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FanGraphs | Craig Edwards: Here’s a crazy stat: the last time the Cubs’ playoff odds fell below 35% was when they ended their 2014 season, and they cratered in one four-game set to the Cardinals in which they lost all four, some in incredibly brutal fashion. The series highlighted known issues with the club, particularly the bullpen, and with Joe Maddon’s contract up after this year, it should prompt a ton of organizational soul-searching.
Baseball Prospectus | Craig Goldstein ($): While Don Mattingly received an extension from a losing club, Andy Green instead received a pink slip from the Padres. A lot of that came down to soft factors like not fully coming into line with the organization’s philosophy, and not getting the most out of an embarrassment of riches in raw talent.
Tangotiger Blog | Tom Tango: Here’s an interesting thought exercise on the run value of swinging and taking by creating run values for count, and the part of the zone, and then calculating how much is added based on a swing or take based on the ball/out state.