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 Let's hop into the time machine and go back to my April 7th post:
I call this series, "The Beginning" because it's the beginning of a
stretch of games for the Cubs against a relatively easy schedule. They
have the Phillies at the end of this week but over the next three weeks
they play the PiratesReds three times, and the Nationals three times. This is where the Cubs should start pushing their way to the top of the NL Central.
Since I posted that the Cubs have gone 13-5 and....pushed their way to the top of the NL Central. We learned a lot about the Cubs over these last 18 games, so let's go over a few of the things we've learned.
- The Cubs can win without Alfonso Soriano - Soriano went down with a with a strained calf on April 15th and since then they've gone 9-4. The emergence of Reed Johnson as an every day player and improvement by the starting pitchers have helped pave the way. Don't let anyone fool you though, the Cubs are better with Sori in the lineup and he's guaranteed that he'll be back on May 1st.
- No More Waiting for the 3-Run Homer - The Cubs have some players on their team that can hit for power but they don't have to rely on that anymore. With the entire lineup working the count and getting on base through walks and base hits it's allowed the Cubs to consistently put pressure on the competition. While 3-run homers are nice, it is better to keep the pressure on at all times and to force your opponent to use their bullpen.
- Ronny Cedeno is Here to Stay - I hope you guys are finally warming up to the guy because he's been playing very well this season. So well, in fact, that I wonder if he'll force Mark DeRosa into that 'super utility' role when Soriano returns.
- Carlos Zambrano is a #1 - The Cubs wanted to get off to a fast start this season but they knew they would need Big Z to carry the load for the pitching staff and he's done just that by winning four games in April. More than that, he's been consistent in his effort to pitch smarter rather than harder.
- Lou Piniella Has a Plan - It might seem like sometimes he picks his lineup out of a hat and he seems aloof but I think we all know he's the smartest guy in the room when it comes to the Cubs. It seems like he's finally comfortable with his roster and knows when/where/how to put his players into position to succeed.
- This Team Can Win - The Cubs are playing exactly how playoff teams play during the regular season. They are dominating the teams they should dominate (minus Washington) and playing tough games against the best of the National League. The pitching looks pretty good, the hitting looks excellent for the most part and the defense is good. Like all teams, they are going to go through droughts where they struggle to get the runner in from third with less than two outs but this is a team that could go a long way if they stay healthy.
While 'The Beginning' has come to an end, the Cubs adventure is not over as over the next nine games they play their three toughest rivals in the NL Central. If they are able to go 6-3 it should send an early message to the rest of the league that the Cubs are the cream of the crop in their division.
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2008 Cubs Preview
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