How Cubs’ starters-turned-relievers allow Craig Counsell to make playoff-style pitching decisions in August

PHOENIX — You might have heard that the Cubs are in a playoff race. While there’s still more than a month of baseball before the postseason begins and the Cubs play their most important games of the year, the games are pretty important already, with the Brewers threatening to pull away in the NL Central and teams like the Phillies and Padres hot on the Cubs’ heels in the wild-card standings. And though the Cubs adhere to pro sports’ favorite strategy of taking things one game at a time — going…