I'll take a six-game winning streak any time of year, but a few words of caution:

• The Rockies and White Sox aren't very good. The Toaster's own Mark T.R. Donohue can vouch for Colorado, and as for the Sox, the standings tell you all you need to know. If the Cubs are to contend, they should be expected to, at the very least, take two of three from sub-.500 teams. Currently, the Cubs are 21-17 against such clubs, which seems encouraging until you look at the top NL clubs' records against losing teams: Mets (26-12); Brewers (35-15); Arizona (31-19); San Diego (30-17). Should the Cubs make the last six games a trend and continue to beat up on losing teams, it will make losses to tougher opponents easier pills to swallow. And it is worth mentioning that no NL division leader has a winning record against winning clubs; a .500 record against them and domination against lesser teams should get the Cubs to the playoffs.
• Look to the AL East. The Yankees rattled off nine consecutive wins earlier this month but have since gone into a funk, with a record of 3-8. Success really is fleeting, especially for clubs, like the Cubs, that remain under .500. This team could just as easily follow the Yankees in a spiral downwards as lift itself to the top of the Central. The next few weeks, with games against division-leading Milwaukee, and lowly Washington and Pittsburgh, should be very telling of this team's true caliber.

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Some interesting numbers from Triple-A:

Matt Murton: 42 AB, .262/.380/.476

Ronny Cedeno: 147 AB, .388/.465/.585, 7 E in 40 games

Even when Jacque Jones is traded (it's only a matter of time), Murton won't have a place to play. With Soriano in left, Pie in center, Cliff Floyd primarily in right, and the more-defensively-versatile-than-Murton Angel Pagan filling in where needed, Murton will have to do better at the plate if he has any hope of getting back to the majors. Just as Mike Fontenot has forced his way into the lineup with his bat, Murton needs to take it upon himself to do the same.

That said, should Murton start tearing up Triple-A, I wouldn't be surprised to see him traded, perhaps as part of a package for bullpen help, come July's end. Sell at a high point (however belated), because Murton looks like a fourth outfielder at best.

And as for Cedeno, I can only hope some wise and kind-hearted soul in the front office prevents the eyes of Jim Hendry from ever seeing those numbers, in order to prevent my eyes from ever seeing Cedeno again.