On August 4, 2015, after a rain-shortened game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester gave advice to his teammates. He said simply that the Cubs need to play stupid from now on if they want to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. However, Lester said this before the Cubs went on an impressive nine-game winning streak, sweeping the San Francisco Giants in a four-game series, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series and then finally taking two of three against their crosstown rivals, Chicago White Sox. The Cubs lost the final game against the Sox and then got swept by the Detroit Tigers in a two-game series.

Of course, if the Cubs make the playoffs, it will be in a one-game playoff, most likely against NL Central division foe Pittsburgh. The last time the Cubs made the playoffs was in the 2008 season. At that time the Cubs looked completely different. Under the tutelage of Hall of Fame manager “Sweet” Lou Pinella and boasting names like Ted Lilly, NL Rookie of the Year Geovany Soto, Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs finished the season in first place with a record of 97-64. However, they would be swept 3-0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now the Cubs have a new look. Currently the team is in the Theo Epstein regime. Epstein came along about four years ago after the Cubs severed ties with GM Jim Hendry. When Epstein came along, he set up a formal plan to ensure the Cubs will break the 100+ year World Series winless streak. The plan, appropriately named “the Five year plan,” sets up a scenario to where the Cubs will win the World Series after year five. Currently,  it is the fourth year of that plan. Fans hate to use the “r” word (not that “r” word…rebuilding) when it comes to their team. However, Epstein has made that transition, from a Cub fan’s viewpoint, somewhat tolerable.  Since Epstein took control, the Cubs have found their “mega-stars” through the first-year player draft in third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Kyle Schwarber. However, they have also gotten rid of stars like former all-star outfielder Alfonso Soriano and pitcher Jeff Samardzija.

The NL Central is a hotly-contested division this year. They feature three of the best teams in the MLB. The Cubs are in third with a record of 74-56, 10.5 games back of the Cardinals in first place and 5.0 games back of the Pirates in second place. If the Cubs were in the American League instead of the National League, they would have the second best record, behind the Kansas City Royals.

There are about 35-40 games left in the MLB season. The Cubs are a streaky team to say the least. They win several games, then go on a skid. At this point, the Cubs are on track to win about 93-94 games. When asked if the Cubs can get to the World Series and win it, Cubs manager Joe Maddon simply said, “Of course.”

The Cubs, yesterday, opened a series with the Cincinnati Reds. They dropped the first game of the series 13-6. They have series with the Arizona D-Backs, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cincinnati Reds remaining.