Why the Chicago Cubs can benefit from the Central MLB regional schedule
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. The Chicago Cubs will be in a ‘regional schedule,’ with the Indians, Reds, Tigers and more. See here. But the Cubs could also benefit from it. Don’t you believe me? The Central had a projected total for -13 games UNDER .500. And a regional schedule with this team? The Cubs will definitely–okay, probably–make the playoffs.
The Cubs, Reds, Cardinals and Brewers have 82 to 85 wins across 162 games. If it’s an 82 games season, they will win about 40 to 45–granted how they start. There won’t be a comeback–not with an 82 game season at hand. And there’s likely to be a 14-team playoff. So the Cubs have to make it, right?
The team will deal with the Brewers, Cardinals, Indians, Pirates, Reds, Royals, Tigers, Twins and White Sox–with the Twins being the only one to average 90+ games over 162. With the schedule, the six divisions remain–we just have a ‘regional’ schedule.
COVID-19 will be the deciding factor in all of this. If this pandemic doesn’t let up, there won’t be baseball. Now, the NBA will proceed as planned with the playoffs. They have a salary cap. MLB doesn’t. Just saying. The Cubs and MLB need to figure this thing out–regardless of how you perceive it.
The team is ‘supposed’ to win 85 games per 162. But that’s better than the Reds or Brewers. Basically, we would win the division after Joe Maddon and crew finished third with 84 wins in 2019. Really? And the difference between 48 and 82 games? 25 or 45 games is what the Cubs are ‘supposed’ to win. And that would be good for first place. Wow. Just…wow.
Now, they finish third or fourth. They would still qualify for the playoffs–per what I hear. I’m just guessing on the playoff format. A 14-game playoff system would be beneficial for the Central–and I’m just hypothesizing here.
For the Cubs, a regional ‘Central’ division would be good. You don’t have to cross divisional lines, and your region would be the Central. That’s it. Now that doesn’t seem so bad, right?