Now it's Cubs vs. Diamondbacks
CINCINNATI - If the National League playoffs are anything like the three division races that weren't decided until the season's final weekend, then there is no clear-cut favorite to reach the World Series.
The Cubs will open the best-of-five NLDS on Wednesday in Phoenix, and they like their chances against the NL West champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
"We've got as good a chance as anybody else," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Sunday. "We're going to have to pitch well and we're going to have to get some timely hitting.
"We've got a veteran team here basically, we've got some pitchers in the rotation that can keep you in ballgames and we've got a strong bullpen to close things out. Really, what it amounts to is how well we hit."
The only thing the Cubs might not have in their favor is the fact they must play the first two games and possible fifth at Chase Field, where the D-Backs went 50-31. Other than that, what's not to like about the Cubs' chances of getting to the World Series for the first time since 1945?
"We have the talent and everything else here that we can win the World Series," said left fielder Alfonso Soriano.
The Cubs went 2-4 against the D-Backs this season and were 1-2 in Arizona.
It'll be a matchup of 18-game winners on Wednesday in Game 1 with Carlos Zambrano opposing Brandon Webb.
"They played us tough," Piniella said. "It's a good young team with good pitching, but we feel we can go in there and win."
Prior to Sunday's games, the Cubs were second in the National League with a 4.02 team ERA, and Arizona was fourth with a 4.14 ERA.
The D-Backs scored the third fewest runs in the NL.
"They're a good team and it's going to take playing good baseball," said Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee. "They have a really good bullpen so you probably want to get a lead early on those guys and stay away from their tough bullpen."
Arizona closer Jose Valverde's 47 saves led the National League with 4 of them coming against the Cubs.
The Cubs like their pitching, too. They have two starters in Zambrano and Ted Lilly that combined to win 33 games, and a third in Rich Hill, who went 11-8.
The Cubs bullpen is among the best in the NL with Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, Bob Howry and Ryan Dempster lined up to finish games off, and their big three hitters - Soriano, Lee and Aramis Ramirez - put up huge numbers down the stretch.
"Especially down the stretch, we all produced," Ramirez said.
Defensively, the Cubs are above average, ranking sixth in the NL.
"Yeah, you've got to catch it," Piniella said. "That's why we're going to try and stay as solid defensively as we can."
Piniella said Jacque Jones will play center field even against left-handed starters in the playoffs because of his defense.
Of the Cubs' regulars, only Ryan Theriot, Matt Murton and Geovany Soto are without playoff experience.
"We have players here with playoff experience, and I think it's pretty valuable," Piniella said.
As for the others, Piniella doesn't believe he needs to say anything to them.
"The real pressure was getting to the playoffs and they've been though that, so I don't think I need to speak to anybody," Piniella said. "I think the experience they've gone through is much more beneficial than anything I could say."
It has been a season in which the Cubs don't have many players among the league leaders in too many categories. Lee is among the top 10 in batting average, while Zambrano tied for second in wins with 18, Dempster was 10th in saves with 28, and Hill fifth in strikeouts with 183.
"We've had players here that have had solid years," Piniella said. "Pitching wise we're up there in (team) ERA, out there in strikeouts and offensively we're basically in the middle of the pack.
"Soriano has had a real nice finish, Ramirez has a 100-RBI season, Derrek Lee has been up over .300 consistently. If you look at it, even though we don't have people in the home run race or RBI (race), we've had good consistent performances by a lot of people here."