Category: OLD SPORT SHORTS (Page 62 of 68)

An old guy’s perspective on all sports

Old Sport Shorts: Storm Brewing #253

September 10, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

As Irma batters Florida, the Cubs have their own storm to weather. Their lead in the N.L. Central is down to two games over both the Brewers and the Cardinals. The Brew Crew got the sweep and the Cardinals beat the Pirates, so their is no joy in Wrigleyville. The Bears dropped two potentially winning touchdowns, to add to the misery in Chicago, and the Colts are losing badly to the Rams, if anyone cares. The only good news was a meaningless White Sox victory over the Giants. St. Louis has won three in a row and seven of eight, face a three-game series with the lowly Reds, and have seven games remaining with the Cubs. With the Cubs and Cards having the day off tomorrow, The Brewers can move to within a game and a half of the lead with a victory over the struggling Pirates, and then travel to Miami to see the storm damage.

The Brewers had their way with the Cubs, outscoring them 20-3 in the three-game sweep. The Cubs had not been swept since May, and to make matters worse this was on their home turf. They have had one of the best records in baseball since the All-Star break, but they needed put the Brewers away, and instead left the door open for a four-game storm brewing in Milwaukee later this month. In fact, difficult trips to St. Louis and Milwaukee will determine the Central Division winner. Second place will probably not be good enough to earn a wild card. Who will be left when they turn off the regular season lights?

It was not a good weekend of sports for me. The only winners on my list of favorites were the Indiana Hoosiers and the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs, Bears, and Colts fell short…oh my! My son still hopes to see the Cubs again this year when they travel to Tampa to play the Rays, if Tropicana Park is still standing. It will be a meaningless two-game set for Tampa Bay and must-win situations for the Cubs. He brought them luck in the game we went to together in San Francisco, but the only luck he’s wishing for now is that Irma spares his home and family. Sorry, the Cubs just don’t matter today, and they played like it!

Old Sport Shorts: Drubbing #251

September 10, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

What rhymes with Cub? Drub. That’s exactly what the Brewers did to the Cubs yesterday – a 15-2 drubbing. The Cubs had not lost a series since the All-Star break, and needed to continue this streak to maintain their once growing edge in the Central. Instead, the Cubs went sixteen straight innings before scoring against Brew Crew pitching, and can only salvage a game today to keep from being swept. Both the Cardinals and the Brewers are now within three games, a lead that was five just two days ago. Friday Night lights did not work out for the Cubbies who suffered a 2-0 loss, followed by Saturday embarrassment. The defending World Series champions have not shown the killer instinct necessary to put the Brewers away, and they have four more games later this month in Milwaukee.

The Cubs finish up with the Brewers today and then host the Mets and the Cardinals. The Cardinals are easily within striking range, and so far the “Friendly Confines” haven’t been friendly to the home team. Twenty games remain in the regular season, with half of those on the road, including four at Busch Stadium. Hopefully, the Cubs won’t get trampled by the Clydesdales, mugged by the Mets, and routed by the Rays or Reds, as we head into the home stretch. It’s time for a streak of “W’s” to secure a shot at the playoffs.

The Indians, who nearly stole the crown from the Cubs last year, have won 17 straight going into today, assuring their return to the post season. The White Sox are a whopping 30.5 games behind them in the standings despite a victory yesterday over the Giants who are a league-leading 37 games out . Houston has all but wrapped up the A.L. West, while the Nats seem to have secured the N.L. East. The Dodgers, who were once world beaters, have now lost 9 in a row, including eight straight at Chavez Ravine for the first time in 30 years, but still maintain command of the N.L. West. The Red Sox currently have a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East, the only other division other than N.L. Central to not have a runaway leader.

