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A Summary of the Cubs 2021 Season



 The 2021 season for the Cubs was a disappointing and saddening season. First, the Cubs missed the playoffs BY A LOT. Cubs fans have been used to 91 wins, but 91 LOSSES? The last time the Cubs did not have an over .500 record was in 2014, the last time they have lost 91 games was in 2011, with the exact same standings: 71-91. So...yes, Cubs fans have been spoiled with winning games and making the playoffs (Cubs reached the playoffs 5 out of the 7 past years), but it is still disappointing.

The Cubs started the year a little below even: April they were 11-15. Ok, so not great, but still hope. But in May, the Cubs were 19-8, bringing them up to 1st place in NL Central with a 30-23 record. Wow! I must admit I was pretty excited, the Cubs being in first place, and there was playoff hopes...anyway.

 Then June came...the Cubs still looked good in the beginning of June, even throwing a no-hitter!, but then came an 11 game losing streak, and the Cubs dropped to 4th place with a 42-44 on July 6th.

 This was a losing streak the Cubs never recovered from, going 9-16 in July, and a 51-55 on the year. This was just a beginning of the Cubs woes, as they suffered a 12 game losing streak in the beginning of August, and went 7-20 in August, and 58-75 total. 

September and the couple games in October didn't go too badly, as the remaining group sort of developing a rhythm, going 13-16 for those games. Thus ended the season that included high hopes and a 1st place ranking, to discouraging losing streaks, ending 4th place with a 71-91 ranking. Not what I wanted, but...maybe next year? (wishful Cubs fan thinking).

But the crazy year for the Cubs did not stop there. Yes, the long foreseen departure of the Cubs core group- Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo, along with a few other players- Kimbrel, Tepera, Chafin, Williams, Marisnick, and Pederson, actually happened. 

Cubs fans, (including me), were somewhat devastated and distraught. Understandably so, (wasn't it Bryzzo who made the final out in the 2016 World Series?),  but the Cubs front office thought it necessary, and I have begin to believe it worked out better in the long run for the Cubs. 

Yes, Baez, the great Cubs icon is playing with his friend Lindor on the Mets...(will he stay?), and Bryant is playoff bound with the unexpected Giants, and Rizzo may or may not stay with the seemingly doomed Yankees.

And Schwarber and Lester, who signed with other teams in the offseason? Both in the playoffs: Schwarber with the Red Sox and Lester with the CARDINALS?(That doesn't seem right...)

But the Cubs got some good prospects, always a good thing to have on hand for the future, and claimed Schwindel (don't get me started on him!)on waivers from the Athletics. And don't forget about Ortega, who signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in the beginning of the year, and got to play outfield on a regular basis for the Cubs (and end up being a really good player!)

And Wisdom, who also signed a minor league deal with the Cubs, and end up being able to hit a TON of homeruns (even breaking Bryant's rookie record), and also a lot of strikeouts...anyway, he was a big surprise, and you got to like his midseason mustache...

So, the Cubs traded away most of their "stars" and got some 30 year olds to play like stars for the rest of the season. Here is the difference between the Cubs Opening Day lineup, and the last day lineup.
Opening Day lineup:
  1. Ian Happ – CF
  2. Willson Contreras – C
  3. Anthony Rizzo – 1B
  4. Kris Bryant – 3B
  5. Joc Pederson – LF
  6. Javier Baez – SS
  7. Jason Heyward – RF
  8. David Bote – 2B
  9. Kyle Hendricks – P
Last Day Lineup

  1. Rafael Ortega – CF
  2. Frank Schwindel – 1B
  3. Ian Happ – LF
  4. Matt Duffy – 3B
  5. Trayce Thompson – RF
  6. Sergio Alcantara – SS
  7. Trent Giambrone – 2B
  8. Erick Castillo – C
  9. Alec Mills – P
Just a little difference? Ian Happ is the only person in both lineups!    
I seems to me that one of the Cubs big problems this year was pitching. Kyle Hendricks struggled at first, then settled down for awhile, then at the end of the year was struggling again. Alec Mills followed Hendricks pattern pretty closely too. Davies and Arrieta were complete disasters, Arrieta having a 6.11 (!) ERA before being DFA'd by the Cubs.
 
Alzolay, Thompson and Steele, considered potential rotation options, were all dominant in the bullpen, but all struggled somewhat in the rotation.

The bullpen was very strong, with Chafin, Tepera, and Kimbrel leading the way, but of course they were traded and the Cubs went through a bunch of different guys.
The Cubs scored a total of 705 runs, which is only 1 less than the playoff-bound Cardinals, and 6 less than the Yankees, who made the playoffs but lost the the Red Sox.

 The problem clearly was not offense this year, though some help still could be used, it
 was pitching. The Cubs allowed 839 runs, which was 2nd worst in NL, and 3rd worst overall. Combined starting pitching ERA is 5.27. SOUNDS LIKE THE CUBS NEED SOME PITCHING HELP, hint hint.

But, through all the troubles of the year, the Cubs set some records (some good, some bad), and they did throw a no-hitter!
  • The Cubs used a club record of using 69(!) different players this year
  • Of those 69 players, 44 made their Cubs debut this year.
  • 15 of the 69 made their MLB debut.
  • Only 3 players remain on the roster from 2016: Heyward, Contreras, and Hendricks.
  • Wisdom broke Bryant's rookie homerun number with 28 homeruns.(Bryant's was 26)
  • 153 was Wisdom's strikeout total in 375 plate appearances across 106 games. His 40.8 percent strikeout rate was the highest in the majors, minimum 300 plate appearances. His strikeout total would project to an MLB record (245) over 600 plate appearances over a full season.
  • The Cubs used a record of 9 different catchers this year: Willson Contreras, Tony Wolters, Austin Romine, P.J. Higgins, Jose Lobaton, Robinson Chirinos, Taylor Gushue, Erick Castillo and Tyler Payne.
  • Cubs got the 7th draft pick for the 2022 draft.
So, what can we learn from this wild year
  1. Cubs fans should not give up, but still be devoted to the team. (Surely it can't be too long before the Cubs do well again)
  2. THE CUBS NEED BETTER PITCHERS. We'll discuss this in more detail in the next article.
  3. Cubs need consistent players who can lock down a spot in 2022. Seriously, we cannot be using 69 more players next year
  4. 2022 WILL be different. I feel it in my bones...at least hopefully it will.
Still a true Cubs fan? Time to get some Cubs themed shirts!

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