Cubs Receive Suprise Placement In Latest Power Rankings

It's easy to say that the month of May has not been kind to the Chicago Cubs. However, it's really the Cubs that have not been kind to May. Despite putting themselves in positions to win baseball games, they come out on the wrong side of things when the game ends. Sometimes, the ball just doesn't bounce your way; that's baseball. But the Cubs are seemingly getting in their own way of their opportunities.

After last night's debacle, the Cubs are now 9-15 in May. They have lost three of four to the Pittsburgh Pirates, two of three to the Atlanta Braves, and suffered a rain-shortened two-game sweep to the St. Louis Cardinals before losing the opening game of a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

If you ask Manager Craig Counsell and President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer about the struggles, they'll tell you that this is a good baseball team and the tide will turn soon. Baseball is a game of ebbs and flows; this season can be an example. At the beginning of the year, the Cubs started hotter than anyone could have imagined against some very tough opponents. But as the weather improved, the production mellowed and got worse.

Now, the Cubs are 4.5 games behind the division-leading Brewers, with three games left in Milwaukee before returning home. On the field, in the clubhouse, and certainly on the internet, you can tell the vibes for this team are down. However, the national media would lead you to believe otherwise.

Cubs Remain In Top Ten Of MLB's Power Rankings

As they do every Monday morning, MLB.com released their weekly power rankings of Major League Baseball teams. It's no surprise that the Philadelphia Phillies lead the way; they have had the exact opposite kind of May as the Chicago Cubs. But the Cubs appear to be sticking around the top. They came in at number ten in this week's edition of the rankings.

Will Leitch of MLB.com states that the Cubs remain in the top ten because of the production from the starting rotation. Although the Cubs were given a huge blow early (losing Jameson Taillon in the spring and Justin Steele in the opener), they have held their ground. Shota Imanaga and Javier Assad have been nothing short of sensational. The Cubs are tied for the second-best rotation ERA in baseball with the Atlanta Braves (behind the red-hot Phillies).

It's no secret that the Cubs' struggling offense and abysmal bullpen are keeping them from taking off and reaching their maximum potential. The bullpen has surrendered the lead and game multiple times over the last week. Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ are just barely past the Mendoza line. Christopher Morel, Miguel Amaya, and Yan Gomes are all batting under .200.

The Cubs have a plethora of reinforcements waiting in the minor leagues and ready to have an impact on this team. By the beginning of next week, if things continue to trend the way they are now, we could see an overhaul of changes to the starting lineup to incorporate some of these young budding stars into the Cubs' clubhouse. Expect trade talks to ramp up here, too. There's a whole lot of work to be done.