Jim Bowden goes soft on Cubs analysis with tired Kyle Tucker scapegoat

It's become easy to point to the struggles the Chicago Cubs have had over the last two months and say that Kyle Tucker's slump is the reason why the season has felt like it's going off the rails. The good news is that Tucker appeared to show signs of life during the Cubs' weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels, but that didn't stop Jim Bowden from listing him as the team's biggest concern ahead of the playoffs.

"However, the two-month long slump was wearing on him, mentally and physically, until he got a break last week and sat for three consecutive games. It looks like the rest helped, as Tucker had hit .295/.355/.630 over his last seven games entering Tuesday."

In a general sense, yes, if Tucker isn't Tucker, there's no reason to expect much from the Cubs' offense in October. However, Tucker's slump isn't the biggest issue facing the Cubs ahead of the playoffs.

Jim Bowden points to Kyle Tucker and accidentally proves he’s not watching

One of the biggest issues involves the Cubs' offense; however, it's with how Craig Counsell constructs his lineup.

First and foremost, it feels like the Michael Busch experiment should be over. Entering Thursday's game against the Giants, Busch was slashing .205/.260/.393 when he has been batting as the team's leadoff hitter.

The changes shouldn't stop there. For as much as Tucker's slump has been the popular conversation among anyone who has followed the Cubs, many are just casually glancing over the fact that Seiya Suzuki has been just as bad as Tucker over the last month.

Suzuki's struggles, but Counsell's insistence on keeping him in the starting lineup speaks to the main issue with the Cubs manager. Regardless of how a player is performing, Counsell is married to the idea that the starting players the Cubs had on Opening Day deserve to be in the starting lineup if they are healthy. It's an idea that is rooted in flaws, especially when the Cubs are wasting Owen Caissie on the bench.

All this to say, Tucker and his slump are far from the only concern the Cubs have as they head toward the playoffs.

More Cubs News from Cubbies Crib