Quantifying Nope: Cubs Clinging to 2.6% Playoff Odds After Being Swept

The Cubs were sitting pretty on September 16, boasting 76.7% playoff odds after scoring 55 runs over the course of a four-game winning streak. Just a week later, they’ve scored 19 runs over six straight losses and have shed all but 74.1% of those percentage points. Woof.

I’ve ridden roller coasters that didn’t have the same effect on my stomach as the statistical cliff dive represented below.

Remove everything from the legend and you could probably submit this to the designers at Cedar Point as an idea for their next attraction. Maybe they could call it Season of Reckoning or Edge of Urgency, with Bed Wetter as a less esoteric option. Only trouble is, it’s a ride no one wants to take twice because you have to wait in line for months only to leave disappointed.

But hey, 2.6% is not 0% and baseball is a crazy sport. Maybe there’s another climb left in this ride over the next week.