Can the Cubs Make the Playoffs?

The Cubs 2007 season has been a roller coaster ride all year long. Most Cubs fans out there are wondering, is this latest streak of good luck just a flash in the pan, or do the Cubs have what it takes to ride this streak all the way into the playoffs? Well, the negative Cubs fans out there might bring up that the Cubs are too dysfunctional to be a good team. Even though the Cubs, like any losing team, have lost their tempers once in a while, they still make up with each other and don't hold grudges.

Michael Barrett and Carlos Zambrano seem to have put their little fight behind them, and are now better friends than ever. Some people also might bring up the injuries the Cubs have had. Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, Henry Blanco, Daryle Ward, and now Aramis Ramirez have all missed extended periods of time with injuries. While you never want to see anybody on your team get injured, it could be a good thing that the Cubs are getting their injuries done and over with now, instead of waiting until they need to make a playoff push in August and September. Another good sign is that the Cubs pitching is staying healthy for the most part. The only pitching injuries, besides the expected injuries to Wood and Prior, are 5th starter Wade Miller and long reliever Angel Guzman. While not always effective, the Cubs top 4 starting pitchers, Zambrano, Hill, Marquis, and Lilly, have remained healthy thus far.

For where they're at right now in the standings, and what they've been through this year, the Cubs should consider themselves extremely fortunate that they're as close to the division leader as they are. After Monday night's game, a win vs. the Astros, the Cubs are only 5.5 games back of the first place Milwaukee Brewers, who have been struggling themselves as of late. This is how the optimistic Cubs fan would look at it. The Cubs have probably played worse in the first two months of the season than they'll play for the rest of the season. Now that they have that, the dugout/clubhouse fight, and Lou Piniella's ejection behind them it's time to focus on the future.