Chicago Cubs: We’re back to embracing the suck in Wrigleyville

The second half of the 2021 season for the Chicago Cubs is not going well – and it’s only going to get worse from here. The team is 8-18 since the All-Star Break and has been in a tail spin since the trade deadline, which saw faces of the franchise Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant unloaded – among others. The best players left on the roster are Willson Contreras, Patrick Wisdom and Kyle Hendricks.

The Cubs are currently 52-64. This is going to get ugly, folks. If you were hoping the team could find something positive before hitting the road this weekend, you are sorely mistaken. Jake Arrieta got absolutely torched on Wednesday against Milwaukee, giving up seven first-inning runs and the team tied a record with 10 consecutive strikeouts at the dish, to boot.

All this to say fans should wholly embrace the suck for the last month-plus in hopes of an improved draft position next June.

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Sure, it may not mean much in the long-term, given there will be a new CBA and it may potentially alter draft rules. However, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has repeatedly stated this will not be a long, ugly rebuild like 2012 was, and a higher draft pick (meaning a more talented player) could fall in their lap and speed things up further.

As things current stand, the Cubs hold the 10th pick in next year’s draft with a .448 winning percentage. The Rockies and Nationals check in at .447 and .442, respectively, with the Twins at .435 and Royals at .434. There is a pretty feasible path for the Cubs to move up as high as the seventh pick by season’s end, especially if their woes continue. 

Chicago Cubs need to turn over this roster

The sting from the trade deadline is still with the fans, and many of them likely aren’t even tuning in anymore, and who can blame them? Fans have come to expect winning and constant competitiveness, and that’s just not there right now.

The Cubs need a top-tier prospect to add to the organization and right now, Brennen Davis is the only top-tier prospect the organization has, hence why embracing the tank is the best way to go right now.

The high draft position comes with the assumption that the Cubs are going to add to the team in the offseason. The odds of this are high, as the amount of players on next year’s roster that are on the current roster is likely in the single digits. Simply put, Hoyer will have to make some moves to fill out his roster. With tens of millions of dollars coming off the books, he’ll have resources.

The Cubs don’t plan on rebuilding for long, and they need to add as much talent to the organization as possible – both in Chicago and the affiliates, and this winter could (and should) be an interesting one on the North Side. The fans need something to cheer for again.