Fatigue is a factor at this point of the year, so the Cubs will need to find a second wind. The Yankees, Twins, D-Backs, and Rockies have the edge in the Wild Card standings. The Brewers, Cardinals, and Cubs might have a role in that wild scramble, depending on who wins the Division. Chances are good that they will beat each other up, and only one team from the Central will make the playoff field. The Brewers have lost starter Jimmy Nelson for the season, with a rotator injury during his Friday Night lights gem at Wrigley. Jake Arrieta remains day-to-day for the Cubs with a hamstring strain. Maybe the rest will be good for him.

So much for baseball, as football season starts to take shape. I knew that Ohio State was probably not worthy of a vaulted position in the standings after their performance against my Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are improved from years past, as evidenced by their domination of Virginia yesterday, and showed that they could hold their own against the Buckeyes. However, the Ohio State loss to Oklahoma coupled with the mediocre performance against the Hoosiers should push them out of the Top 10 and threaten their chances for a playoff slot. Indiana, on the other hand, has an opportunity to win 6 games and claim a bowl bid thanks to games against Illinois, Rutgers, and Purdue to end the season.

The N.F.L. season is officially underway, after the huge victory by the Chiefs over the Patriots. Apparently the Pats are suffering from the same hangover as the Cubs. I’m currently watching the battle of the Hurricane victims, as Jacksonville and Houston square off. J.J. Watt who championed the Texan’s city relief fund has apparently dislocated a finger, and the Jags have taken the half-time lead. They will undoubtedly not return to Jacksonville tonight, as storms will ravage that city this evening. Both of these cities will need a victory to help ease their painful losses. Houston has been forgotten these last few days, as the media focus has shifted to Florida.

A drubbing is defined as a resounding defeat in a match of contest. Synonyms like beating, thrashing, pounding, walloping, thumping, battering. pummeling, slapping, punching, and pelting will also describe the approaching storm. Hopefully, the Cubs can turn the tide today against the surging Brewers. Maybe the Pirates can salvage a game against the Cardinals and help the Cubs cause? Three games is too close for comfort, especially considering there was the potential for an 8-game lead before the Friday Night lights set-back. How about a drubbing the other way around today?

Retirement is not without Hassles: Stormy #250

September 9, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I just got back from exercising the dogs as part of my three-mile run. My wife walks both of them on a leash, while I loop around, giving each a chance to run beside me. They are often easily distracted so they only get bursts of activity, but once we get home, they are happy and tired. My son and his family are on my mind this morning as they prepare for Irma to hit Florida. I know there will be extensive damage but I just hope they will be safe. I’m monitoring the Weather Channel as I write, praying that it changes direction or loses intensity. It’s going to be a long night for them.

It’s movie night for us here in Portland, although nothing really appeals to me. Maybe Logan Lucky or The Hitman’s Bodyguard? I’d probably rather stay home, watch football, and keep an eye on Irma. I spent the last couple of days preparing for upcoming travel. My wife is headed to Washington D.C. next week, while I stay home with the dogs. January and September will be the only months in my first year of retirement where I haven’t traveled somewhere out of state. I did finalize our arrangements for four days in L.A. and five days in New York City during October, and moved-up our original trip to Indiana into November. We’ll then return to Indiana for Christmas to end the year.

Travel changes can be a big hassle. In many cases, I’m trying to coordinate my flights with my wife’s company travel coordinator. I’ll book the rooms through Marriott and rental car from Hertz, using their convenient apps. I may end up paying a little more, but the familiarity and convenience are well worth it. In fact, the only real problem with moving the dates to Indiana from October to November was a hotel in my wife’s home town. Since they don’t have a Marriott option near there, I was dealing with “strangers” in trying to reschedule. They were being stubborn, so I had to make additional phone calls and write e-mails to make the necessary changes. In addition, the flight change for me was both costly and cumbersome. I paid a $200 rescheduling penalty and $75 in fare increases. It was actually more than the original flight into Chicago’s O’Hare! Everything else was a simple click on the app with no questions or hassles.

