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kansascityjoe1
kansascityjoe1
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A closer look at what has really been wrong with the Cubs so far this season  Empty Re: A closer look at what has really been wrong with the Cubs so far this season

Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:11 pm
Well said.
raven
raven
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A closer look at what has really been wrong with the Cubs so far this season  Empty A closer look at what has really been wrong with the Cubs so far this season

Wed Jun 07, 2017 12:12 pm
The Cubs were able to pull off a nice comeback victory at home Friday afternoon over the rival Cardinals, 3-2. It snapped a six-game losing streak.

Still, the Cubs are just 26-27 on the season, one in which many expected them to win around 100 games and repeat as World Series champion. At the very least, the overwhelming majority believed the Cubs would repeat as NL Central champs. And I'm pertty sure about no one -- not even the most ardent of Cubs' naysayers -- would have said they'd enter June under .500.

What gives?

Here are some of the possible explanations with a breakdown as to the viability (or non-viability) of said explanation as to the sub-par first two months for the defending champs.
They were a fluke

Laughable.

The 2015 Cubs won 97 games, shutout the Pirates in the wild card round and then beat the 100-win Cardinals, three games to one, in the NLDS. That team hit its stride on July 29, we just didn't know it at the time. From that day forward, the Cubs had the best record in baseball at 45-18 (a 162-game pace of 116 wins).

Sure, the Cubs lost the NLCS to the Mets in a sweep, but that doesn't obscure that the team was very legit -- and young on the position-player side -- heading into 2016.

I can't believe it but I've actually been hearing from people that last year's Cubs team was a fluke. If you hear someone say this, charge the mound on account of fighting the ignorance out of this game.
Injuries

Nah.

I mean, they've been slightly banged up, notably with injuries to Addison Russell, Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward that lingered a bit.

But who doesn't deal with that? The Cubs had a far more meaningful injury in the first week last season and still started 25-6.
A personnel issue

C'mon.

There are always minor differences from season to season, but the major differences are that Dexter Fowler (leadoff man and center fielder), David Ross (backup catcher and clubhouse leader), Aroldis Chapman (closer) and Jason Hammel (fifth starter) are gone.

We can immediately throw Chapman out, because Wade Davis is a perfect 11 for 11 in saves with a 0.93 ERA and 0.72 WHIP.

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