Cubs Column: Cubbies beat Cincinnati, Brewers closing in
The Cubs continue to maintain the best record in baseball. However, the Brewers who are now 26.5 games behind Chicago, won three out of four games in a series against the Cubs last week.
The week prior, the Cubs were able to win two games of a three game series against the Cardinals. Did they exasperate too much energy in the series against the Cards, who are still 16.5 games back, to beat a team that is ranked fourth in the NL Central?
It’s baffling to think that the Brewers, who aren’t even projected to make it to the postseason, beat the Cubs at all.
Maybe it’s a strategy that only Joe Maddon knows about, let the small losses fall now, that way there is enough in the tank when the time comes and it really counts.
Cubs star pitcher Jake Arietta threw six innings in one game against Milwaukee where they lost 11-3.
How does that even happen?
I would argue that Arietta is one of the best pitchers in baseball, with an ERA of 2.96 for this season and 3.56 for his career. The numbers are there to put up a good argument.
In many lists he is ranked third in the MLB. In 2015, if it wasn’t for Arietta’s clutch pitching, coupled with some powerhouse hitters, we would’ve lost the Wild Card Series and never beat the Cardinals.
Could this be a sign of things to come? Could some sub-par team from Milwaukee screw up the Cubs future? The Cubs begin a three game series against the Cincinnati Reds tonight — the only team ranked lower than the Brewers in the NL Central.
Considering how that plays out, the fair weather fans may be ready to cash in their chips on the Cubbies if it ends in a loss. Not me though, I’ll still be there torn and battered awaiting the arrival of the sun on the horizon.
One thing is for certain, it’s too late in the season to be taking losses like this — from teams who barely have the lineup to compete in Major League Baseball.
October will be here before we know it and I’ll say this again, it’s literally now or never for the Cubbies.