Could this be the make-or-break home stand for the Chicago Cubs?

The 2009 MLB season is fast approaching the halfway point and the Chicago Cubs have begun a defining 11 game stand at home. Sports bettors and sports fans alike see this series as a potential make or break series for the cubs.

On July 2nd, The Chicago Cubs returned home to begin an 11 game home stand before the all star break against Central Division rival Milwaukee Brewers. Having beaten division rival Milwaukee in the first two home games of the series has certainly helped to set the stage for the Cubs to strongly close out the first half of the season.

Up to this point in the season the Cubs have fallen far short of their own expectations as well that of their loyal fans, baseball bettors and sportswriters alike. Thus far both their pitching and hitting has been marginal at best. Every starting pitcher currently in the rotation is barely hanging on to .500 winning percentage far below last years statistics.

In addition, the once potent offensive lineup of last year has seemed to fade away with not even one current player flirting with hitting .300. Yet, the Cubs unbelievably still find that their slightly sub .500 winning percentage to this point has not knocked them so far out of contention that there still is hope for a resurgence to another trip to the playoffs. However, the remaining games before the All Star break will likely tell the tale if that remains to be a legitimate possibility.

Last year the cubs led the Central Division of the National League virtually the entire season and they just seemed to have destiny on their side. After all, it was 100 years exactly since they last won a World Series, so they were even more the nation's sentimental favorite than they normally were in the past. And with the new player and managerial acquisition from a few years ago there just seemed to be a whole new attitude in the franchise, a winning attitude.

This year has brought a few changes for the Cubs to deal with and none more important than the St. Louis Cardinals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and now the surprising Cincinnati Reds. The fact that just 3 games separate the top four spots in the division creates more urgency now than ever for the cubs to make a surge right before the all star break. Eight of the eleven games in this current home stand for the Cubs are against Milwaukee and St. Louis and a clear opportunity to gain ground or overtake one or both of them in the standings by the break.

The importance of this move up in the standings can't be overemphasized as their entire season could rest upon it. If they can take 3 out of 4 from the Brewers and 2 out of 3 from the Cardinals they will gain important momentum as well as create a little more separation between the first four spots in the division. In my opinion it is critical for them to hold one of the top two spots in the division by the break or the fate of their season will be in the fourth or fifth spot in the standings by the season's end. They will just have too many teams to chase and too much of an up hill battle to climb without any real momentum to build on. If that's the case then once again the Chicago Cubs will do one thing that they have consistently done for years, break their everlasting loyal fans' hearts.

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by Bryan
BetSportsWeb.com