Chicago Cubs: It’s ‘On The Road Again,’ and again and again in June

No team has faced a tougher schedule in any single month than the Chicago Cubs have in June.  Yet they could still have a better than .500 month by the time it’s all said and done.

I’ll break it down for you.  Every team plays 81 home games and 81 road games.  Everybody has long stretches of away games, but in June the Cubs play 18 road games to just 10 home contests. I could find only one team with that many…the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A couple teams play 17 away games in a month, a few more play 14-16 on the road.

Chicago Cubs: But it’s not just the number of away games

Two of the road trips are to the west coast. Those trips seem the most difficult for midwest and east coast teams.  One of those trips came without the usual off-day for travel.  Furthermore, in those west coast trips, the Cubs play the Giants, Padres and Dodgers, and all are postseason contenders.  No Diamondbacks or Rockies.

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Speaking of playoff contenders, every team the North Siders play in June, except one, could wind up as some of the teams left standing in October. That’s 25 of 28 games against some of the toughest teams in MLB, and the Marlins boast a solid or better pitching staff.

Chicago Cubs: Yea, though they play through the valley of death they will fear no opponent

Yes, I said 28 games…in a month with 30 days.  No other team has that few off-days in a month.  The aforementioned Diamondbacks had four off days in their month of 18 away games.

When it comes to off days, the Cubs had one from May 25 to June 22.  That’s 28 days of baseball with one off day. Again no other team will endure a stretch that brutal.

Yet despite this torturous run, the Cubs stand at 11-10 so far in June.  They are off to the west coast, again, to face the Dodgers for four games.  Then without an off-day for travel, head to Milwaukee to play the team they are battling for first. To add insult to injury this gauntlet doesn’t end there.  Three games against the Reds in Cincinnati follow to start July.

If the Cubs split with the Dodgers and take two of three from Milwaukee, they will end June 15-13 for the month and likely still be in first place.  More than that they will have survived the toughest month MLB could throw at any team.