Time Running Out

After the All-star break is when we for the most part we got back a fully healthy team. The win streaks were expected, but have never really happened. We keep waiting and waiting for the team to take off, and nothing happens. At one point you have to realize our best baseball of the year is only when playing sub .500 teams. So I went back and looked at how the Cubs and Cardinals have done since the All-star break, with both teams being relatively healthy.

Cubs 2 game losing streaks - 4
Cards 2 game losing streaks - 2

Cubs 2 game winning streaks - 2
Cards 2 game winning streaks - 1

Cubs 3 game losing streaks - 2
Cards 3 game losing streaks - 0

Cubs 4 game winning streaks - 1
Cards 4 game winning streaks - 0

Cubs 5 game winning streaks - 1
Cards 5 game winning streaks - 3

Cards 7 game winning streaks - 1

The most obvious note is that the Cardinals have on three seperate occasions ripped off three 5 game winnings streaks and even have a 7 game mixed in. They havent had one monster run of stringing together 15 straight wins to get to where they have. It is a bunch of small streaks. The Cards will lose a game and then start a streak, thus building on the previous one. What did the Cubs do after winning 5 straight? They go out and lose 3 straight totally destroying any momentum they could build on. Its fine to lose hear and there, I dont expect a win every single day. But I also don't like seeing a team get a nice little win streak and then totally flush it down the toilet in the next series.

These are all bad omens for the playoffs. Most Cubs fans are clinging to the belief we will be the Marlins of last year this year because they won the WS through the wild card. One major difference was the Marlins were playing lousy baseball and then found the groove and won mostly in the second half. Atlanta is that kind of team this year. Floundering for a month or two and BOOM, 20+ games over .500, 1st place in the division. Then we look at the Chicago Cubs, we have floundered for 130ish odd games. If we are such a great team don't you think a Florida Marlins St. Louis Cardinals, or Atlanta Braves type of month should be coming, like soon?

At 100 games left people were like we have time.
80 games left, we still have time, no worries.
60 games left, they will start winning soon.
40 games left, hot streak just around the corner.
30 games left, false alarm.
0 games left, wait till next year?

I wish this team would play with a sense of urgency, instead of losing 8-0 to the Expos tonight in a series you should sweep. Excuses should of been checked at the door after the All-star break. There is no excuse for the pathetic play of this team since.