Since 1995, the first time there was a “Central” in the National League, only the Astros have managed to win 100 games–102 in 1998. That was the year the Cubs made it as a wild card, stepping over Dusty Baker’s Giants by winning a one-game playoff.
Other divisions have had super teams. The Yankees won 108 games in 1998, Seattle won 116 in 2001 and the Braves had three straight years of 100-plus wins from 1997-99. But it’s rarely done in the NL Central.
Cubs President Andy MacPhail reminded Baker that the Minnesota Twins got to and won the World Series in 1987 with only 85 wins in the regular season. “That could [happen] this year too,” Baker said.
If it’s the Cubs with that win total, will it be enough to win the division or qualify for the wild card berth? It won’t be easy, even in the NL Central.
Title teams typically need three things: talent close to the level of their rivals, health and “It.” Soon, the Cubs’ ability to gain some advantage in the Central will depend on how much they have of those three.
It is the intangible that perennial winners always seem to have and perennial losers never do, regardless of whom they sign, draft or develop. Do the Cubs, with Baker and others from winning traditions, now have It?
The Mariners, for example, didn’t have It when they had Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez. The Texas Rangers were a last-place team when they acquired A-Rod, and still are.
Do the Cubs have enough of the intangibles for a final push?
“We just ran into some bad luck lately, didn’t do the little things, got beat a lot late in games,” Miller said. “We still have it.”
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Cubs at Padres
Season series: 1-2
Tuesday: Mark Prior (8-5, 3.01) vs. Brian Lawrence (5-13, 4.86). 9:05 p.m.;
WGN-Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720
Wednesday: Kerry Wood (10-8, 3.49)
vs. Adam Eaton (6-7, 4.15). 9:05 p.m.; Fox Sports Net, WGN-AM 720
Thursday: Carlos Zambrano (9-8, 3.33) vs. Kevin Jarvis (4-3, 4.26). 4:05 p.m.; Fox Sports Net, WGN-AM 720
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Edited by the Sports staff of RedEye.
