 to beat them.
Houston Astros (1/2 GAME BACK)
WON LOST: 76-67 .531
2ND HALF: 32-24 .571
HOME: 46-25 .648
AWAY: 30-42 .417
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER: 19
IF the Astros play 1-game over .500 the rest of the way (10-9), the Cubs must go 16-2 to beat them.
Philadelphia Phillies (1 GAME BACK)
WON LOST: 76-68 .528
2ND HALF: 31-24 .564
HOME: 43-32 .573
AWAY: 33-36 .478
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER:18
IF the Phillies play .500 the rest of the way (9-9), the Cubs must go 15-3 to beat them.
Washington Nationals (4 GAMES BACK)
WON LOST: 73-71 .507
2ND HALF: 21-35 .375
HOME: 40-32 .555
AWAY: 33-39 .458
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER: 15
IF the Nationals play .500 the rest of the way (9-9), the Cubs must go 12-6 to beat them.
Chicago Cubs (6 GAMES BACK)
WON LOST: 71-73 .491
2ND HALF: 28-29 .491
HOME: 33-37 .471
AWAY: 38-36 .513
MAGIC NUMBER OR ELIMINATION NUMBER: 13
With Greg Maddux’s loss Monday, his streak of 15-win seasons is in even greater jeopardy.
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The other pretenders
WITH THE CUBS’ LOSS MONDAY, the idle Brewers and Mets moved a half-game ahead of the Cubs. So it gets worse.
