Looking Forward

The NL Central is over. Just forget about it. Unless Chris Carpenter breaks down and Holliday or Pujols gets injured the Cardinals have it in hand. Congrats to them, it doesn't matter because the Phillies are in the NL anyway. The focus for the Cubs should and will turn to the Wild Card. 

The Wild Card race in the NL has come down to five teams. Colorado, San Francisco, Florida, Atlanta, and the Cubs. The Cubs are the fifth team, four games out of the lead. It won't be an easy task, but I think it's way more manageable than the division lead. Lets look at the remaining schedules for all five teams. 

Rockies	Giants	Marlins	Braves	Cubs
3 @ Washington	3 @ Reds	3 @ Houston	3 @ Mets	2 @ Padres
4 vs. Giants	4 @ Rockies	3 @ Braves	3 vs. Marlins	4 @ Dodgers
3 vs. Dodgers	3 vs. Arizona	3 vs. Mets	3 vs. Padres	3 vs. Washington
3 @ Giants	3 vs. Colorado	3 vs. Padres	3 @ Phillies	3 vs. Mets
3 vs. Mets	3 @ Phillies	3 vs. Braves	4 @ Marlins	3 vs. Houston
3 vs. Arizona	3 @ Brewers	3 @ Washington	3 vs. Reds	1 vs. White Sox
4 vs. Reds	3 vs. Padres	3 @ Mets	3 @ Astros	3 @ Mets
3 @ Padres	3 vs. Dodgers	3 vs. Washington	3 @ Cardinals	3 @ Pirates
3 @ Giants	3 vs. Rockies	3 @ Cardinals	3 vs. Mets	3 vs. Reds
3 @ Arizona	3 @ Dodgers	4 @ Reds	3 vs. Phillies	4 vs. Brewers
3 vs. Padres	3 @ Arizona	3 vs. Phillies	3 @ Mets	3 @ Cardinals
3 vs. Cardinals	4 vs. Cubs	3 vs. Mets	3 @ Washington	3 @ Milwaukee
3 vs. Brewers	3 vs. Arizona	3 @ Braves	3 vs. Marlins	4 @ Giants
3 @ Dodgers	3 @ Padres	3 @ Phillies	4 vs. Washington	4 vs. Pirates
				3 vs. Arizona

Looking at the four teams in front of the Cubs, it becomes clear that the Cubs have the easiest road forward. Lots of Brewers, Reds, and Pirates. Only three against the Cardinals and four against the Giants after this road trip. 

Meanwhile the Giants and Rockies play each other and the Dodgers quite a bit. Plus dates with the Cardinals for the Rockies, and Phillies for the Giants. The two NL East teams have a similar deal. Lots of games against each other and the division leading Phillies. 

A healthy Cubs team is probably better than any of the four other teams. Lilly was awesome last night and Z is just around the corner. If the closer situation ever gets taken care of, expect to see Marmol next, the Cubs should be able to take the Wild Card. As long as they are within four or five games at the end of this week, I'd put the Cubs as my favorites to win the Wild Card and get swept by the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs.