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Chicago Cubs: N.L. Central dominates ESPN’s MLB Power Rankings
By David Miniel
We’re halfway through the month of August and despite losing their nine-game winning streak at the hands of the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Cubs are still one of the hottest team’s in all of baseball.
It’s been a great season full of frustration and happiness, but that’s just a life of a Cubs fan. Before the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, and Cleveland Indians roll into Wrigley Field for a seven-game home stand, ESPN released its Major League Baseball power rankings which include three of the top teams in the N.L. Central in the top five alone.
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Having won 15 of their last 17 games, this young club under skipper Joe Maddon is not showing any signs of slowing down. Not only have they managed to top their previous opponents over the last couple of weeks, they’ve hit a total of nine home runs in three games.
The Cubs were led by rookie Kyle Schwarber in the 9-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers last Thursday in which he clubbed two of Chicago’s five homers before moving their air show to the South Side. Outfielder Chris Coghlan followed that up with a two home run performance of his own as first baseman Anthony Rizzo went back-to-back with him off Jeff Samardzija.
With the team’s late surge, they still hold a decent lead over the defending World Series champions in the N.L. Wild Card hunt. While that lead does seem nice, claiming the first spot and second-place in the division would have been even better.
It’s still early and anything could happen, so expect Theo Epstein’s boys to kick it up a notch when Miguel Cabrera and his boys roll into town tomorrow.
As far as the top five of ESPN’s rankings are concerned, the Cardinals sit at the top with the best record in the league ahead of the Kansas City Royals and the Pirates. Wouldn’t expect anything less with those ever-dangerous Redbirds who continue to prove that they should be the favorite to win the World Series this fall.
Chicago jumped up from the No. 5 spot to No. 4 while the New York Yankees round out the top group. The Yankees were responsible for putting an end to Toronto’s (No. 6) 11 game winning streak thanks to a Carlos Beltran late home run this past Friday.
Once this home stand wraps up, the North Siders will fly out to the West Coast for a brief six-game road trip starting with the San Francisco Giants then the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two key series’ that will surely be another test for this hungry and determined ballclub.