2021 Team

[BigBoy]

The Cubs have been brutal to watch. Every game is the same. One of the three stars will hit a solo shot early.  Then the same guy, particularly if it's Javy, will proceed to look lost at the plate in all future at bats. Meanwhile the Pirates or Brewers will string together hits and walks and take the lead.  Repeat. 

 

I get why Nico is down in the minors and I don't believe things would be different if he wasn't, Joc has shown that spring training numbers are just that. But my lord does this team need guys who can make consistent (hard-ish) contact and put the ball in play. The "broken part of the lineup seems to be less about down years from Rizzo, Bryant, Javy and more about a lack of the players like Zobrist and Fowler and even a Russell in 2016. That 2016 team had 7 guys with over 100 hits, the 2019 team had 5. What killed the Cubs seems to me to be Russell imploding, Zobrist not playing, Fowler leaving, and just the loss of that type of player who may not have a ton of power but will put up 100+ hits. And yes, Fowler sucked in STL, Zobrist was aging, etc., but I feel like all the focus on Baez/Rizzo/Bryant and what they've done each season seems less important than who was around them and the philosophy of a team that goes from hitting a Fowler type at lead off to Kyle Schwarber. Because the two are so connected. Guys tend to have better at bats with runners on base. The last time I felt like the offense was humming was when Castellanos came in.  And yeah he had power at Wrigley, but dude was a doubles machine who put up around 180 hits in 2018 and 2019, it wasn't just HR or bust. 

 

Anyway, it's early, and the record should/could be much worse.  I just wish the games weren't so awful to watch, even if they lose. I'm already just so sick of seeing the Ks and the occasional solo HR.

This, 100%