All of a sudden, it’s a miserable time to be a Chicago Cubs fan.
The Cubs had a wonderful run in the 2010s, and they were able to accomplish the ultimate goal in 2016 by winning a World Series title for the first time in 108 years.
The city will never forget that team or that title run.
But unfortunately, the majority of the guys who carried Chicago to that championship now play for different organizations.
The Cubs just went through a massive deadline fire sale, and it resulted in trades that sent the likes of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Craig Kimbrel and others out of town.
While the deadline sell was largely successful in bringing in some young talent, the team undeniably lacks an identity right now.
Chicago has lost five of the six games it has played since the trade deadline, and the club looks lifeless.
Not A Whole Lot To Play For
Anytime a team trades away its star players at the deadline, the remainder of the season can unfold in one of two ways.
- Option A: The remaining players perform with chips on their shoulders, like they have something to prove.
When this outcome unfolds, it’s usually a product of players wanting to make the best of the opportunity in front of them and wanting to prove to the front office that giving up on the team was a mistake.
- Option B: The team rolls over and dies, and the next season can’t come soon enough.
This is the option that best describes the Cubs’ trajectory based on the past week of games.
Inspiration seems to be running at an all-time low, and it seems like many players can’t wait for the year to end.
There Is Very Little Talent Remaining On The Roster
Beyond the fact that the Cubs seem unmotivated, the roster simply doesn’t have enough talent at this point to be competitive.
The team lost all of its best hitters and its best relief pitcher.
Here’s what the lineup looked like on Thursday:
Here is today's #Cubs starting lineup for the series finale in Colorado. pic.twitter.com/HGi6jU2fdv
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 5, 2021
For the casual fan, there aren’t many familiar faces in there.
That’s the lineup of a rebuilding team.
As far as the rotation goes, the Cubs have just one semi-reliable arm.
That distinction belongs to Kyle Hendricks, as he has a 3.71 ERA on the year.
Beyond Hendricks, the staff remains in shambles, just as it was during the first half of the season.
Zach Davies (4.79 ERA), Adbert Alzolay (4.85 ERA), Trevor Williams (5.06 ERA), and Jake Arrieta (6.20 ERA) round things out.
It’s tough to feel very good about your chances each night when the rotation is in that kind of shape.
Wrap-Up
There are brighter days ahead for the Cubs.
As of this morning, the Chicago #Cubs would have a top-10 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) August 6, 2021
The deadline sell brought in an excess of young talent, and in due time, those youngsters will break into The Show and hopefully become Chicago’s new identity.
But in the meantime, the Cubs and their fans are going to have to get through a difficult stretch here.
Clearly, the 2021 season can’t end fast enough.
NEXT: 3 Logical Explanations For Chicago Cubs Blowing It All Up