If the season ended right now, the Chicago Cubs would be in the postseason for the first time since 2008. The Cubs would sneak into the playoffs with the last wildcard in the National League. Still with half the season to play, here are the 11 keys for the Cubbies to make the postseason.
1. Dexter Fowler
A career OBP of .360, Fowler is sitting at .308 for the first half (lowest OBP in five years). It’s simple: If Fowler scores one run, the Cubs are 19-12; when he doesn’t score a run, the Cubs are a terrible 16-26.
2. Playing better at home
The Friendly Confines haven’t been so friendly to the Cubbies at home. They are 25th or below in batting average, runs, hits, and RBIs for a club at their home field.
3. Starlin Castro
As a middle of the lineup hitter, Castro having a slash line of .247/. 283/. 604 with only 38 RBIs is upsetting to any Cubs fan who still believes Castro is the shortstop of the future.
4. Hitting vs. lefties
In one of the more bizarre of the first half, the Cubs only have 592 at bats vs. left handers (compared to the 2352 at bats vs. right handers)
5. SCORING RUNS (Hitting with runners in scoring position)
The Cubs are 29th in runs scored this year and 23rd in hitting with runners in scoring position batting a horrific .229. It seems like this year they either score five or zero runs during a game.
6. Beating the teams they should beat. (Teams that aren’t .500)
The rest of July opponents go Braves, Reds, Phillies, Rockies, and Brewers, all teams that at the moment won’t make the postseason. Going on a nice 10/15 winning spree to end July isn’t out of realistic expectations.
7. Jorge Soler...
...who normally takes the fifth hole in the lineup is going to get oodles of at bats with runners in scoring position batting behind All-Stars Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant.
8. Jon Lester, please act like a $155 million man.
Jon Lester has four wins…four! The Cubs signed Lester to a six-year, $155 million contract during the offseason. Now, Lester is known to start locking things in after the all-star break. The Cubs' ace needs to start producing if they want to make the postseason.
9. Can the rookies last the whole season?
The MLB season is known for being one of the longest seasons of all the professional sports. Can the rookies' (Addison Russell, Bryant and Soler) bodies last all year without being worn down?
10. Trades?
The rumors have been around since the beginning of the season: when and if the Cubs will pull the trigger on a trade before the deadline July 31. As a Cubs fan, I wouldn’t say no to another arm either in the bullpen or in the starting rotation.
11. Can the All-Stars carry them?
This year's All-Stars Rizzo and Bryant have to keep up the pace in the second half. With a combined 28 dingers, 99 rbis, and 170 hits, these two are the heart and soul of the Cubs lineup. Without them, Chicago will be watching the postseason on their sofas.
Stop saying "next year's team" and start saying "this year's team." The Lovable Losers have had enough and are a team to be taken seriously.
