Chicago Cubs off to an unsustainably horrific start to the 2019 campaign

I refuse to believe the Chicago Cubs will play as poorly as they have in the season’s first five games over the course of the entire 2019 campaign.

One week ago to the day, optimism reigned supreme across all of Major League Baseball. The Chicago Cubs opened the 2019 season by trouncing the Texas Rangers in Arlington and all was right and well with the world.

God, that feels like ages ago.

Since that win, the Cubs have dropped four consecutive contests in eventful fashion. First, Yu Darvish failed to make it through three innings, walked seven batters and the staff, as a whole, issued a dozen free passes. Then, Texas rallied in the finale, winning on a walk-off wild pitch from closer Pedro Strop.

The team headed to the airport ready to leave Opening Weekend in the Lone Star State and focus on their next opponent: the Atlanta Braves. Both of these teams are coming off solid 2018 campaigns, but seem to be underdogs in their respective divisions for a lot of the same reasons.

But on Monday, the offense, which had been scorching hot in Texas, was held scoreless. Chicago committed six errors – their highest total in a nine-inning game since 1982. To call it one of the ugliest and poorest-played games of my life is pretty accurate. Then, after an off-day that I didn’t know whether to feel good about or stress even further, the Cubs blew another late lead on Wednesday after Steve Cishek walked the bases loaded and Randy Rosario served up a bases-clearing double to Johan Camargo.

What a week. What. A. Week.

Now, the Cubs turn to none other than Darvish to stop the bleeding a bit and at least salvage one of the three games in Atlanta. That’s not exactly encouraging given his proclivity for getting in his own head, but it’s where we’re at. Oh, and no matter how Thursday’s finale goes, Chicago heads to Milwaukee to take on a hot Brewers ballclub this weekend.

But, believe it or not, there is cause for at least some degree of optimism. Maybe. I hope.