The state of the Cubs’ 2019 season on the midway mark of the season with a 9-7 win towards the Braves depends upon perspective.
And in some ways, their victory Thursday was a microcosm of their season up thus far — minus the actual fact they really had a more in-depth.
Bad begin. Shaky center. Too-close-for-comfort end.
“Of course I’d like to be in a better position,” Cubs supervisor Joe Maddon mentioned of the Cubs’ first half. “We’ve left some chicken on the bone, no question.”
The Cubs stumbled out the gates with a 2-7 document to start out the 12 months earlier than discovering their groove and profitable 25 of their subsequent 35 video games.
But for nearly six weeks, they’ve been extra “pedestrian,” as Maddon mentioned, going 17-20 in that span — and 5-5 of their just-completed 10-game homestand.
Yet, after they get up within the morning they’re going to be one sport forward of the Brewers for first place within the NL Central.
Even although it might not have at all times felt prefer it, this collection was a battle of first-place groups who in the event that they face-off once more it’ll be within the playoffs.
And the Cubs got here out with a draw within the four-game collection and truly outscored the Braves.
“Today we played one of the more elite teams in baseball, I think we’re one of them,” Maddon mentioned. “And you can see it’s a toe-to-toe kind of thing.”
On one hand, Maddon’s has some extent. There are causes for the Cubs to be considered as an elite group.
They have the third-best document (44-37) within the NL and rank No. 6 in group ERA regardless of having a bullpen that may’t constantly be relied on.
On the opposite hand, they’ve had the tendency to be an all-or-nothing offense after they’ve struggled with a variety of homers and a variety of strikeouts.
And they’ve a shedding document towards the opposite first-place groups they’ve confronted. They’re a mixed 6-11 towards the Braves, Astros and Dodgers.
Maddon recommended the group’s offensive malaise will be as a consequence of guys attempting too arduous.
“Sometimes you get to the point where you take it so seriously that you beat yourself up and then your performance just doesn’t come through,” Maddon mentioned. “I believe in our guys. I trust our guys. And from the offensive perspective, that’s where the run’s going to come. And the only way that’s going to happen is if we chill and just go out there and let her fly a little bit.”
And the Cubs positive did let it fly towards the Braves after the third inning. They retook a lead by combing for seven runs within the fourth and fifth.
They added an insurance coverage run within the sixth earlier than the bullpen shut out the Braves. Craig Kimbrel was shaky in his Cubs’ debut — however he obtained the job achieved and picked up the save.
Maybe having an precise nearer for the primary time for the reason that All-Star break final 12 months will present a spark for the Cubs, and result in a stronger second half.
Maybe they’ll discover higher leads to a nine-game street journey towards groups with shedding data main into the break — opening Friday in Cincinnati.
Regardless, the Cubs imagine the solutions are in their very own veteran clubhouse.
“We’ve been doing good,” Javy Baez mentioned. “Things aren’t going our way all the time, but we gotta do us. We don’t need to worry about first place or second place. We look at that in September.”