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00:02 >> Craig, it seems like some teams are middling here as the stretch run begins in MLB.
00:08 What do you make of the National League wildcard race?
00:11 >> Yeah, I'm gonna tell you exactly what I make of it here as I pull up my phone and
00:15 I'm gonna tell you here cuz this is a really easy thing for me to go over here.
00:19 Okay, so Ben, here you go.
00:20 For those of you who are looking at this, I've mapped it out here.
00:24 So look, the Giants are probably gonna be one of the wildcard teams, Ben,
00:28 it would appear.
00:29 I think the Phillies are probably the second wildcard team, if not the first.
00:33 So I think that there's one spot left, and
00:37 it's either Cincinnati, Miami, or the Cubs.
00:40 At this point, Ben, can we trust Arizona?
00:42 I don't think so, right?
00:43 I mean, that's the only team that's been worse than Miami since the All-Star break.
00:46 I don't know what has happened here with them, but
00:48 they've completely gone the other way.
00:49 So let's talk about the Cubs here for a minute.
00:50 I understand they lost to the Mets yesterday.
00:53 The Cubs played two more games against the Mets in August.
00:56 Then they have three against Toronto, and those are tough.
00:59 No question, assuming they lose two out of three or win just one.
01:02 Then they get two games against the White Sox at home,
01:05 three games against the Royals at home, three games against Detroit on the road,
01:10 and four games against Pittsburgh on the road.
01:12 Ben, I will be stunned if we get out of August and
01:16 the Cubs have not really solidified a spot in this wildcard.
01:21 That's not to say that their schedule's a little tougher in September.
01:23 That's not to say that they can't.
01:25 But I think the Cubs really have a path if they can just take care of their
01:31 business in August to get in this thing.
01:33 And then teams like Miami, Cincinnati, and
01:35 Arizona would be counting on the Cubs to lose, perhaps, in September.
01:39 But credit to the Cubs.
01:41 They got Candelario.
01:41 They stayed in this thing.
01:43 And I think they have the leg up for that final wildcard.
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