Cubs Live
For majority of the season - the Cubs have had the best record in the NL despite all the set backs this team has had to encounter. Their biggest off season acquisition, Yu Darvish, was shut down after suffering a stress reaction to his pitching elbow. Kris Bryant was hit in the head by a pitch earlier in the season, a sore shoulder, and now is out for tonight's game after being hit in the wrist during last nights game. The Cubs closer, Brandon Morrow, was shut down and to fulfill his duties was Pedro Strop who suffered a hamstring injury vs the Reds who is now shut down for the regular season. Tyler Chatwood has been as horrible as you could have imagined walking 8.25 batters per 9 innings with an ERA of 5.30. Addison Russell on administrative leave during the investigation of a domestic abuse case. After many rain delays, the Cubs had to play 47 games in 48 days to end the season. If you were to tell me in March during Spring Training that all of this was going to happen this season, I would call you crazy that the Cubs would be entering the final week of the season in first place with another 90 win season for the fourth straight year. But here we are.
If there's one thing we know about this Cubs team is they know how to pull it together when they need too. With the division tightened up with a 0.5 game lead over the Brewers with five games to play, it will be a real test to see how this team reacts. They have a real good resume under their belt. Lets flashback to the 2016 NLDS - on the verge of facing a game five down 5-2 in the 9th inning vs San Fransisco, the Cubs scored four runs in the 9th inning to advance to the NLCS. We also know what happened in the 2016 World Series where the Cubs came back from being down 3-1 to win the World Series. How about this year when pinch hitter, David Bote, stepped up to the plate with the Cubs down 3-0, two outs, and bases loaded - he hits a walk off grand slam to win vs the Nationals. There's magic in this team and now they have to show it. The Cubs have had a real rocky September. Here's some stats that will blow your mind: - The Cubs offense has a .293 OBP - The Cubs batters are hitting just .230 - The Cubs have hit 18 HRs (28th worst) - The Cubs rank 28th in OPS (.649) - The Cubs have the 5th highest strikeout rate - The Cubs worst offensive month of the season So to say the Cubs got cold at the wrong time is an understatement. On the flip side - The Milwaukee Brewers have been a real scary team as of late. Christian Yelich has also separated him self from a MVP Candidate to the front runner. They have been the media's under dog all season long but that hasn't stopped them from performing well & they are turning it on at the right time. This is September baseball at its finest - games that count right down to the wire, scoreboard watching, champagne, and heartbreak. What has happened in the past month can be washed out with a strong finish winning the NL Central & if the Cubs can carry that momentum into October. It hasn't been pretty but the real test is here. Finish this out.
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Kyle MalzhanFounder who is an aspiring journalist who covers the Chicago Cubs daily. Archives
April 2020
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