Looks like another W. So, what is our magic number? Are we close enough to the end of the season to start doing this?
As long as the Cubs are within a game, the magic number is moot at this point. Essentially the number is the number of games they have left. Since, if the Cubs win all of their games, then the Astros would have to win all of their games to clinch the division outright.
It's only a matter of time.. Did you guys hear the Cubs are moving to the Phillipines? Their nickname is the Manilla Folders.
The Cubs are so annoying. They must be the only team in baseball to put up a fluke season every year. They're either A. not as bad as their record or B. Overachievers. Sometime, I want to see them go 81-81, because that's usually about as good as their team is.
And after adding all those players to their roster the probably aren't going anywhere this season. I can't believe we dont meet with the cubs anymore this season. They have such a piece of cake for the remainder of the season.
Great game, Sat on 3rd base line in section 106.. Roy looked like the ace we know he is...Cards never came close to scoring..Dotel looked great, good to see he is recovered from his sore ass, and Wags, shut em down in the 9th, helped by Adam E turning DP on Albert...then 1, 2, 3 strikes and your out on Rolen to end it.. Great crowd, but pretty quiet for 42,000+
good game. hopefully we'll sweep and crush all hopes cardinals have left. dunno think tommorow will be slugfest for both sides. freaking overated cubs...
Whoever asked about the magic number, it's 14. But that doesn't really matter now because the Cubs are only one game back. I thought it was pretty loud, especially when Matheny and one of the coaches got ejected. I sat in the bullpen section 153. Sellout crowd.
4-1 Astros win. Wagner gets his 43rd save of the season. Redding is now 9-14 pitching six solid innings of 1 run ball, coming out of two tight james in a couple of innings where typically he would of given up a big run inning. Instead he stayed poise and managed to only give up 1 run, which was great. Lidge and Dotel closed out the 7th and 8th playing shutout ball for the remainder of the game. Biggio stepped up again with some timely 2 out at bats putting up I think 2 or 3 runs on the board. The Astros have now swept the Cards this series, and will have a day off tomorrow before venturing on the road for 6 more games against the Rockies, who have one of the best records at home, and a rematch against the Cards who will hopefully continue to struggle against us.
That's great! Keep your fingers crossed that the Cubbies stick with tradition. No baby bears in the post season.
How does the magic number work? Does it get smaller every time that the Astros win or the Cubs lose? I assume you take the Cardinals out of the equation. If anyone would post the rules of the magic number I'd appreciate it.
IIRC, the magic number would get smaller with Astros wins AND Cubs losses. I always hear them say a combination of soandso winning or soandso losing.
'Tis very simple. The Astros' magic number = number of Astros wins + Cubs losses that must occur for the Astros to clinch the division. So on a day when the Astros win and the Cubs lose, it goes down by 2; both win or both lose, it goes down by 1; Cubs win and Astros lose, it doesn't change.
As of 9-14 Astros 81-68 Cubs 79-70 Cards 76-74 magic number to clinch over the cubs is now 12. games remaining 9/15-17 3 games with New York 9/19-21 4 games at Pittsburgh (one double header to start the series) 9/23-25 3 games at Cincinnati 9/26-28 3 games with Pittsburgh Chicago is 2-1 against the Mets, 6-5 against the Pirates, and 8-5 against the Reds magic number to eliminate the cards is 8. games remaining 9/15-18 4 games with Milwaukee 9/19-21 3 games with Houston 9/23-24 2 games at Milwaukee 9/26-28 3 games at Arizona St. Louis is 8-2 against Milwaukee, 5-9 against Houston, and 1-2 against Arizona. Astros' remaining games: 9/16-18 3 games at Colorado 9/19-21 3 games at St. Louis 9/22-24 3 games with San Francisco 9/25-28 4 games with Milwaukee Astros are 2-1 against Colorado, 9-5 against St. Louis, 1-2 against San Fran, and 7-6 with Milwaukee. Should be a fascinating two weeks of baseball. According to my math and projections, if we take 2 out of 3 from the Rockies and the Cards, win 1 against the Giants (could be 2 if they're not playing for anything) and at least a split with Milwaukee that last series that will put as at 7-6, a very marginal win/loss record to be sure. That would mean the Cubs would have to lost once to the Mets, twice to the Pirates (remember one game is a double-dip which are hard to sweep), once to the Reds and then drop one at home to the Pirates (who seem to play the Cubs tough) they would finish up 8-5 and in second place.
We kicked it around here a little bit last week...but I heard John Granato ask the question this morning on the radio so I thought we might revisit it: How many times does LaRussa get a pass? How many times have the Cardinals been "better on paper" than the Astros, only to find themselves missing the playoffs?
