Robby Messer | July 7th, 2018
As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, the one thing I come to expect is the ebb and flow of emotion as I follow what I believe should be America’s Team. With exception of their historic 2016 Curse-bursting-edge-of-your-seat World Series Championship (i’m ok, really), Cubs fans always find themselves just on the outside looking in.
There was 1984, the ball that rolled through Leon Durham‘s legs and Steve Garvey. In 1989, Will Clark almost single-handedly dismantled the entire Cubs team in the playoffs. And let’s not talk about the Marlins and that Bartman guy.
In 2017, the Cubs made it to the playoffs, but didn’t have the magic they had in 2016, and lost to the Dodgers, who they beat in 2016 on their way to the World Title.
It’s happening again this year, as the agony and ecstasy of being a Cubs fan continues. For example, the Cubs lead the National League in most important offensive stats, which is good because the team’s ten blown saves only proves no lead is safe. Another example is the Cubs lack of consistency. Granted this is talking about a team that is firmly locked in second place and more than a dozen games above .500, but that potent offense often gets lost on the way to the ballpark and the team loses to opponents it should be blowing out.
The Cubs took two of three against the Cardinals, in St. Louis and followed that up by taking two of three from the Dodgers last month. Not bad, until the Reds swept them in the next series. To end the month of June, the Cubs ran a winning streak to six (with several come from behind), only to have it end by the Reds.
The team won an exciting extra-inning game against the Brewers 7-2 on Monday, June 11, but wouldn’t score another run until that Friday. There was a day off in there, to be fair, but so were two shutout losses to the same Brewers, the team they happen to be chasing in the standings right now.
Right now, The Cubs have yet to see everyone “click” at the same time.
Rizzo is starting to improve, but Kris Bryant is hurt. Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester are both locked in, but Yu Darvish is turning out to be a bust.
At more than a dozen games above .500, imagine if everyone were healthy at the same time.
Or maybe that wouldn’t work because it would make too much sense, seem too easy.
These are the Cubs we are talking about.
Nothing comes easy for this team.
But they’ve shown an ability to overcome.
That’s why die-hard fans accept the agony and ecstasy of following the Cubs.
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