While she does business in Chicago, L.A., and N.Y., I’ll go see the sights, or take a side-trip. A friend’s son just moved to New York, for example, so I’ll buy him lunch. I’ll also get to see a former ad agency supplier of mine, who still continues to do business with my wife. I haven’t seen him in nearly 20 years, adding to my growing list of re-connections this year. A year ago, just before my retirement date, I joined my wife for an unforgettable business trip into Chicago and the related drive into Indiana to visit her family. We went to games 4 and 5 of the World Series at Wrigley Field and to a Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field. It was a rare occasion of Cubs win and Bears win! This year’s trip probably won’t be so eventful, although we are in New York City during the dates of this year’s World Series, should the Yankees somehow get that far. We’d also be in L.A. during the National League Championship Series with the Dodgers in the hunt, so I may be properly positioned for post season baseball.

My son and his family are going back to school. They will be riding out the storm at North Port High School in a classroom on the second floor. It will be a frightening experience, especially not knowing how much damage is being done to their nearby home. I remember huddling in the hallway of my grade school back in Indiana as tornadoes slammed the surrounding neighborhood. I’m sure my parents were worried about my safety that school day over 50 years ago, just as I’m concerned for my son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. I’m sure it will be a night that they will all remember forever, just as I recall the fear, damage, and clean-up from the devastating twisters. I still have nightmares, but our home was spared. Prepare for a Stormy Sunday.

Old Sport Shorts: Pivotal #249

September 8, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

I’ve been worried about the Pirates all season long as a threat to the Cubs playoff chances. However, the Cubs managed to sweep all three games at Wrigley a couple of weeks ago, and the Pirates fell to over 10 games back. Down but not out, they rebounded to take the first two games from the Cubs in Pittsburgh, and started to make a dent in that lead. The Brewers were unable to take advantage, losing ground to the Cardinals, as the Central Division pennant race began to tighten.

The Cubs responded with two straight victories to tie the series with the Pirates, an accomplishment that I consider pivotal. As a result, the Pirates are back to a double digit deficit in the standings, and St. Louis and Milwaukee remain five games behind the division leading Cubs. The Brewers come to Wrigley for a key series this weekend, starting with the first ever regular season Friday night game in Wrigley Field history. Lights were not installed at Wrigley until 1988 and since then the city council has banned the Cubs from hosting Friday and Saturday night games. Last year’s World Series game 3 was exempt from council rules, and did not lead to a positive outcome for the team. The Cubs hard-fought victory last night in Pittsburgh, coupled with a Brewers day of rest, could have taken away the home field advantage. Thanks to this one-time exception, the Cubs will get a little extra time to rest before tackling the second-place Brew Crew. This could be the biggest series in baseball so far this year, as the Cubs have a chance to push the Brewers back to as many as eight games out of first. John Lackey gets the start for the Cubs against Jimmy Nelson. “Friday Night Lights!”

I would settle for two out of three victories against the Brewers, since all the Cubs need to do is continue to tie or sweep each series to remain in control. The Brewers were reportedly upset at the decision to move the game, feeling that it took away some of their advantage in being well rested. The Brewers will feel they have something to prove, considering they are coming off a disappointing three straight loss performance against the last place Reds. They had been on a roll, winning series against some of the top teams in baseball, including the Dodgers and Nationals. Although the Cubs did not dominate in the Pirates series, they did what they needed to do – just don’t lose a series. They are 14 games over .500 with 22 games remaining on the schedule. The Brewers will get one more crack at them in a few more weeks, but the Cubs can be in the driver’s seat with one more victory tonight. May the lights be with us! Go Cubs.

Old Sport Shorts: Worries #243

September 4, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

My concerns for the Cubs heightened after today’s 12-0 loss to the Pirates. The hamstring injury to Jake Arrietta reinforces my skepticism for back-to-back World Series Championships. I was already worried about their rotation, considering that a team like the Astros strengthened their position with the acquisition of Justin Verlander. The Astros are taking a page out of the Saints playbook from Katrina, hoping to capitalize on the misfortunes of Harvey and lift the spirits of Houston by winning the World Series. It was a smart move!

