Their high-profile manager is the same guy who prematurely yanked his starter in Game 1 of a 2007 playoff series with the clever notion of saving him for another game that never happened.

Their historical chops are a 100-year mess.

But the Chicago Cubs are cruising into late August as the best team in the National League.

They aren't exactly a smoke-and-mirrors troupe; the NL's All-Star Game roster was infiltrated by several worthy Cubbies. And that wide-ranging talent underscores the reason why the Cubs certainly appear capable of walking through the NL postseason.

That reason is versatility.

Before proceeding, let's clear the air regarding the aforementioned manager, Lou Piniella, who ranks among the league's best, but still gets certifiably cuckoo now and then. For example, during last weekend's series in Florida, Lou (with the Milwaukee Brewers not exactly rolling over in the NL Central derby) gave sluggers Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez the same night off. The Cubbies, currently ranked No. 2 in Major League Baseball for runs scored, squeezed out just one against the Marlins and lost on a night when the L.A. Dodgers' bullpen was creating another horror show against Milwaukee.

I still like Lou, of course, and Ramirez had a balky hip but still ...

Anyway, versatility enables Piniella to serve a smorgasbord of lineups. With several regulars at or near the .500 mark in slugging percentage, there isn't a reasonable break in any of the different combinations Chicago has trotted out. The key, it should be noted, is leadoff man and left fielder Alfonso Soriano, whose return from injury has sparked a run that includes 11 victories in the club's last 14 games.

For the season, the 76-48 Cubs are a gaudy 49-20 with Soriano on the scorecard.

Shortstop Ryan Theriot usually hits second and his .316 average is among the league leaders. The third hole can be occupied by first-year Cub Kosuke Fukudome, who has chilled considerably after a fast start, but uses commendable patience to maintain a high on-base percentage. Jim Edmonds, the former St. Louis Cardinal who hit miserably during an early run as a San Diego Padre, can hit third now while answering what had been a big question mark in center field. The multiple Gold-Glover, one of six Cubs with 14 or more home runs, is slugging near .500 and — while his average has been a bit pedestrian — has provided many big hits.

Lee and Ramirez have had more impressive seasons, but the depth and (yeah, that) versatility of the Cubs' lineup has enabled Chicago to absorb less than career years from their middle-of-the-order boppers.

Card-carrying utility whiz Mark DeRosa has 14 homers and 71 RBI as a starter getting work at second base, third base and the corner outfield spots. When he's not at second, Piniella can go with super-sub Mike Fontenot, who's slugging at a .519 clip and has enough glove skill to play several different positions.

Found money often describes the bonus situation that arises when a team employs a legitimate catcher who can hit far beyond his bodyweight. Geovany Soto, whose early slugging inspired a starting vote for the ASG, checks in with rookie numbers of .286, 18 and 69. When Soto requires a break from crouching, Lou goes to veteran Henry Blanco, whose limited at-bats have produced a respectable .292 average.

If one of the outfielders needs a break, Piniella has former Toronto Blue Jay Reed Johnson, a bundle of energy who's hitting .314 with six homers and 45 knocked in. Johnson can play center if the Cubs are hitting against a southpaw that might give Edmonds trouble (not likely, based on history) or hold down the fort in left when Soriano is down.

If Theriot needs a night off and DeRosa is working the outfield, Fontenot has him covered at short, with Ronny Cedeno (.277) more than capable of having a big game at second.

Even designated pinch-hitter Daryle Ward rallied from his personal nightmare season to slug a game-winning, three-run tater against the Marlins.

The versatility extends to the pitching staff, which turned into a real hitter's funhouse when gifted-but-often-injured Rich Harden was acquired during the annual contract dump in Oakland. Harden now backs up ace Carlos Zambrano and 14-game winner Ryan Dempster to give the Cubs a playoff-worthy rotation for October.

Southpaw Ted Lilly was 12 wins and many teams do worse than running out Jason Marquis as the fifth starter.

Kerry Wood has returned from blister hell as an All-Star-caliber closer, a role that Carlos Marmol held down after scuffling before the break. As the set-up guy, Marmol has not allowed an earned run in his last 14 appearances.

In case the bullpen's back-end needed to be a bit more formidable, rookie right-hander Jeff Samardzija, Brady Quinn's pitch-and-catch buddy at Notre Dame, has surrendered just two earned runs in 15 innings. Samardzija has fanned 16 and allowed 10 hits since his call-up.

As a group, Cubs pitchers lead the majors in strikeouts and come with the fourth-lowest earned-run-average.

The Cubs, who have a tough September schedule, return to Wrigley Field for potential first-place-lead-building dates with the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals.

After looking considerably less than mighty on the road, the Cubs have won 10 of their last 11 games away from Wrigley.

That should enhance the already-flourishing Cubbie confidence, which can be more important than time-tested karma.