ATLANTA — Four video games into workforce president Theo Epstein’s yr of ‘‘reckoning’’ for the Cubs, it’s already time for a actuality examine.
Talk about urgency.
In truth, speaking about urgency in all probability must be the primary actuality examine.
Epstein mentioned because the season started that ‘‘October starts in March,’’ which makes a pleasant T-shirt slogan however has little constructive worth relating to profitable a six-month, game-a-day baseball season.
Four video games into the season, supervisor Joe Maddon and the Cubs have already got their first three-game dropping streak. They did not lose three in a row final yr till May.
It’s definitely not how this one has labored up to now.
Already through the Cubs’ 1-Three begin, reliever Carl Edwards Jr. mentioned he was glad his robust debut occurred Saturday and never ‘‘down the road in a playoff race.’’ Starter Cole Hamels mentioned he’d have a special tackle a collection such because the one in Texas ‘‘if you ask me in the middle of summer or end of September.’’
Yu Darvish discounted his first-start struggles as ‘‘only one start.’’ Infielder David Bote, who made one in every of six errors in an unsightly loss Monday to the Braves, mentioned: ‘‘We’ve acquired 158 to go. We’ll be all proper.’’ Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy mentioned he wasn’t going to get too excessive or too low about his bullpen’s efficiency up to now, though that was the Cubs’ greatest query mark going into the season.
Not one ode to urgency from any of them. And they’re proper.
Maybe the Cubs, who’ve averaged 97 victories the final 4 seasons, will likely be at or close to the highest of the National League Central once more — as they’ve yearly throughout that stretch. Or possibly that is the yr a deeper NL retains them out of the playoffs.
But urgency in March or April gained’t be the distinction. Whether the Cubs did sufficient to enhance their roster through the winter may, together with well being and the efficiency arcs of each getting old veterans and youthful gamers anticipated to enhance.
It’s simple to recommend the Cubs’ fortunes final October have been altered dramatically as a result of they didn’t win another recreation, however absolutely they’d take 95 victories once more this season, proper?
‘‘Yes,’’ supervisor Joe Maddon mentioned final month.
They gained 92 in 2017 and gained the division by six video games.
Epstein spent his strongest language on urgency the day after the Cubs have been eradicated within the wild-card recreation final October, when feelings ran highest and spirits ran lowest.
The language softened with nuanced context all through a difficult winter because the entrance workplace had extra must fill than {dollars} to fill them.
And that’s actually the purpose of all of the organizational introspection because the bitter ending to final season: Ownership didn’t lengthen the payroll sufficient for the entrance workplace so as to add as a lot to the bullpen because it might need, a lot much less an affect hitter.
So what to make of the primary few days?
• The Cubs seemed as dangerous within the subject Monday as they’ve since their inglorious seasons of tanking.
Reality examine: This has been one of many best-fielding groups in baseball the final three seasons, and the identical gamers haven’t all of the sudden became a bunch of Adam Dunns. Unless they’re already urgent as a part of this urgency factor, it’s in all probability the ‘‘anomaly’’ Maddon says it’s.
• The Cubs rank at or close to the underside of the majors in most pitching classes, and the numbers are even worse for the bullpen.
Reality examine: The workers isn’t that dangerous, however whether or not the bullpen is sweet sufficient to win a division, a lot much less a playoff collection, is something however sure and is perhaps essentially the most compelling storyline of the season (together with the Darvish watch).
• The Cubs’ hitters lead the majors in batting common and on-base share and rank third in OPS.
Reality examine: They confronted crappy Rangers pitching in a hitter’s ballpark utilizing a chosen hitter in the primary three video games, and the Braves’ Sean Newcomb wasn’t good Monday. They is perhaps good, however they’re not this…