By Craig Lynch –
The Chicago Cubs were 17 games above .500, entering this week’s all-star break. That’s the Cubs’ best record of the season. They were 55-38, 2½ games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers through Sunday. The Brewers lost eight of their last 10 games. The Cubs were 7-3 in the last 10 games. The Cubs had the best won-loss record in the National League.
The fans keep going into and out of a panic mode. “This team hasn’t had great starting pitching,” said Cubs television analyst Jim DeShaes. “If they get that straightened around, there is no telling how far they can go.”
Free agent signee pitcher Yu Darvish, has given the team only one victory. The bullpen has been a strength. “You would think the team is near the bottom the way the fans react,” said Cubs’ radio color man Ron Coomer.
The players don’t seem concerned. Infielder Javier Baez thinks the team should relax. “Just let it go. We can be like we were in 2016,” he said.
Baez knows the talent the Cubs possess. “We have a lot of great players here.”
Outfielder Albert Almora was on board with Baez. “We are grinders,” Alomora said. “We are good.”
Baez, catcher Willson Contreras, and pitcher Jon Lester were named to this week’s all-star game in Washington, D.C.. Lester pitched Sunday and improved to a 12-2 record so he was left off the all-star roster. Baez and Kyle Schwarber were in Monday’s home run derby. Baez went out in the first round of 16 competitors. Schwarber lost in the finals to Washington’s Bryce Harper, 19-18. Baez and Contreras were named as starting players.
As the season slips into the final two months the Cubs had 40 home games remaining at the start of a five-game home series against St. Louis with a night game Thursday, July 19. The Cubs’ home record soared to 27-15 after their last homestand, which concluded with a 7-1 record against Detroit and Cincinnati.
