Head-scratching May has Cubs in a surprising spot in new set of MLB power rankings

The bulk of a 10-game winning streak started the month of May and it closed with a 10-game losing streak in one of the most confounding stretches we've seen from a Chicago Cubs team in some time.

Given the pitching injuries, one would assume that's where the blame lies. Granted, the pitching wasn't great, but it was the offense that was mostly to blame for the team's free-fall in the back half of the month. Chicago closed out the month winning three of five (although that included a series loss at the hands of the rival Cardinals) - and now, they look to a fresh start in June.

Three-ish weeks ago, the FanSided MLB power rankings had the Cubs as the best team in baseball. And, well, why wouldn't they be? They'd just completed a second 10-game winning streak, and all was well in Wrigleyville. This time around, though, it's a different story.

Here's what they had to say about Craig Counsell's club, which hit this week's rankings in the #7 spot.

Oh no. They want me to say nice things about the Cubs? I can try to make that work. Chicago is streaky. They were that way with and without Kyle Tucker. Pete Crow-Armstrong, while a five-tool player, comes with his own flaws. But PCA hit a statement home run against the rival Cardinals at Busch Stadium as the 'tarps off' fans were calling him overrated. Even I have to give him credit for that. Crow-Armstrong should be a centerpiece of the Cubs-Cards rivalry for years to come. He backed up his chatter with his mouth this time around.

A glass half-full take for Cubs fans looking for a reason to believe

OK, so a slight bump up from last week's #10 spot - but they still have work to do to get back toward the top of the leaderboard. But think about how 'the sky is falling' the last few weeks have felt - the fact this team is still considered among the top one-third of teams (and fourth-best in the NL, behind the Braves, Dodgers and Brewers) is something.

With the returns of Matthew Boyd and Edward Cabrera imminent, the rotation gets a pair of important arms back. Crow-Armstrong appears to be heating up, and, believe it or not, he and Michael Busch were two of the best players in the National League over the last month.

There's a lot of baseball left. But now is the time for Chicago to put May in the past and get back to playing championship-caliber baseball.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow