Chicago Cubs: How the Cubs stack up against NL contenders

The National League playoff picture is coming into focus. With the Chicago Cubs earning home field advantage, how do they stack up against the rest of the contenders?

The goals for the Chicago Cubs season were simple: embrace the target and try not to suck. Pitching and defense have been fantastic. The offense scored ranks third in the Major Leagues. Consider it mission accomplished for the regular season. But, that is not the ultimate goal. Winning the World Series.

Eleven wins. Eleven wins are all that truly stands between the Cubs and the ending of the 108-year drought. Or the end of the world if you ask many fans. That is all. And it will be the hardest eleven wins the team will even attempt to accomplish. And, while the field is not completely set, the contenders are talented.

The question then becomes how the Cubs stack up against the other playoff teams? We know you are talking about it, worrying about which team the Cubs could face in which round and wondering what will happen. We want you to be well-informed “water cooler” talk participants. Here is the tale-of-the-tape.