The Cubs had a great August, including the six-game streak at the expense of the Pirates and Braves. I thought they were headed in the right direction, but injuries can change a team’s momentum quickly, and the Brewers are on their heals. Milwaukee lost in walk-off fashion to the lowly Reds this afternoon, failing to gain any ground on the division-leading Cubs, while the Cardinals gained a game in the standings. The Cubs have to at least split this series in Pittsburgh and keep the Pirates out of the race. Tomorrow’s match-up of Quintana and Cole could be pivotal in the drive to the playoffs. The Pirates are still 9.5 games out, following last week’s Cubs sweep at Wrigley.

This may be the last time I mention the White Sox this season, but they are a pitiful 26.5 games behind the Indians in the AL Central and still not the worst team in baseball. The Phillies still own that distinction. The red-hot Tribe won their 12th straight game today, and Trevor Bauer, who the Cubs remember from the World Series, won his eighth decision in a row. They can fight it out with the Astros in the playoffs. Of greater concern to the Cubs are the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Nationals that have already shown superiority this season. The only non-division teams remaining on the Cubs schedule are the Mets and the Rays, who are dangerous simply because they’re out of contention.

Go Cubs!

Retirement is not without Hassles: Turkey #239

September 1, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

For most of the working world, today is special. It’s not only Friday, but also the beginning of a three-day weekend. For me in retirement, it’s just like any other day. I was aware that it was Friday only because the trash and recycling containers were street-side in the neighborhood next to us. Fridays are the day that I routinely have lunch with friends at Buffalo Wild Wings, so I continue to look forward to this day of the week. The Cubs will be playing on the big screens, and it will be the first cold beer I’ve had in several weeks. I’ll run some errands afterwards and fill up with gas, since surely prices will start to escalate after Harvey hit Houston. It just goes to show how we are all connected in this world, when flooding and losses 2200 miles away mean higher prices here in Portland. We’re all in this together!

My hard-working wife hopes to enjoy some time with the dogs during her long weekend. I will run with the pack the next three mornings, and follow her lead on things to do. After all, it’s her weekend and she deserves the time off. We’ll probably go out to dinner tonight. Tomorrow night is a fundraiser, and Sunday night we’ll probably do a movie and eat popcorn. The weather continues to be perfect here in Portland, as another month has come and gone. When I said, “I’ll see you in September,” well, it’s here! I’ll get to be a home body most of the month, while she’ll make a business venture to Washington D.C. and return to entertain a visiting niece. We also have plans to end September by making the short drive to the Coast for a party that our travel agent is hosting.

My busy wife just made business plans to go to New York City in October, so we’ll extend into the weekend and see some Broadway shows, including the pricey Hello Dolly with Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce. Thanks to our good friends, we’ll also get to go back stage at the famed Shubert Theatre, and hopefully meet the performers. Speaking of travel, a last minute change in corporate meeting dates will cause us to reschedule our trip back to Indiana that was originally scheduled for early October, but we’ll sneak into Los Angeles for business and weekend fun instead. I had no trouble cancelling all of our hotel accommodations and rental car plans for Chicago and Indiana, with the exception of the Quality Inn, one of our only options in Rochester where my wife’s mother lives. They’ve taken the consumer unfriendly approach of no changes or cancellations, so I’ll continue to hassle with them once we settle on a new travel date. It’s hard to believe that businesses can survive without adapting to the needs of the customer. Only in small town America!

Early November may be our only choice to get back to Indiana, since we’re already scheduled to be there for Christmas. Plus, I already screwed up any hopes my wife may have had for a family Thanksgiving by agreeing to go to the PK80 Basketball Tournament here in Portland. She’s had to deal with “Turkey Tournaments” before in our marriage. We traveled to Maui in 2008 for that Invitational when Indiana was a participant. It’s just another reason why she hates most sports! The Phil Knight (PK) 80th Birthday tournament will be a one-time basketball event featuring the top Nike programs in the country, so it may not interfere with Thanksgiving dinner in the future. However, Indiana will be back in Maui in 2020, so we may need to put the turkey on the back-burner once again.

