Panic time at Wrigley Field?
Not but maybe, however the Chicago Cubs’ struggles in September have followers on edge getting into the ultimate regular-season collection at Wrigley Field.
Manager David Ross famous after Thursday’s loss to Pittsburgh that the Pirates weren’t a staff of “our caliber.” If that’s the case, neither are the 96-loss Colorado Rockies, their weekend opponent. The Rockies despatched Noah Davis, a pitcher with a 9.58 ERA, towards the Cubs in Friday’s opener.
The Cubs had been anticipated to beat groups just like the Pirates and Rockies in September, however have as a substitute misplaced 4 of their final six video games to the 2 backside feeders during the last week and a half.
Every recreation is massive any longer.
“Expectations are one thing, but they’ve all felt big,” Ross mentioned Friday morning. “They felt massive in Arizona, proper? The Pirates, we have to beat these groups and we didn’t. We begin dwindling down (in video games) and also you’re in a race and there’s a bunch of groups round you. That’s the thrilling half.
“This is a chance we’d all join in spring coaching, proper? We’ve bought 9 video games left and we’re within the hunt for the playoffs. We’re proper there. We’d all join that.
“This is a really positive moment. It feels maybe a little bit negative to everybody because of how we’ve gone about the last 10-15 days, but we’re still in position to have a chance to get in the playoffs. This is a good thing. We’re in a good spot to make the playoffs. We’ve just got to do it.”
The Cubs discovered themselves tied with the Miami Marlins for the third National League wild-card spot Friday, which truly meant they had been one recreation again for the reason that Marlins maintain the tiebreaker. The Cubs are 1/2 recreation forward of the Reds, however Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker.
The Cubs entered Friday having misplaced 10 of their final 13 video games since sweeping the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 6, a plunge that has seen them fall from 1 1/2 video games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers to eight video games again. The Brewers ought to clinch this weekend.
That would imply the Cubs’ solely probability to get into the postseason is by way of the wild card — and with a season-ending six-game street journey to Atlanta and Milwaukee, the percentages aren’t of their favor.
On the brilliant facet, the Cubs are 37-27 for the reason that All-Star break, a stat Marquee Sports Network discovered related sufficient to make use of in a chyron Thursday throughout a tape of Dansby Swanson’s postgame interview with reporters. The Marquee postgame present centered on a nasty name on Seiya Suzuki’s strikeout within the ninth inning as a substitute of the fielding errors and poor aid pitching that led to the 8-6 loss.
It’s good to personal the staff and TV community offering the narrative for a staff that’s seemingly in free fall. While NBC Sports Chicago continues to deal out harsh criticism of the White Sox staff on its pre- and postgame exhibits, Marquee pretends every thing is okay with the Cubs.
That was one of many worries when the Cubs determined to begin their very own community. Would the protection be goal, or simply pro-Cub? It’s straightforward to cowl a staff when issues are going effectively. But it’s occasions like these when Marquee can present it really understands what Cubs followers are going by way of.
Wait ‘until subsequent 12 months?
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Source: www.bostonherald.com