Make the playoffs hasn't been good enough the last 2 years, they've been out after 1 game. To me, it's hard to justify running in mud just to potentially lose your 1 and only playoff game for the next few years (which would be the case if they aren't better than the Cubs). I understand the whole "crapshoot" playoffs thing, but it would be different if we're talking about a division winner, guaranteed a 5-game series. But as long as they're behind the Cubs they face a 50/50 chance of going home after the 163rd game, while they need to beat a Jake Arrieta, Madison Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Harvey, Stephen Strasburg type of pitcher. For a small market team already pushing 90M in payroll and needing to pay arbitration guys in the near future....that's not an ideal scenario, IMO. so they rebuild to probably be in a very similar spot again in 5 years? i think they're set up very well with lots of good young players for the next few years and i don't see why they should start a tear down because the cubs are insanely dominant right now. lots can change from year to year.