Old Sport Shorts: Sweeps #238

August 31, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The Cubs just pulled off a surprising three-game sweep of the Pirates, offsetting early season Pirates domination. There was a point back in April when I honestly thought that the Pirates were the team to beat in the Central, but that was before the Starling Marte suspension. Currently, Pittsburgh is 10 games behind the Cubs, even though the Pirates had a 7-5 edge going into August. The Cubs now hold a slim one-game margin before next week’s four-game final series of the year. Those games in Pittsburgh will have a big impact on the Central Division in the final month of the regular season.

The Cubs haven’t pulled off as many series sweeps as I thought they would this year. They did not have a single sweep in April, but were swept themselves by the Pirates. The Yankees, Dodgers, and Padres also pulled-off sweeps against the Cubs as part of a disappointing month of May. They did manage to counter with all 3 games against the Reds in May, and have won at least one game in every series since. They started the month of June with a sweep of the Cardinals, followed by consecutive sweeps of the Orioles and Braves just after the All Star Break. The Cubs are now 29-15 since the break. Plus, they took all three against the Blue Jays and now the Pirates in August. There seems to be some consistency that was missing in the first two months the year when they were apparently suffering from that World Series hangover.

The Braves are currently in Chicago for four games, before the team heads to Pittsburgh. Then the Brewers come to Wrigley to try to diminish that 3 1/2 game lead. This is where the season gets exciting, but the Cubs will be hard to catch if they continue playing at their current .659 winning percentage since the break. The Brewers next face the Nationals and Reds before their first of six final shots against the division-leading Cubs. Only 30 games left on the 2017 Cubs schedule, and if they can win 20 that would give them 92 total wins and a ticket to the Playoffs. The red hot Dodgers already have 91 victories to lead the majors, but the dangerous Brewers recently brought their brooms and bats to the ballpark and gave them their first black eye since the Nationals did it back in June.

Can the Cubs continue their 3-game winning streak? It would be comforting to start September with a couple of sweeps and a winning streak. At the very least, they need to maintain that important record of not being swept since May. Let’s Go Cubs.

Retirement is not without Hassles: Honeybucket #236

August 30, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The sun is not out this morning, for the first time in a while. I tend to count the dreaded days of rain, but take for granted the sunshine. Six months of dreariness will start soon, and we’ll all begin to anticipate those brief sun breaks between rain showers. Some of the cloudiness today is apparently attributed to smoke from forest fires in Canada and Washington state. The air quality is suffering, and a downpour would help wash the ashes from the sky. I’m just afraid that when it starts, it won’t stop!

I took the dogs down to Starbucks for some boredom-breaking exercise and a treat. I haven’t been very good to them the past few weeks with all my focus on the relay. I haven’t felt like extra walks with them, but the soreness from training and running is now faint. I got my cup of Tranquility Tea with honey and have settled into my office chair. It’s almost reminiscent of a day at work that hasn’t happened now in 8 months. Friends tease me about having a difficult adjustment, since I haven’t missed the daily grind in the slightest. I enjoy my freedom and make no secret about it. I’ve been able to travel, get in better shape, learn to cook, and keep busy. I would honestly not know what day it is, but my wife mentioned on her way to work this morning that it is “Date Night.” That translates to Wednesday, her hump day, and a new restaurant of her choosing to try tonight for dinner. By the way, my Beer Can Chicken (done with a Diet Coke can instead) that I grilled last night turned out to be the tenderest, most delicious meat we’ve ever had. I’ll enjoy some leftovers for lunch today.

