Top Ten Reason the Cubs Won’t Make the Playoffs

As a Cubs fan this pains me to write, but with two teams only 3.5 games back heading into play Monday night, it seems reasonable the Cubs could end up on the outside looking in come October. These are the Top Ten Reason the Cubs Won’t Make the Playoffs

10. Not enough prospects to swing major deal

The reason the Cubs could not get C.C. is because they did not have the prospects. The Cubs seem to draft athletes that have the potential to be good MLB players but not power hitting monsters (like LaPorta) that teams are seeking. Harden’s name has been tossed around as a guy the Cubs are interested in and Hendry and Beane do have a history of trading together, but if last years Haren trade shows anything, Beane will demand only the best package of prospects, which the Cubs may not have. Looks like Randy Wolfe is their man. Goo…

9. Wear on rookies

The MLB season is longer than anything Fukudome or Soto have faced. The two rookies are very important to the Cubs lineup and if either of them goes down there will be tremendous affects on the Cubs’ run output. Fukudome’s calf strain has shown he is vulnerable to the wear and tear of the season. If the season grinds on one or both, it could cause major problems down the road.

8. St. Louis Cardinals

I don’t get the Cardinals. They are in the middle of the NL in runs and runs allowed, but keep on winning. There must be something to this batting the pitcher eighth thing. Unless their starting staff keeps on setting career bests, the Cardinals should fade, but as long as Pujos can knock in 27 in any given game, the Cards are still very real.

7. Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee’s offense started slow but has scored more runs as Braun has caught fire. What is frightening is that the offense could get even better if Fielder starts hitting anything like he did last year. With the addition of #1 on the list, The Brewers rotation has just become scary good.

6. Bullpen

If Marmol does not get right, the Cubs bullpen becomes very mediocre, fast. Wood has been lights-out until Saturday, but besides him it is day to day with the ‘pen.

5. The unexpected

Basically, something goes wrong. Z and Dempster go down with season ending shoulder surgery. The Cubs fall to second in the division and a team in the East catches fire to take over the Wild Card. Something, anything that is not supposed to happen does.

4. Schedule

MIL 10
STL 9
FLA 7
PHI 4
ARI 3

The Cubs still play the Brewers and Cardinals a combined 19 times, which means anything can happen. Plus they play the first or second best team in the East or West 14 more times, making their schedule much harder in the second half.

3. Starting Pitching

Z, Dempster and Lilly have become a solid base in the rotation. But after that it becomes rather shaky. Currently its Marquis and Marshall, but neither has been good enough to rely on during a playoff run. If the Cubs don’t trade for another SP, this could end up being the downfall of the North Side.

2. Injuries

Mark DeRosa has played five positions this year and not because of luxury. Fukudome, Edmonds, Theriot, Johnson, Soriano, Zambrano, Fox, Eyre, Ward, etc have all played with injuries or have been placed on the DL. As the Cubs have shown the last few weeks they are vulnerable without a full and healthy roster.

1. C.C. Sabathia

After winning the Cy Young last year, C.C. started 2008 poorly. However, after his fifth start he has become the dominating pitcher he was last year. With C.C. in the rotation, him and Sheets are now possibly the best 1-2 in all the land.