The Cubs Are Simply too Streaky for Fans to Rely on Them to Make Deep Postseason Run

No, we aren't premising this opinion based on Wednesday's shellacking at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies. But, we can't deny the fact that the beatdown was a perfect reminder to what we've been thinking all season: the Chicago Cubs are far too inconsistent for fans to have any faith in the club making a deep run in October.

And it starts with their inability to take a stranglehold of a division that's been begging for a contender to emerge and run away with it.

The sad part, however, is that the Cubbies had the perfect opportunity to do so in late July and early August when the Brewers and Cardinals were imploding. Now, thanks a 5-5 stretch over their last 10 (and a five-game winning streak by St. Louis), Chicago is barely holding on to a postseason berth with a Wild Card spot.

Joe Maddon's men are genuinely putrid away from the Windy City, and, as things currently stand, his club isn't going to come close to having home field advantage when the playoffs come around...if they even make it.

The Cubs were hot out of the All-Star break, winning seven of eight, but then plunged right back down to earth when they lost seven of their next 10. Then, they did it again, winning six of seven before dropping four of five.

At Wrigley Field, the Cubs boast an imposing 41-19 record, good for one of the best home marks in all of baseball. On the road, however, Chicago is a rancid 23-37.

What more evidence need be presented? Face it, Cubs buffs -- your club might have all the tools necessary to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy, but their incongruity will ultimately be their downfall.