Chicago Cubs: Good things are coming in the second half

A history of good second halves for some Chicago Cubs’ players can give fans something to look forward to.

As the Chicago Cubs close the book on the first half of 2017, it is time to forget most of the things that have occurred since April. Yes, there have been some good moments, like Ian Happ making his major league debut, and proceeding to hit 13 home runs in the two months that followed.

Despite some minor wins along the way, the first half of 2017 has been a train wreck for the Cubs. The North Siders are currently 4 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and seven games back of the second Wild Card.

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The Cubs’ struggles this season cannot be traced to one singular thing, but rather a combination of poor performances. Currently, the Cubs’ offense ranks in the bottom half of the league in runs scored, batting average, OBP and slugging percentage. To make matters worse, the Cubs’ rotation has also fallen on tough times. Jon Lester, who posted a 2.44 ERA and won 19 games in 2016, currently has a 3.94 ERA and is 5-5.

In addition to Lester, Major League Baseball’s 2016 ERA champion Kyle Hendricks has been on the DL since early June. Hendricks is not the only Cubs’ starter on the disabled list right now. Brett Anderson and John Lackey are also currently on the shelf.

A combination of an underperforming offense, and a banged-up starting rotation has the Cubs unable to play at a high level.

Despite this inability, there are some Cubs’ players that have enjoyed success in the second half of the season. For this reason, all hope should not be lost on the 2017 Cubs.

Let’s dive into some numbers.