Cubs News: Major League Baseball and the season of uncertainty

The Chicago Cubs exceeded expectations but fell early in the postseason during a shortened season that nearly didn’t happen.

Sadly, the 2020 Major League Baseball season has come to an end. Now that a champion has been crowned, the Chicago Cubs will report to camp in less than four months’ time.

Although it wasn’t our typical baseball season, it was exciting nonetheless. Due to COVID-19, everyday life was put on hold. We were all handcuffed. Both the NHL and NBA were forced to put their season on hold, leaving MLB and the NFL to follow suit.

Unfortunately, prospects and those hoping to make a big-league return could not participate as the minor league season was canceled. This disheartening news came as a shock to us all.

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However, with the support of their affiliates and fans, Major League Baseball continued on. It was something new to us all as the league reshaped itself. The designated hitter was applied to the National League, an interesting extra-innings, and several more rules were implemented.

Not everyone was on board with these changes as opinions were posted all over social media throughout the season.

Along the way, schedules were pushed along, while a couple of teams were forced to slow operations as COVID outbreaks were reported. This resulted in enough double-headers to make Ernie Banks smile.

At the end of the shortened season, a total of 16 teams made it to the postseason. In a year in which they exceeded expectations, the Cubs were once again at the top of their division. Unfortunately for them, a quick exit from postseason play was the final result.

All four National League Central division teams who qualified had been eliminated early on. Not quite the performance we Central fans were hoping for. The same goes for those on the South Side of the city. Hats off to the White Sox on their outstanding 2020 showcase.

Despite our beloved Cubs being sent home early, it was great having postseason baseball as a distraction. We fans were spoiled by this league’s talent yet again. Both the American and National League Championship Series’ came down to seven games.

What made it even better? Fans were allowed to attend these games on neutral territory. That energetic atmosphere feel had made its return right on time. With each crack of the bat, run scored, strikeout, and flashy defensive play, the crowd’s reaction made it feel like everything was back to normal.

Once the dust had settled, the Los Angeles Dodgers emerged victoriously. Finally, after 32 years, Dodgers fans were able to celebrate a World Series title. A big congratulations to the Dodgers and their die-hard followers.

Most importantly, congratulations to former Chicago Cubs ace Mark Prior. He finally got his ring. In a year of uncertainty, it was sports that brought us together and guided us through tough times.

Thank you, Major League Baseball. We’ll see y’all in the spring.

The Chicago Cubs exceeded expectations but fell early in the postseason during a shortened season that nearly didn’t happen.

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