Are These Cubbies For Real?

The Cubs have solid pitching, timely hitting, and a really good front office ans manager who has been there before. They are not without faults, some glaring, but they have as good a shot as any, and for the first time in six years, are giving the fans a potential season for the ages. I wish I was in Chicago!

Are these Cubbies for real?

The Cubs pitching, not devastating like in the days of Wood, Prior and Zambrano, is really good. They are in the top five for WHIP, strikeouts, shutouts, on base percentage, and ERA.

Their biggest free agent signing Jon Lester is not even their best pitcher. Jake Arrieta now has twelve consecutive quality starts, the most in a row by a Cubs pitcher since 1993 when some pitcher named Greg Maddux did it last. He starts tonight against the Giants in San Francisco. This could be a great evening to go to a ballgame.

Are these Cubbies for real?

Anthony Rizzo is one of the best first baseman in baseball. He is a legitimate MVP candidate. Time after time, he comes up with a timely hit at the plate or a play on the field changing the outcome of a game in the Cubbies favour.

Are these Cubbies for real?

Only four years into his tenure as the Cubs President of Operations, Theo Epstein’s plan is coming to fruition. He’s focused on developing their farm system with many of the young players they’ve stockpiled in the minor leagues really making a contribution this year. Kris Bryant has been nothing short of incredible, and in a lot of ways, the excitement he brings as a rookie so reminiscent to me of Ryne Sandberg.

They have a proven manager in Joe Maddon who’s making all the right moves. He’s so good at settling a young team down and managing pitchers and a lineup. He did it magnificently in Tampa and doing it again in Chicago. And he’s a bit strange, in a good way.

Are these Cubbies for real?

I still believe the Cubs are a year out. They’ve been such a joy to watch. Admittedly and unfortunately, I haven’t seen all their games like I would have if I was still living in Chicago with WGN on TV. However, I’ve been catching highlights every night with the MLB Network whenever the TV is on.

Along with the Blue Jays, the Cubs have the best record in baseball since the All-Star break, having more walk-off wins than any team in either league. They have no quit. They are so darn fun to watch!

Are these Cubbies for real? A trip down memory lane…

I still remember these years like it was yesterday – 1984 (when they gave up an appearance in the World Series to Steve Garvey and the Padres), 1989 (when they lost an epic NLCS against the San Francisco Giants pitting Amazing Grace against Will the Thrill Clark), 1998 (when they made the wild card during the captivating Sosa/McGwire home run race), 2003 (when they were five outs from the World Series – I cried), 2004, 2007, 2008 (when they were the best team in baseball – I cried again) and 2009.

And though I am a lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox fan, it’s the Chicago Cubs that I root for more than any other team to win it all. It’s only been almost one hundred ten years.

It will be hard to overtake the Cardinals and the Pirates for the division (both teams along with the Royals and Blue Jays, the only teams that I think are better than the Cubs). But a wild card is most definitely possible. And if they do make it to the post-season? Its anybody’s game to take.

We can all dream.
Even an adopted Cubs fan, whether he lives in Chicago or San Francisco.

Speaking of, tonight would be a good night to go to a ballgame.

---

Go Adventure. Go Travel. Go Live.

As always, if you enjoyed reading this post, please share my blog with your connections and follow me – https://secretofmysuccecil.com/my-blog/. If you like my artwork, you can purchase them here – https://secretofmysuccecil.com/my-artwork-for-sale/. Thank you!

ALWAYS BE EPIC

---