Muller: Is There Reason For Optimism On The North Side?
By Shawn Muller--
CHICAGO (CBS) Before the baseball season started, I was—to put it nicely—a little "hard" on the Chicago Cubs and their chances of competing for the National League Central crown.
I felt that there were just too many question marks surrounding the team as compared to the defending division champion Cincinnati Reds, the Milwaukee Brewers, and even the injured St. Louis Cardinals. I wondered how long it would take Carlos Zambrano to self-destruct, how long it would take Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez to find themselves on the disabled list, how well Mike Quade would handle managing the club for the entire season, and how well Carlos Pena would not only adjust to the National League, but how well he would bounce back from an injury-plagued 2010 season.
Of course there were other questions, but Cubs fans get the idea. While it is obviously way too early to tell--I mean we aren't even done with April yet, and a lot can happen as the season progresses--but, are the Cubs actually good enough to win the N.L. Central after all? No, I am not asking this because the team is currently sitting in a four-way tie for first place. It is great to see, but let's not act like the Cubs are tied for first because they are playing the best baseball in the division. They are tied for first because nobody seems to want to take control in the standings, as evidenced by the 9-9 log-jam.
As a rule, no one should start paying attention to the standings until the beginning of June, where separation between the contenders and the pretenders starts to show in win/loss columns.
With all of that being said, however, Cubs fans should be pleasantly surprised with what they have seen from the team thus far, and particularly, from a couple of players as we approach the month of May.
Alfonso Soriano is off to a rare fast start. Normally, Soriano doesn't get his bat going until the thermometer is consistently above 75 degrees, but his six home runs (good for the 2nd most in baseball) and his 14 RBI lead the team.
"Wunderkind" Starlin Castro is off to an All-Star season thus far. His .375 batting average is good for fourth in the N.L. and his 30 hits are good for the most in the major leagues. Carlos Zambrano's solid end to the 2010 season has appeared to carry over into 2011 and, even more impressive, he hasn't blown a gasket (now I just jinxed it). Carlos is 2-0 on the year with a 4.21 ERA and 23 K's, and is batting .333 with a home run, a double, and an RBI from the plate.
But just like everything else in life, you have to take the good with the bad, and the Cubs do have their share of bad as well. The pitching staff as a whole has been shaky, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena have not provided much--or should I say anything--from a power standpoint. Tyler Colvin has struggled in his sophomore season.
Marlon Byrd looks completely lost at the plate…etc…etc…etc. Yes, there are definitely problems that need to be shored up if this team is actually going to remain in contention once they hit the meat and potatoes of the schedule come summer. But, as it stands right now, Cubs fans should feel pretty good about what the team has done in April.
First place is first place.
As for myself, I made a promise that I was going to approach the 2011 season a little differently than I had in years past. I said I would take a "wait and see" attitude because I didn't want to get my hopes up, only to have them come crashing back down to Earth after a crushing blow from reality.
And today, I am not thinking any differently.
I am not going to change my outlook on the rest of the season. Not after 18 games in April.
Anything can happen between now and October, and I refuse--as hard as it may be--to get sucked back into the black-hole that is "hope" when it comes to being a Cubs fan, and having this uncanny ability to remain optimistic year after year.
I would love to say that I have no doubt that the Cubs can win the N.L. Central this year, but I have to remain realistic for 2011--even when I am tempted not to be, and even if the Cubs are tied for first right now--just like I promised myself I would.
