Every team has ups and downs. It’s funny, but it’s not one of those things that you can really put your finger on. If you try to figure out this game, it’ll keep you up at night.

Last month it seemed like every time we were in a clutch situation guys were coming through, but in the last six games we haven’t gotten the big hit early, we’re down 2- or 3-0 and everyone is going up there trying to hit a three-run homer with no one on base.

You go through peaks and valleys during the course of the season. Hopefully this valley will make us stronger. Once we get into the playoffs we’ll be battle-tested and ready to go.

This is definitely not a panic situation. I don’t want to downplay it either, because you never like to lose six in a row, especially with the talent on this team. But it’s part of the game and our remaining schedule is very difficult, there are a lot of games on the road against teams fighting for a playoff spot.

We know we’re a good team, so it’s one of those things that you have to forget about and move on to the next game. We’ve had a few injuries but every team has dealt with that, no team out there is going to feel sorry for us.

Obviously, you’d like to have everybody healthy and going on all cylinders down the stretch, that’s the bottom line. Having everybody healthy would help us, but it’s one of those situations where you want to make sure everyone is right for the stretch drive. It’s a cliché, but someone has got to step up.

That said, when you have a superstar out of your lineup, the guy who replaces him is not a superstar player, so there’s a big difference. It’s tough to replace guys like Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano or Rich Harden. They’re three of the best in the game.

Fortunately we had a 4½-game lead, and that allows you the opportunity to rest guys who are hurt. But we haven’t been playing good baseball, either, so it’s time to turn things around.

There’s pressure to win a World Series in Chicago, because the Cubs haven’t won in 100 years, but it’s different for the players. Obviously, we’d love to win a world championship for all the fans and people associated with the club who have lived and died with the team’s successes and failures, but at the same time Lou always says this team has to stand on its own merit. We can’t make up for what other teams before us were not able to accomplish; we have to play for ourselves and the guys in this clubhouse.

In doing so, we hope to bring the fans of Chicago a championship.

And 100 percent, this team can get it done.

Mark DeRosa is the starting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His blog for playerpress.com runs regularly at www.markderosa7.com