The Chicago Cubs do not want to think about taking advantage of another team’s situation, but the evidence remains: While opponents are struggling to deal with coronavirus-related issues, the first place team in the NL Central standings remains a model for the competition off the field, while the competition there dominates. The Cubs’ 12-3 record is the best in baseball after a Tuesday / Wednesday sweep of the Cleveland Indians.
“I have a good team,” Cubs manager David Ross said Wednesday after his squad’s 7-2 victory. “We have good players. There’s nothing to complain about, because the talent is there, the character is there. The dedication, the focus, the energy, the work, all those things that seem easy and to spend every day is not – – especially in the environment we are dealing with now. “
The Indians know this all too well because they are the last opponent of the Cubs who experience unrest in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Is it a coincidence that the Indians lost both games to the Cubs after placing starting pitchers Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger on the restricted list for breaking team protocols related to COVID-19? After going 17 straight games without giving up more than four runs, the Indians did this twice in a row to the Cubs, losing 7-1 and 7-2.
It is clear that Indian manager Terry Francona has a distraction on his hands.
“Whoever handles adjustments best gives yourself the best chance of winning,” Francona said Wednesday.
Count Plesac and Clevinger as players who ‘did not’ adapt to the protocols when they left the team hotel last weekend without permission. Meanwhile, their opponent has not had a positive test among their players the past two nights, and the Cubs have held each other responsibly off the field, so that distractions such as the Plesac / Clevinger situation did not occur.
“It’s a short time to just go back and stay in your room and do what needs to be done,” said Brys Kris Bryant after hitting a home game in Wednesday’s game. “It’s a great learning experience. The Indians had some guys go out. I’m sure they learned from it. Hopefully we have a collective group of 30 teams that are able to engage in this process.”
It has been difficult – and not just for the Indians. The archives of the Cubs, the St. Louis Cardinals, have been sidelined since July 29 due to a coronavirus outbreak, and another division rival, the Cincinnati Reds, has recovered from a slow start that included virus problems.
“Sy [Cubs players] have embraced the change and been accountable to each other in their work and attitude, “Ross said before Wednesday’s game. Their focus has been off the charts. “
That appears in her play. A terribly defensive team last season, the Cubs flipped the script in that area. They have done the same on the bases, where they made the most outs in the league in 2018 and 2019. So far this season, they have made just 15 outs at the bases in 15 games.
“Sometimes a different set of eyes sees different things,” said Ross, the Cubs’ first-year manager. “The overall arching theme is that players need to be responsible and work to get better. They’ve done that.”
But perhaps the most noticeable difference is in the Cubs on the plate. A team that has been far less than the sum of its parts over the last few years has suddenly found its mojo. The Cubs showed that in, of all places, Cleveland, where they won the World Series in 2016. Back then, the Cubs had a grievous crime.
It’s back.
“One to nine there’s not a letdown in our lineup,” Bryant said. “I can not remember a time before playing for this team where it was like that. I think it shows in our record.”
That says something, considering that the Cubs of 2016 and ’17 were relentless, but that was of course every day without a designated hitter. In any case, Indian starter Carlos Carrasco knows all too well what Bryant is talking about. He threw 89 pitches to get through the fourth inning Wednesday and was ready after 4⅓. The Cubs lead MLB to see pitches per plate appearance (4.2), so Carrasco is not the only one to feel grinding.
“We play as a team – not play with numbers [statistics], “said shortstop Javy Baez.” It’s a short season, so we have no time to be up and down. “
Because of the short season, the numbers tell us something about the Cubs’ fantastic start: They have a better chance than 95% of making the postseason, despite having played just 15 games. That’s something that will keep the Cubs in line on and off the field like any protocol or guideline.
“All day long, you’re on the edge,” said infiltrator David Bote about the security protocols. “There is no place to relax except in your own room. Then you stare at four walls. It makes it challenging.”
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