THE WATERCOOLER:
The Cubs have lost five in a row but could get Aramis Ramirez back today and Ted Lilly on Monday. (No word yet on Carlos Zambrano.) Is it too early to count the Cubs out in the NL Central?

BRYAN BURWELL:
History shows us that the Cards don’t surrender leads this large this late. Now, combine that with the nightmarish cruel history of the Cubs and all the injuries and instability going on in Wrigleyville, and there is no other answer than “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.”

JOE STRAUSS:
The math still works for the Cubs but the direction of their season makes it hard to believe they will win a third consecutive NL Central title. Lilly and Zambrano are huge variables; however, Ramirez can transform the Cubs from a mediocre to a dangerous offense. His shoulder problems are more persistent than a 15-day stay on the disabled list. The Cubs remain inept on the road and against solid competition. Barring a sweep of the Cardinals during their three-game set at Busch Sept. 18-20, this just doesn’t seem to be the Cubs’ year. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have the look of a dangerous team: relatively healthy with three consistent starters and a deep lineup. Simply put, the Cardinals appear in control.

RICK HUMMEL:
With third baseman Aramis Ramirez returning, the Cubs again have a formidable lineup. They will be involved down to the last week. The gap between the Cardinals and Cubs got big all of a sudden but consider that the Cardinals were playing Pittsburgh and Cincinnati while the Cubs were playing at Colorado and were home to Philadelphia. The Cardinals are 1-8 themselves against those two teams.

DERRICK GOOLD:
Yes, though it’s tempting. The Cardinals are playing well enough to pull away. The Cubs have spent most of the season straggling behind in the division race, struggling with injuries and playing below their potential. They have shown in the past that they can go where Aramis Ramirez takes them, and if he comes back, healthy and productive, it will be a needed jolt for the Cubs. It could be good enough to get them back on track and with a dash or two of healthy pitching they could go on a run. But Ramirez is a question mark. The Cardinals know the pitfalls of a third baseman coming back from a shoulder injury all too well.

GERRY FRALEY:
The Cubs are finished, as is the National League Central race. The Cubs have been a mis-matched team all season. Even if they were playing well, the Cubs would have difficulty catching the first-place Cardinals. The teams have only three games remaining, at Busch Stadium on Sept. 18-20. The Cubs also face a brutal schedule that includes two more trips to California and 50 games in a 52-day stretch through Sept. 27.
The Cubs are done.

JEFF GORDON:
Since Ramirez’s shoulder troubles aren’t likely to disappear this season, the Cubs are headed in the wrong direction. They lack a reliable closer. The Milton Bradley Experiment still looks like a failure. With the ownership of the franchise in limbo, the team hasn’t been able to make major roster upgrades. Manager Lou Piniella seems exasperated by the group and its collective bad luck. If the Cubs don’t snap out of their funk immediately, the Cards playing a favorable schedule, could quickly build a substantial lead. So I don’t think it is too soon to dismiss the Small Bears.