Chicago Cubs: This season’s struggles put last year in a new light

As the Chicago Cubs play middle-of-the-pack baseball, we’re really reminded of how perfect last year went.

The last time a team that won the World Series made the playoffs the following year was 2012. Hard to believe isn’t it?

That’s four years in the making. Four years in a row when the team that stood at the top of the baseball mountain couldn’t even try to defend their crown the following season.

This streak speaks to how incredibly hard it is to play at a high level consistently. Unlike basketball or football, baseball isn’t top-heavy. There are certainly great organizations, but the 162-game season is a long one, where anything can happen. As the old saying goes, anybody can beat anybody on any given day.

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Fans of the Chicago Cubs probably didn’t worry about some sort of World Series hangover coming into this season. And why would they be? With a young lineup that had already proven themselves in the stress-filled playoffs, getting through 162 games should be easy right?

Um, yeah, about that.

Different story this year

As you all know by now, things aren’t going as swimmingly as last year did. With players across the board playing less than stellar and the injury bug getting passed around, there’s a legit chance that playoff-less streak could reach five years.

Yesterday we came across a tweet about Kris Bryant‘s rolled ankle that stood out:

While this Indians fan may still be salty about his team blowing a 3-1 series lead, he has a point. Even with the team playing exceptionally well, luck was no doubt on their side. Everything fell into place, making 2016 one for the ages. It makes this year a little more bearable considering what all had to happen for the Cubs to hoist that World Series trophy.

What were they feeding them?

Think about it. Last year the pitching was remarkably consistent and healthy. Every starter made at least 29 starts. Only John Lackey missed significant time, and that was only a few days.

Forget the fact that they all pitched well, to have them avoid injury all season long is incredible. Same thing goes for the position players. While Dexter Fowler did miss a month, no other major player had to miss an extended period of time. That’s crazy.

Now throw in the fact that most everyone was clicking on all cylinders – many of them very young in their MLB careers – and that’s when you start to realize that not every year is going to be like the one the Cubs had in 2016. To expect so is ludicrous.

Next: Where will the changes come from?

Even though it’d be foolish to expect the team not to make the playoffs, expecting them to have the same type of season as last year is wishful thinking. Not everyone’s going to stay healthy again. Not everyone rookie/call up is going to come out guns blazing. And, at this point in the season, the playoffs are not a sure thing.

Last year fans basked in the spoils of a magical season. Everything seemed to work in the Cubs’ favor. It’s perfectly reasonable to feel disappointed that this year is an entirely different story. However, let’s not forget how hard continued success is in one of the most difficult sports in the world.