Cubs are Giving me that Old Feeling
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And I don’t care for it.
Things were going swimmingly for the Cubs until last week. The Cubs lost their last two games in Colorado and were then were swept in a three game series in Arizona by the Diamondbacks. Yes, there is still time to recover. Just like there was in 2004. Until the world championship in 2016 Cubs fans were generally endowed with a sense of impending doom. The world series win in 2016 seemed like a palate cleanser. But that bad taste in my mouth is coming back.
What happened?
More than anything, the offense shut down. Especially with men on base. Dansby Swanson has hit a rough patch and Cody Bellinger has cooled off from his torrid pace, which could have been expected.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was called up and has been great in the field but has looked totally overmatched at the plate. Patrick Wisdom has provided little since the early part of the season and Jeimer Candelario is on the IL.
While I hope the Cubs rebound, if they don’t, it will affect the Cubs offseason.
Will David Ross be back next season?
Probably. But what I would like to see is the Cubs poach Brewers’ manager, Craig Counsel. Counsel’s contract with Milwaukee expires at the end of this season. I figure replacing Ross with Counsel would be worth 3–4 games by itself.
I also suspect, that if Cody Bellinger doesn’t produce at the clip he was until recently, the Cubs might not pursue him with quite the same vigor they would have otherwise.
The Cubs surprised a lot of people this season, but still need to shore up a couple of areas. The Cubs still need an RBI bat in the middle of the lineup. Preferably one who also plays first or third.
Another starting pitcher would be nice. Jameson Taillon has had what could succinctly be called a bad first season with the Cubs. There seem to be a number of pitchers from the Korean League could be in play. Look for the Cubs to be involved in that market.
This was a bonus year in many ways for Cubs fans, as expectations were generally low going into this season. That won’t be the true next year. So, wait till next year. Again.
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