The Stretch Run

If you're a Cubs fan life is pretty good. Despite a 6-1 loss to the Astros last night, as we head into September the team is in first place in the central division and although the Cardinals have looked stronger in the past month, little about the Redbirds or the Brewers is particularly scary. In addition Alfonso Soriano is back from the DL, Cliff Floyd from the berevement list and both Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee, who together have supplied much of the offense, are apparently healthy and on the field. Carlos Marmol continues to mow down opposing hitters and Rich Hill and Carlos Zambrano continue to be mostly effective.

So in celebration of entering the final month in first here is the complete list of other occasions on which the Cubs found themselves tied or in first at the close of September 1st along with their record on that day and a comment on each season.

Year      W    L    T     Pct   Comments
1989     75   59    0   0.560   Win the division and then dispatched by Will Clark
1984     81   54    0   0.600   Win the division and then …
1945     76   47    1   0.618   Lose to the Tigers in a 7-game WS
1929     84   41    4   0.672   Win 98 games but lose to the A's 4-1 in the WS
1918     83   44    2   0.654   Lose to Ruth's Red Sox in the WS
1914     63   57    2   0.525   Fade to 78-76, 16.5 games behind the Miracle in 4th place
1912     79   43    1   0.648   Finish 91-59 but finish 11.5 games behind the Giants in 3rd place
1909     80   38    1   0.678   Win 104 games but Wagner's Pirates win 110
1907     89   33    1   0.730   Win 107 and beat the Tigers in the series
1906     92   31    3   0.748   116 wins but lose in the WS 4-2 to the White Sox
1904     69   46    3   0.600   Go 93-60 but finish 13 games behind the Giants

Yes, just twice in my lifetime has it been the case that the Cubs weren't looking uphill or in many cases up a sheef cliff face as the calendar turned. In fact, this season marks just the 20th time the Cubs have had a .500 record or better on September 1st since 1945 and the fourth time this decade. So while there is always a feeling of impending doom in the soul of a Cubs fan, today is a good day and we'll leave it at that.