The Chicago Cubs are playing some very inspired baseball against a tough schedule early in the season, having gone 12-8 in April against legitimate competition and starting off May right with a hard-fought win against the surprisingly terrible Milwaukee Brewers. The hopes of contention hinge somewhat on how the Cubs do in May against mostly good teams, including the black devil magic St. Louis Cardinals, that are also primed for a postseason run.
This is important not just for this season (a shot at that long-awaited World Series championship), but also for the future in terms of talent acquisition.