Chicago Cubs learning about the humbling nature of America’s pastime

After rolling through the regular season last year, the Chicago Cubs – and their fans – are being reminded that the game of baseball can be unforgiving.

Last year, the Chicago Cubs ran off 103 regular season wins. They won their first division crown since 2008, while fighting off the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers en route to a World Series matchup with the Cleveland Indians.

Of course, that ended with one of the best Game 7 storylines in baseball history. What looked like a sure-fire Chicago win, followed by a home run and a short rain delay. Throw in a locker room speech and a clutch base knock. The rest, as they say, is history.

The 2017 campaign, though, has been an entirely different animal. After chasing the Milwaukee Brewers for the majority of the season, Chicago finally sits in first place. But, despite multiple opportunities, the team failed to separate themselves from the pack.

Now, with just weeks left in the regular season, the Cubs are clinging to their lead in the National League Central. Through it all, after flying higher than ever before in 2017, fans are being harshly reminded how cruel baseball can be.