Cubs get MLB permission to send out playoff plan

Cubs season ticket holders received their playoff invoices Friday morning, arriving nine days earlier than last year.

Lest you think the Cubs are overconfident, Major league Baseball makes the call on when a club can send out such information, so it's the powers in New York that decided the Cubs are an absolute lock for October baseball.

Assuming the Cubs continue to trounce the National League and wrap up homefield advantage for the first two rounds, here's the schedule as it stands now:

NLDS: Games 1-2 at home Oct. 1-2, Games 3-4 on road Oct. 4-5, and Game 5 at home Oct. 7.

NLCS: Games 1-2 at home Oct. 9-10, Games 3-4-5 on road Oct. 12-13-15, and Games 6-7 at home Oct. 17-18.

World Series: Games 1-2 on road Oct. 22-23, at home for Games 3-4-5 on Oct. 25-26-27, and on road for Games 6-7 on Oct. 29-30.

Season ticket holders must have their money in by Sept. 8 or forfeit their postseason opportunity, but it's hard to imagine anyone doing that.

Here are the prices for tickets for all three rounds, the NLDS, NLCS and World Series:

• Club Box (IF): $100-150-250.

• Club Box (OF): $75-125-250.

• Field Box (IF): $75-125-250.

• Field Box (OF): $65-110-250.

• Terrace Box (IF): $60-100-190.

• Terrace Box (OF): $55-90-190.

• Upper Deck Box (IF): $60-100-190.

• Upper Deck Box (OF): $55-90-190.

• Bleacher Reserved: $60-100-125.

• Terrace Reserved (IF): $40-70-190.

• Terrace Reserved (OF): $35-60-190.

• Upper Deck Reserved (IF): $30-50-75.

• Upper Deck Reserved (OF): $25-40-75.