As we start the second week of September, I am sitting here watching the Cubs play the Cardinals in a makeup game at Wrigley Field. After this last weekend, the Cubs find themselves back in second place and a game behind Milwaukee with the Cardinals behind us, yes I say 'us' because I am a die-hard Cub fan. With twenty games remaining after today, the Cubs have to take fate into their own hands to regain first place and run away with the division. Milwaukee plays at Pittsburgh Sept. 10-12 which could be a challenging series for them. The NL Central has become a three team race, much to the dismay of Cub fans. From here on out, the Cubs need to take care of their own business and win games here on out.

As I'm watching today's game, it is currently the bottom of the fifth inning and the Cubs have a 7-1 lead over STL. We need to hold on and win today and hope that Pittsburgh can dismantle the Brewers so that we can go into a tie with Milwaukee for first place, again, and hopefully be able to regain first place by ourselves. However, lots of things still need to happen. First, the 'big bats' need to start cooking and the pitching needs to shut down the oppositions' offense. Blowing leads in the late innings is not a good way to win a division. Also the offense needs to keep in mind that the fundamentals still need to be practiced and missing or running through a stop sign given by the third base coach is not practicing the fundamentals. The offense also needs to keep making solid contact against the division's pitchers that they will face down the stretch. No more hitting pop flys, or grounding into double plays or making line outs. Play good, solid, fundamental 'station to station' baseball and solidify the defense. Getting hits and then leaving eight runners on base per game isn't going to win games either.

So if the stars align and all these things take place and the Cubs get into a huge win streak from here on out for the remaining twenty games, then this year's team can win the division and make it far into the playoffs, hopefully without a repeat of the 2003 NLCS.

So hey Chicago, lets root, root, root for our Cub-bies and countdown to that division clinching win.

Learn more about this author, Allison Pason.
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