‘It Just Sucks’: Cubs Live Down to Expectations in Anemic Playoff Exit

To paraphrase the late Dennis Green, the Cubs are who were thought they were. The NL Central champions’ 2020 season is over following consecutive losses to the Miami Marlins in which they scored a total of one run. That gave them 13 games out of 62 in which they scored one or zero runs, or 21% of their total schedule. Not as bad as last year, but it looks a lot worse when you realize that 10 of those instances came in their last 28 games (36%).

It’s difficult, both logically and emotionally, to compare this season to those prior because of the unique circumstances involved. Starting and stopping, playing 102 fewer games, and following COVID-19 safety protocols created an environment unlike…