It turns out Cubs fans were panicking about Ian Happ for absolutely no reason

At times this season, Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ has frustrated the fan base with his streakiness at the plate. This is nothing new and has been a repeated trend over the years with Happ. Yet he remains a fan favorite for his superb play in left field (three consecutive Gold Glove Awards) and his character both on and off the field. Still, after hitting just .179 in July, calls for his benching began to ring louder on the North Side.

Happ got off to a solid start this season, hitting .288 in the month of April. However, his average dipped each month until that dreadful month of July. The only thing that kept Happ’s on-base percentage north of .300 in July was his keen eye at the plate - he drew 14 walks that month.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell eventually moved Happ out of the leadoff spot, where he has hit just .224 this season. Some fans called for Happ’s benching after rookie outfielder Owen Caissie was called up from Triple-A Iowa in mid-August, but Counsell stuck with Happ through his struggles, and it’s a good thing he did.

Ian Happ ended any panic regarding his bat in August and September

The month of August saw a revival take shape for Happ. The Cubs veteran hit .258 with 12 extra-base hits for the month, posting an .835 OPS, nearly 200 points higher than his July OPS (.637). September has been even better for Happ. On the month he’s hitting a solid .288 with a .925 OPS. His power numbers have resurfaced as well with five home runs this month - he only hit six combined home runs over his prior two months.

Through Happ’s ups and downs at the plate, neither his defense or his standing as a first-class teammate has wavered. He took his demotion in the lineup like a professional, from what we were told, and he was never seen pouting.

These are the reasons why fans who once called for his starting spot are now rooting for his continued success. It’s hard to stay mad at a guy who doesn’t let his slump at the plate infect other aspects of his game. It’s even harder to stay mad at a great clubhouse guy who handles his highs and lows with professionalism.