This Is A Really Optimistic Way To Look At The Cubs' Chances For A Comeback

(CBS) The Cubs are on the brink of elimination, down 3-0 in the NLCS to the New York Mets entering Wednesday night's Game 4 at Wrigley Field.

As you know, history provides only a sliver of hope. In the three majors sports that utilize a best-of-seven format in the postseason, only five teams have ever rallied from an 0-3 hole to win the series.

Four of those rallies came in the NHL, with the dramatic comebacks coming from the 1942 Maple Leafs, the 1975 Islanders, the 2010 Flyers against Boston and the 2014 Kings.

No one in NBA history has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit. As you also likely well know, only one team has done it in MLB history: the 2004 Red Sox. That Boston team was constructed by general manager Theo Epstein, who is now the president of baseball operations for the Cubs and who said after the Game 3 loss of a potential comeback, "It's been done before, rumor has it."

Those Red Sox rallied against the rival Yankees. Helping Boston's push was a pitching staff that included aces Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, while New York's cast of starters had had a rocky season and struggled in the final four games.

These Cubs have top-of-the-rotation starters Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta lined up for Game 5 and Game 6, respectively, so if they can win Wednesday night, there's reason for optimism. However, the Mets have a vaunted young pitching staff performing at a high level at the right time, so that's a marked difference from the 2004 Red Sox-Yankees series.

Then again, if you're a Cubs fan, the below tweet may also be a reason to dream. It's definitely the glass-half-full view of what's facing the Cubs, who like the 2004 Red Sox are facing a long championship drought.

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• New York Mets