Chicago Cubs: Despite the frustrations, it is time to embrace the journey

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Cubs are in the midst of one of the best stretches of any big league team in recent memory. Despite the frustrations, it’s time to enjoy the ride.

Long ago, back in 2011, the Cubs introduced the infamous Theo Epstein as their new president of baseball operations on what was initially a five-year contract, worth $18.5 million. The team had just come off a 71-91 season, and the hopes of striking gold with Epstein lay in the hearts of Wrigley faithful across the nation.

At his introductory press conference, Epstein uttered an ultimately prophetic statement, saying:

“I firmly believe that we can preserve the things that make the Cubs so special and over time build a consistent winner, a team that will be playing baseball in October consistently and a team that will ultimately win the World Series.”

Well Cubs Nation, this has undoubtedly rung true over the past three seasons with three-straight  National League Championship Series appearances and capturing that elusive World Series championship. The talk of black cats, goats and a man with headphones down the left-field line were put to rest.

That being said, too many of the faithful, it still somehow is not good enough.

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: A stretch of unheralded success

Following a three-year stretch in which the Cubs won an average of 67 games per season, things changed in 2015. Chicago won a staggering 97 games, en route to their first NLCS appearance since 2003.

From 2015 to 2017, the Cubs have averaged 97 wins per season. Not a bad improvement for a team dubbed the ‘Lovable Losers’ for years and years. Chicago has found themselves enjoying tremendous success in each subsequent campaign, as well.

After a disastrous National League Championship Series in which the team got swept by the likes of an incredibly dominant New York Mets starting five, it was onward and upward from there on out.

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The 2016 club, one of the most dominant Cubs’ teams in the history of the franchise, crushed the regular season en route to 103 wins. The team’s comeback quality reigned throughout October, as well.

The Cubs staged comebacks in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series to clinch the series in San Francisco. Then, they overcame a deficit in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic. And, of course, they defied the odds against a loaded Cleveland Indians squad in the World Series, winning their first title since 1908.

Last season, despite the dreaded “World Series hangover,” the Cubs still battled their way to their third consecutive National League Championship Series, losing to the Dodgers this time in five games. That being said, it was not without a fight. Granted, it wasn’t the end we’d all hoped for, but continued a very impressive stretch unmatched in Major League Baseball in the last decade.

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: R-E-L-A-X

The heightened aspirations of the 2018 season came in strong after a flurry of excitement in the offseason with bringing in Brandon Morrow and Yu Darvish. Cubs fans had just one thought: could this be the team to win another title?

So far, despite the daily grumblings, a bevy of injuries and a lack of contributions form Darvish, the Cubs find themselves in first place as we head down the stretch here in August.

Manager Joe Maddon has been a huge proponent of the idea that it is a long season, that ups and downs will occur and that people need to enjoy it. For instance, on Sunday, the team finished a series with the San Diego Padres ending in a split. Despite the air of frustration which seemingly found its way into many Cubs fans, the manager brought up something important this weekend.

“Lighten it up a little bit, folks. You get right now, you keep playing these very difficult games, tight race, and so you start losing your mind a little bit. So just relax, play baseball, have some fun with it. I’m sure we’ll play our better brand at that point.”

It is not the first time the Cubs manager has taken a nonchalant approach to the apparent seriousness the season needs to be each day. After being asked if he was poking fun at the game by allowing Anthony Rizzo to pitch in a blowout, Maddon had this to say:

“So relax, folks, it’s a baseball game. It is not life and death. I want people to understand that,” he said. ” Yes, (that’s) a typical, perfect example that it is a game. People  who say things like that don’t understand how each day is connected.”

Needless to say, like Joe Maddon, many people need to understand that feeling overwhelmed, living and dying by every single game, make the game, and therefore the Cubs, hard to enjoy.

(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Enjoy it while it lasts

Our beloved Chicago Cubs are enjoying a stretch of baseball that may never be matched again. We as fans need to be better about finding the everyday joy that our professional baseball team is good. Like, really freaking good.

Much of the time the masses feel the need to “burn it to the ground” when the team loses. Here is a newsflash: the team still lost 58 times in their World Series championship season. Last year, 70 times. If the team wins 92 games this in 2018, it will be another 70-loss season.

Next. Cubs can avoid an August roster crunch. dark

The point trying to be made here is simple: great teams lose. Great teams also come along every so often. It is a bit of a rarity. So, with that being said you will be left with this: please, enjoy this baseball team in all of its glory and all of its heartbreak.

Looking back in hindsight you do not want to be the guy who couldn’t enjoy the ride because of an afternoon loss in August to the San Diego Padres.

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