Levine: Cubs Rotation Members Continue To Push One Another To Higher Levels

By Bruce Levine

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Is it really possible to push another teammate to play or pitch more intensely? With a recent stretch of great starting pitching, it appears that each member of the Cubs rotation wants to outdo the others.

The Cubs are making a mockery of the NL Central race 12.5-game lead and have been the the best team in baseball since the All-Star break, going 23-8 and playing .742 ball in the second half.

On Wednesday evening, it was left-hander Jon Lester leading the way, recording his 13th win in Chicago's 6-1 victory against Milwaukee at Wrigley Field. Lester wasn't his sharpest but still had good stuff and went 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

Cubs starting pitchers have allowed two runs or fewer in 12 consecutive outings, the longest such streak in team history (tracing back to 1913). During that span, the starters have a 1.11 ERA.

Lester explained that he's not out to top his rotation mates so much as his goal is to live up to their expectations and not let them down.

"I don't compete with my own pitchers," Lester said. "The way I always felt is you don't want to be the loose link in the chain. You want to press on and keep up with everyone so they don't say, 'Hey, he stinks.' That would be letting the other guys down. I don't try to outperform anybody. I don't worry about anybody else's stats. I try to stay in my bubble and go out pitch well and give my team a chance to win. I am not sure if you look at that as competitive or just not wanting to stink."

Veteran catcher David Ross has his own theory on the rotation's internal competition.

"It's possible that it creates competition," Ross said. "I think it it more of seeing how professional each pitcher can be. They watch each other and see the little habits that they take to the mound. They pick up on those habits, which helps make each guy better. They each go out every day and compete. They watch how the other guy does his homework, how they work on the off days, what they talk about. This is pretty special what the group is doing. They feed off each other -- not so much in competition but more feeding off each other and how they go about their business."

The Cubs are now 17-3 in their last 20 games, their best start over such a span since May/June of 2001.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.