Chicago Cubs: It’s just one bad game everyone

Chicago Cubs fans seemed ready to commit season suicide after today’s loss in the first game of the doubleheader. Working a full-time job on top of writing keeps me from seeing many day games, but I would have thought we were just eliminated from the playoffs after looking at social media.

With 25 wins just a little over a week into May for the Chicago Cubs, you think fans would be in a better mood. But a bad outing by Pedro Strop had people calling for his head and, quite frankly, going just a little bit overboard. The Cubs can’t keep this pace up all year. Even Theo Epstein knows it. “Baseball Karma” will eventually find the Cubs. It found them today, but it’s just one game folks.

Strop seems to get the worst of it on social media. Often times his crooked hat is referenced, which has NOTHING to do with his performance. The last two seasons with Chicago he’s posted a 2.91 and 2.21 ERA, respectively. In his 37 games upon arriving in Chicago in 2013 he pitched to a 2.83. Unlike a starter, a bad outing can inflate an ERA. With numbers like these over the past few seasons, this should give you an idea of just how “lights out” Strop can be.

Jake Arrieta was anything but impressive against the Nationals on Sunday (6 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB) and was on the hook for the loss before being bailed out. Last night, Justin Grimm gave up a late grand slam but the Cubs still held on for the victory. These, as well as Strop, are some of the key reasons this team has won 25 games. The team struggled for years to be a winner, and now fans don’t seem to understand how to accept a loss.

There’s nothing wrong with critiquing the team, questioning performance, etc, but to a certain extent. At some point we have to look at it and say “hey, we got beat, let’s move on”. The constant berating of players on Twitter, Facebook and other avenues does no good. Yes, Strop had a bad game. No, he’s not terrible or the worst pitcher we have. He had an off day. Simple as that.

More cubs: Cubs streak ended after Strop blows it in 7th

I’m enjoying winning as much as the next fan, but we have to temper things a bit. This team will lose, and at some point they may lose ” a lot”. Remember that Phillies’ series after the All-Star break last year? No-hit by Cole Hamels and swept by a sub-par team? Things still worked out alright, didn’t they? Just have some faith in the team and stay strong folks. It’s a long season.