My wife is looking forward to the Labor Day Holiday and the associated three-day weekend for her. She’s provided a couple of movie options for us to go to on that extra day, since movie night is being displaced with a “Bite of Oregon” fundraiser. I’ll have to stray from my retirement uniform (See Post #150) to be socially presentable for this event. I wonder what travel package she’ll bid on? I do plan to help some friends bottle wine from their vineyard this weekend. It will help me keep stocked up on Pinot for the year, and give me a sense of manual labor that I typically tend to avoid. I may have to take my wife to Cracker Barrel (See Post #233) since it’s near their home, if she agrees to help us. It’s a big diversion from her five-star dining tastes, but she’s a big fan of the Hashbrown Casserole. She would also like to visit some other vineyards, and pick-up our membership allotment at Stoller.

My Alma Mater, Indiana University (I.U.), will probably be humiliated by Ohio State in a rare, first-game conference football match-up tomorrow night. Ohio State fans consider it to be just a practice game against a powder-puff squad. I personally can’t wait until basketball season, a game where we can be competitive. In the meantime, the Cubs have pleasantly surprised me by winning their first two games of the series with the Pirates. The Cubbies are definitely not the dominant team they were last year, and will probably struggle to get into the Playoffs. (See Post #231: Old Sport Shorts). I’ll watch this evening as the Cubs go for the sweep. I did my sweeping and dusting yesterday!

I ran three miles this morning, as I continue to internally debate my running future. I should probably do a Half-Marathon since I’ve spent all this time in training. There’s the “Run Like Hell” on October 22nd and the “Holiday Half” on December 10th that are on my radar. I rediscovered that I really don’t like the pressure associated with competitive running, but at least this would not be a team effort. At this point, the more serene Holiday theme seems more appealing than running like hell! As a side note, I just completed day 3,167 of my running streak dating back to December 29, 2008. I also moved up to slot #207 on the international list of running streaks, after four runners apparently vacated their streaks for one reason or another. During the Hood to Coast Relay, I also met the wife of one of my wife’s sales managers who is ranked #333 on this list. It’s the first time I’ve actually met another crazy streak runner like myself in person. Her streak is at 2,052 days. Another woman from her home town of nearby Lake Oswego is just three days behind me on the list. I have been in touch with her through e-mail, and just missed meeting her on race day. Her talented team narrowly missed a first place finish in their division, as an intoxicated participant stole a truck belonging to Honeybucket, a portable restroom company, and drove it into a field of sleeping bags. A woman was injured and the race disrupted at that point. I, too, was in a sleeping bag at that time, already feeling like I’d been run over by a truck, after just completing my second leg.

Old Sport Shorts: Oops #231

August 28, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

Just when I thought the Cubs were on a roll (see Post #228), they stumbled and fell instead. They lost the final game of the series to the bottom-dwelling Reds and then proceeded to lose a series at Philadelphia – the worst team in baseball. Although the Cubs outscored them 21-15 in the three games, pitching continued to be their Achilles Heel. What makes matters worse is that the Brewers are starting to play great baseball, winning their series against the Dodgers, who hadn’t lost a series to any team since June. Chicago still maintains a 2-game lead in the Central, but they’ll have to get by the Pirates at home and rely on the Cards to slow the Brewers momentum. It’s frustrating to see that no team in the Central is taking command, especially the Cubbies when the schedule favors them. Oops!

College football started over the weekend, and the Oregon State Beavers fared poorly. I was also disappointed to see that Ohio State had a 95% probability of beating Indiana this week. It’s embarrassing to be an I.U. alumni during football season, when you see an opposing conference team come in to your stadium and literally take-over the stands. I once heard that I.U. takes recruiting pictures of this game, including aerial shots, because it’s the only time the stadium is full and everyone is wearing red. It’s also the only opportunity for some Buckeye fans to see their team play, since a ticket in Columbus is hard to get. I.U. fans are glad to sell their tickets at a premium and avoid the humiliation of another loss. It’s hard to walk by all the temporary concessions selling buckeye necklaces and flags, while nobody is in line to buy Hoosier gear. Once more, the fact that Indiana was chosen as their opening game opponent, like we’re a Division II practice game, makes me feel second-rate LITTLE in the BIG conference. Hopefully, basketball season will be here soon.

