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The Chicago Cubs recorded the second record of the National League in the regular season. But their quest for a second World Series title in three years ends after Tuesday. Additional loss of innings in the Wild Card game against the Colorado Rockies.
It should go without printing that it is not the desired result by the Cubs or their fans. Nevertheless, the invested parties will wonder what would have happened if the Cubs had enjoyed a better fortune in one or more areas.
Before summarizing the fears of the Cubs at the end of the season, let us note the obvious caveat: Each team, to some extent, can complain about this or that. The Cubs seemed to be dealing with an unusually powerful mix. This statement does not excuse Chicago's lifeless performance this week, or the Rockies or Milwaukee Brewers.
In short, the world is a complex place.
Calendar
Mother Nature and the gods of programming were not Cubs fans at the end of the season.
After a torrential rain on September 9, the Cubs played 10 consecutive days. This may seem trivial, but Chicago has played 21 games against 22 days before the end of the season, which includes the Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
In comparison, the Brewers had three days off during the same period. To what extent did this extra rest help the Brewers? In reality, nothing says it, and the answer might not be at all. In addition, the Rockies faced the same challenge as the Cubs, with a day off in the last three weeks of the season. They found a way to finish strong, winning eight straight wins and nine of their last 11.
Nevertheless, the Cubs could argue that the lack of rest is a bigger problem for them than for others …
injuries
One of the main topics of discussion throughout the decisive match and the Wild Card Game was the Chicago Book. For good reason too – at the end of the course, the Cubs were consistently stripped of two or three of their top four lifters, as indicated by their Leverage Index.
Indeed, closer to us, Brandon Morrow did not appear in a game after July 15th because of arm problems. Meanwhile, Morrow's replacement, Pedro Strop, was injured in the base race on September 13 and did not return until Tuesday. Team preparatory Carl Edwards Jr. saw its tank of efficiency at the end of the season. He missed his only two saves in September, one of which beat the Brewers. He was found unavailable on Monday and Tuesday because of his arm problems.
Combined with the calendar, these developments have forced the Cubs to rely more on their last reliable arms, such as Jesse Chavez, Steve Cishek and Justin Wilson.
In fact, Cishek's appearance Tuesday marked his fourth straight day of work and his sixth outing in seven games. Wilson, for his part, had to cope with a heavy workload in September, which may have contributed to his poor performance at the end of the season, particularly for the one who saw him charged with A defeat against the Brewers at the decisive game.
If only one member of Morrow, Strop or Edwards Jr remained healthy, the Cubs might have managed to win an extra victory. Important, because …
Geography
The Cubs would have won the East and West in a few games. They do not play in these divisions, however, and it cost them. Specifically, playing alongside the Brewers forced them to break the tie, and then to Tuesday's winning or winning match.
Hey, you have to play the hand you've dealt. Sometimes it's a good thing. Sometimes it's a bad thing. The Cubs have discovered this the hard way this year. Next year, who knows, maybe Lady Luck will be on their side.
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