Brewers' Pat Murphy Scorns Idea That Cubs Are Considered Underdogs in Division Race

The Brewers hold a nine game lead in the National League Central, but don't let manager Pat Murphy hear that the Cubs are underdogs in the division race.

With the help of a 14-game win streak that was snapped on Sunday, Milwaukee took a massive lead in the division race. They hold MLB's best record at 79-45, and Chicago is second in the division at 70-54. Even with the largest division lead in the league, Murphy will not buy into the notion that they are favorites over the Cubs.

"They have all-stars, MVP candidates, veterans, gold glove winners, world champions," Murphy said, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "What don't they have? They're not the underdogs. Trust me."

The Cubs might have a more star-studded roster than the Brewers, but Milwaukee is currently the best team in baseball. They might not have the superstar lineup of teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets or even the Cubs—and they certainly have a much lower payroll than all those teams—but their ability to play cohesive and fundamentally sound baseball has led them to the top of the standings.

It seems silly to view the Cubs as anything but underdogs to win the division at this point, especially with only a month and change left in the regular season, but it is all deliberate for Murphy. The Brewers' second-year manager has kept the appearance that their small market team is the underdog or overlooked, providing opportunities for endless motivation to go along with their habit of playing good baseball.

The Brewers began a five-game series against the Cubs on Monday, taking a 7-0 shutout victory in the first matchup. If they win the series, or even sweep Chicago, they might not be able to hide under their underdog guise anymore.