Speaking of basketball, Archie Miller, I.U.’s new coach (See Post #35) got his first big-time recruit, 6′ 8″ Race Thompson, out of Minnesota. He’ll red shirt for a year, hoping to bolster his 4-star, #101 ranking in the 247 Sports Composite, before he faces BIG opposition. It’s a great name for a basketball player in Indiana, home of the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500, but I hope he’s not slow. I can’t wait until January 30, 2018 when Ohio State is done playing football and I.U. gets to take over Value City Arena, wearing our flashy red-and-white striped warm-up pants. Hopefully, I’ll be proud to be a Hoosier again by that point. At least, there will be no more Thad Motta, just Chris Holtmann, another Butler steal for the Buckeyes.

I’m also excited for the Chicago Bears, who seem surprisingly competitive in the preseason. It turns out they weren’t booing Mitchell Trubisky, just saying TRU…. Former I.U. running back stand-out, Jordan Howard, will be with him in the backfield this year. I had the pleasure of watching Howard dominate the Vikings at Soldier Field last year, just after enjoying the Cubs victory in Game 5 of the World Series at Wrigley. It was quite an eventful Halloween weekend in Chicago. Chances are that the other popular I.U. star, Kyle Schwarber of the Cubs, won’t be getting a chance for a back-to-back World Series victory. The lowly Phillies certainly had their say.

Old Sport Shorts: Cubs on a roll? #228

August 24, 2017 / mikeljohnston1 / 0 Comments

The Cubs are 12-9 in the month of August, including the victory in San Francisco that I got to personally witness. It was the only game the Cubs won against the Giants on another west coast road trip that didn’t go in their favor. They started the month losing back-to-back series to the D-Backs and Nats at Wrigley, causing much concern among the faithful. They got some redemption against the D-Backs, taking a series from them in Arizona, but then fell flat on their faces against the lowly Reds at home, salvaging a 2-2 split. This was the low point of August, watching the team struggle against both Division leaders and now bottom dwellers. Somehow, the Cubs held on to first place in the surprisingly weak Central. The Brewers, Cards, and Pirates have all been losing ground. The Reds have played .500 ball, the Brewers have gone 11-10, the Cardinals 12-9, including an 8-game winning streak, and the Pirates a disappointing 10-12, including a walk-off home run finale in the 10th after suffering through a regulation no hitter by Rich Hill of the Dodgers.

The Cubs are now on a roll, having won their last 6 games and stand 10 games over .500 for the year. Granted they’ve been victories against teams like the Blue Jays and Reds, but they’re 3.5 games up on the Brewers, 4.5 against the Cards, and in contention for a Wild Card. They wrap-up against the Reds today, hopefully keeping that winning streak intact, and then travel to play the worst team in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies, and wrap up the month with the Pirates and Braves at home. I like their chances of going into September with a 4 or 5 game lead in the Central. There are only 38 games remaining on the schedule, 6 against the Pirates, 7 versus the Brewers, 7 with the Cards, and 4 left with the Reds. The Braves, Mets, and Rays are their only outside-Division opponents remaining, and none of these teams are even Wild Card contenders, so the schedule does favor the Cubs.

The cautious optimism stops there! With regard to the top teams in baseball, the Cubs have struggled. They are 2-5 against Colorado, 2-4 against the Dodgers and even Padres, 3-4 versus the Nationals, and may have some trouble come playoff time. The pitching has improved, but relievers have given up too many runs in clutch situations, and starters have not gone deep enough into games. I’m glad to see that Schwarber and Heyward are becoming better hitters, and that Alex Avila has been able to step-in for the injured Willson Contreras. Ian Happ continues to play well, and Addison Russell is about to rejoin the team for the stretch. Things are looking up for the Cubs, at least until the Playoffs.