The Chicago Cubs are in the thick of it right now.
Fans knew things were going to get ugly after the team sold away most of its talent at the trade deadline, but very few people expected it to get this bad.
The Cubs are in the midst of an 11-game losing streak.
For the first time since 2012, the @Marlins have swept the Cubs.
The Cubs are now on an 11-game losing streak for the 2nd time this season. pic.twitter.com/zhPu9X2enY
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 15, 2021
They are 1-13 in the month of August and 10-29 since the beginning of July.
Many folks in the Windy City feel that the organization is spiraling downward, but fans need to keep a few things in mind.
The truth is that the 2021 season is not an accurate representation of Chicago’s future trajectory.
Things are going to look a lot brighter in the near future.
For now, here are a couple of items that fans need to remember while watching Cubs games for the rest of the 2021 campaign.
Once A Season Is Lost, You Might As Well Commit To The Tank For Draft Purposes
No fan wants to hear this, but losing is one of the most productive things the Cubs can do right now.
Every year, the MLB Draft is wildly unpredictable regarding which players pan out and which players do not.
But one thing is for sure: The higher you pick, the better your chances are at drafting a stud.
Right now, the Cubs have the eighth-worst win percentage in all of baseball.
With the way things are going for Chicago, it looks like the team could realistically finish the year with the fifth-worst record in the Majors.
A top-five draft pick would be a nice consolation for an otherwise miserable year.
If Cubs fans want to know which teams to root for in order for that to happen, here’s a list:
- Root for the Miami Marlins to win.
- Root for the Washington Nationals to win.
- Root for the Kansas City Royals to win.
Those things would help the cause.
At This Point, Wins And Losses Mean Virtually Nothing, So Player Development Needs To Be The Top Priority
The remainder of the season is going to get a lot more watchable for Cubs fans once the calendar turns to September.
Folks have virtually no reason to tune in right now, but some promising prospects figure to join the MLB team next month.
Additionally, some players who are currently on the big-league roster are essentially already auditioning for next season.
Do the likes of Patrick Wisdom, Sergio Alcantara, and Rafael Ortega have long-term futures on the roster?
The next six weeks could provide answers.
Fans certainly hope that Wisdom and Ortega are for real.
Wisdom is batting .259 with an OPS of .870, an OPS+ of 132, and 18 home runs in 71 games.
Patrick Wisdom breaks the scoreless tie in the bottom of the 4th, as he launches a solo home run to right field pic.twitter.com/YbKNZrpbwB
— Cubs Highlights (@Cubs_Highlights) August 11, 2021
Ortega is batting .327 with an OPS of .889, and an OPS+ of 140 in 63 games.
As for Alcantara, the Cubs aren’t sure what to make of him.
He has shown flashes of potential this season, but overall, he’s batting just .188 with a .606 OPS.
He has struggled defensively at times, and it seems like he might not be a good long-term fit with Chicago.
But again: The Cubs (presumably) haven’t made any decisions yet.
There is still more than a month of baseball to be played, and player evaluations are going to heat up with the 2022 season in mind.
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