May 05--ST. LOUIS -- The Chicago Cubs face a National League Central-leading St. Louis team that has won six consecutive games and has a chance to attain their best 25-game start in 100 years with a victory Monday night at Busch Stadium.
It might not be the best situation for a Cubs team that has lost two consecutive games and has hit only 18 home runs, but manager Joe Maddon relishes the challenge with a young team facing a perennial power.
"I love this," said Maddon, who will send left-hander Travis Wood to the mound against Carlos Martinez. "I want our guys to love this. I hate that I constantly bring up the past, but the Rays got better because they played in Yankee Stadium a lot and Fenway Park a lot. That's how these guys are going to get better. You got to get past that point where, I don't want to say you're intimidated by it, but you're taken by it, you're not comfortable with it and start embracing it and start looking forward to it.
"As our young guys start getting involved in this moment here, I really believe we'll be that group, also. You want to play the best teams often. If you want young kids to get better, you want to play the best teams as often as you can."
