Spiegel: Cardinals have a model for Cubs to follow
It's difficult, if convenient, when the measuring stick is your nemesis.
The rival St. Louis Cardinals are both the standard for organizational excellence and the team to beat in the division.
The Cubs got a direct reminder of both the last four days. It was a series that reframed some early season optimism just a bit, even as the manager tried to proclaim the opposite.
Even with the season ending injury to ace Adam Wainwright, there is no discernible hole on the Cardinals' roster. Offensively they're first in the NL in OBP, second in OPS, second in hits and doubles, and fourth in runs scored.
They have righties and lefties with some pop, fast contact guys to hit ahead of them, and emerging young stars in Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong.
They play solid defense at the most important positions, with brilliant catcher Yadier Molina leading by example.
They have the No. 1 bullpen ERA, led by an elite closer in Trevor Rosenthal. Their eighth-inning righty Jordan Walden got hurt, but up from the minors came Miguel Socolovich, using a put away slider and a solid changeup to go 2 ⅔ scoreless in his first three games.
Michael Wacha has been terrific, and four starters have ERA's under 4.00. Wainwright goes down, but lurking at Triple A are two options: a terrific young arm in Marco Gonzales, and a once great and injury-prone lefty in Jaime Garcia. If neither works out and St. Louis needs to deal for a starter, they will.
This is how you begin 2015 at 21-7, the best start in an extraordinary franchise history. The Cards are likely to finish over .500 for the eighth straight season, and for the 15th time in 16 years.
Fortunately for the Cubs, the wild card spots exist.
It was interesting to follow Joe Maddon's actions and words in the St. Louis series, as he continues building a culture for his young team.
They began the road trip wearing Blackhawks sweaters, in good spirits despite getting "Meatloafed" by Milwaukee at home.
Even as they blew margins of 3, 4, and 5 runs as the Cardinals took the first two games, Maddon had their backs.
"We can match up with these guys. I'm encouraged, not discouraged. We're playing really well; we're just having trouble holding leads."
The Cubs took the third game behind a stopper performance by Jon Lester.
An ejection for arguing balls and strikes was the real take-away from Wednesday night. Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler had just struck out against Lance Lynn, with some highly questionable called strikes part of the equation. Maddon barked and got tossed.
"I had enough," Maddon said. "It was the whole game. It was egregiously bad. You cannot permit that to happen. We're trying to ascend, and we're not going to take that from anybody, anywhere at any time.
"We played a veteran club with a veteran battery, and we've got guys who've barely had a month in the big leagues, and I'm not going to take it," Maddon said. "Our guys deserve equal treatment, and I'm not going to take it."
Bryant felt the support.
"I've played for a lot of coaches in my life, and to have him go out there and stand up for us is pretty good," Bryant said. "It definitely gives us that extra edge, and you want to go out there and perform for him and do well. I think that was pretty cool to see."
That's a well-orchestrated ejection, with purpose.
John Lackey struck out 10 over 7 ⅔ in Thursday's finale, and the Cubs played some shabby defense. Losing 3 of 4 stands as a reminder of reality. For now.
The model for what Theo Epstein is trying to build in the big picture stands before you in the close-up of the standings, by 6 ½ games.
At least the Cubs can see the parallel goals embodied in one target.
• Matt Spiegel co-hosts "The Spiegel & Goff Show" 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday on WSCR 670-AM. Follow him on Twitter @mattspiegel670.