Wrigley Falls

I think every baseball fan rooted for the Cubs with the exception of White Sox fans and division rivals. The Cubbies and the Red Sox had pretty equal length droughts. But where the Sox were loud, red-faced, angry drunks, the Cubs had an “aww shucks” kind of attitude. But now that they won a World Series they’re not the Loveable Losers, they’re just losers. 

After a short stint in first place, the Cubs are blowing it up. If Twitters to be believed, they’ve had preliminary talks of trading Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Hendricks, Craig Kimbrel, Javy Baez, Wilson Contreras, and Zach Davies. Plus they’ve already traded Andrew Chafin and Joc Pederson. 

I can’t say I blame them. It’s probably better to trade early than it is late. According to MLB.com, they have four prospects in the Top 100. But they’re not as attractive as the Chicago prospects of old. Like during their World Series run when they had Eloy Jiminez, Dylan Cease, Gleyber Torres, and Wilson Contreras waiting in the wings. Which of course they mostly gave up for Jose Quintana and half a season of Aroldis Chapman. 

It’s just crazy to me. Do you understand how young they were when they won a World Series? Kris Bryant 24, Anthony Rizzo 26, Javy Baez 23, Addison Russell 22, Kyle Schwarber 23, Kyle Hendricks 26. I swore that they were going to run the league for the next decade.

I’m a Yankees fan and I’m in a groupchat with a Mets and Sox fan. I know it sounds like a setup for a bad joke, but we talk baseball every day. Do you know how insufferable one of us would be if any of our teams won with a core group of guys that young? I thought we were on the precipice of witnessing baseball’s next dynasty. 

Was it all worth it? Of course, they won a World Series. To Cubs fans, I’m sorry. Try and find some solace in the old Facebook status adage, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” It just goes to show how strange baseball is. It’s sad to see it play out in real time. Reminiscent of the Thanos meme. Because for the Cubs, Rome WAS built in a day, and it lasted just as long.