We're Still Hangin Around

     J-Mac looked like the dominant, pre-all star break, ace as the Buccos beat the Cards 2-1 by way of a wild pitch and past ball on back-to-back batters. It was a big win because it gives the Buccos a bit of distance for that second wild card spot. They lead the Dodgers by 1 1/2 and the Cards by 2.

     In tonight's post we will look ahead (yes, I'm going to break the unwritten rule of looking past the current series) to compare the "Big 4" (Bucs, Reds, Cards, Braves) by their schedule. After you see this you my have a different thought on if the Bucs still have a chance in the NL Central or, at least, the #1 WC spot.

     After tonight's completed games the standings are as follows:

NLC

     CIN 72-47   --

      PIT  66-53    6

      STL 64-55    8

NL WC 

    (1) ATL 70-49    -- 

          (2) PIT   66-53    4     --

                 LA   65-55   5.5  1.5

               STL  64-55    6     2

Here is the schedule for the "Big 4" for the rest of the season: (I do not have LA or SF on here because this is more aimed towards the Division and #1 WC spot. I see those two teams fighting for the #2 spot.) If the Pirates start to fall farther away from Cincy and Atlanta I will have a post about the #2 spot. But today we get to still talk about the good stuff.

     PIT                   CIN                STL                ATL

     @STL (2)    <        CHI (3)           PIT (2)            LA (2)   

             @SD (3)      >    @PHI (4)          HOU (3)      @WAS (3)       

       MIL (3)     >       STL (3)       @CIN (3)         @SF (4)

       STL (3)    =      @AZ (3)        @PIT (3)         @SD (3)

   @MIL (3)    <   @HOU (3)     @WAS (3)          PHI (3)

       HOU (3)    >        PHI (3)         NYM (3)         COL (4)

         CHI (3)      =      HOU (3)         MIL (3)       @NYM (3)

    @CIN (3)      =      PIT (3)         @SD (3)        @MIL (3)

    @CHI (4)      >   @MIA (3)       @LA (4)         WAS (3)

         MIL (3)      <    @CHI (3)        HOU (3)       @MIA (3)

      @HOU (3)      >       LA (3)        @CHI (3)        @PHI (3)

    @NYM (4)     =      MIL (3)       @HOU (3)        MIA (3)

         CIN (3)       =    @PIT (3)         WAS (3)        NYM (3)

       ATL (3)      =    @STL (3)          CIN (3)          PIT (3)

As you can see, each of these teams play the same amount of home/away games/series.

If you compare the Bucs and Reds the Pirates may have the upper hand if you go series-by-series. 

< = Reds have it easier (By record of opponent)

> = Pirates have it easier (By record of opponent)

= Equal (By record of opponent)

Pirates would have a 5-3-4 advantage. (Not counting the 2 series against each other). 

The Reds lead the division by 6 games but this is a very doable task but as we all know a bad team can still get streaky. Couch, cough, Cubs and Padres.

You can also see with the Cards and Braves that the Pirates would have an upper hand down the stretch as well. 

The one MAJOR player in all of this could be the Phillies. Thankfully we already got them out of the way early while they were in the midst of a major struggle and St. Louis has as well. The Phillies, as of late, are 17-15 since the all-star break. They still have the ability to play spoiler against the Reds and Braves.

     We can all say that it's finally great to be able to talk about these kind's of things in the Burgh again. Pretty soon (Check back in 2 weeks), if we can gain a few games on STL/LA, those two wonderful words can be mentioned again by Bucco fans..........Magic Number.

#YouGottaBelieve