I admit to not following the Cubs as closely this season as I normally do. I have watched a handful of games, but when they ran out to a 13-3 start and the announcers kept talking about history, I knew they were playing with fool's gold. They've hung on to first place all season but now, when the chips are down, they fold up like a cheap suit dropping an important "home" weekend series to, of all people, the Cardinals. The obvious reason is their anemic offense. Only Happ and Hayward are hitting worth a damn and their "stars," Contreras (.240), Rizzo (.223), Schwarber (.222), Baez (.191) and Bryant (.188) have sucked all season. I realize that this season is a serious aberration for the players too, but these guys are just not getting it done anymore and it appears that the prospect of perhaps multiple WS appearances is a pipe dream gone up in smoke. For a guy that has lived and dies (mostly died) with the Cubs for over six decades, it looks like the club has returned to the norm rather than the exception that was so thrilling for us Cub fans for such a brief, shining moment.
It appears as though the Epstein/Hoyer magic has run it's course in Chicago. Hopefully, ownership, who I grudgingly admire for actually doing what they said they would do, will swallow hard and put up enough of their ample fortunes to see if they can get it done again. Otherwise, it would appear that I will go to my grave having experienced just that one thrilling season that ended with the prize all Cub fans have prayed for their entire lives.
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