Put a fork in them, the Cubs are done. The only reason the Cubs are "close" to contending, is that the Division they play in is weak. If the Cards were having a good season, the "race" would be over. If the Cubs were having a "good" season, there would be a race to talk about.
You can't win getting 6 hits, 5 hits, having your 3-4-5 hitters go 1 for 12...this is essentially what is happening. The pitching for the most part has been very good. The Bullpen needs help. The Cubs lost on a walkoff 3 run HR by Jayson Werth in the last of 13th inning, and fell 4-1. One mistake did it. But the Cubs have no margin for error. Last season, the team would have won a game like this. The club was tops in about every offensive category. Led the league in runs scored. This season, they have trouble getting a single. Derrick Lee has been carrying this club. He leads the team in Home runs, and runs batted in. He has good numbers. The problem is no one is even close to him in the lineup.
Soriano has lost his punch. Bradley can't find it. The club has even allowed manager Lou Piniella, who knows a thing or two about hitting, to become his private coach. It's gotten this bad. The Cubs would have difficulty winning 5 games in a row because they can't hit well enough to score runs. Put 'em against the Peoria Diamonds, a la a mythical semi-pro team, then they'd be good. But this is the majors. And, in a weakened Central Division, they aren't good enough.
