While the Cubs' 2024 season got out to a strong start that saw them sitting a season-high seven games above .500 on May 12, things have spiraled quickly. Since opening the year 24-17, Chicago has played at an abysmal 14-27 clip. That's six and a half weeks of .341 ball that has dropped them to 38-44 -- last place in the National League Central. They're 10.5 games back of the Brewers for the division lead. A four-game deficit in the NL Wild Card race normally wouldn't seem insurmountable, but it's a bit more daunting when a whopping seven teams stand between them and the final Wild Card spot.
There's no shortage of flaws with the current iteration of the Cubs. They're tied for 21st in the majors in home runs, tied for 18th in runs scored and tied for 24th in both batting average and slugging percentage. They've received no production at all from their catchers. On the pitching side, the rotation has had its share of health-related struggles. Justin Steele missed all of April and another start in May. Javier Assad just joined fellow young starters Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks on the injured list. The Cubs' defense has been middle-of-the-pack, at best.
There's one glaring struggle that's plagued them again and again in recent years, however, and one of the driving reasons behind it is easy to see.
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While the Cubs seem to have a repetitive nature, one needs to only look at the Yankees to see the exact same pattern.
Okay, but when do we get this article but for the Angels?
Karma. for giving that much for a coach.
The Cube are not alone, the Bucs follow the same pattern over and over and haven’t won three games in a row since April
The Cubs – like most middling teams with the same FO’s for years – try one approach for a while, then a different one, maybe another one after that – and every once in a while have a miracle year.
Nice that Mr. Hoyer committed to pitching a few years ago, and there has been noticeable improvement in many areas of the Cubs pitching. But then leaks sprang elsewhere and the team is at where it’s at.
The Yankees under Hal/Cashman have been doing the same thing, but they’re a high revenue team so they stay competitive. They make the playoffs, just don’t get to the WS. The Rangers did the same thing for years under Jon Daniels till the owners had enough. The Twins. The Tigers for years. The Reds, Pirates, Giants, Rockies…..and more….just thrashing around playing middling baseball and thanking the Commissioner and team owners for keeping the scam going thanks to the expanded playoff’s…….
“HEY, We finished 2-1/2 games out of the last Wild Card spot and if we only fix this one thing that we were weak in we can get in next year….then anything can happen!”
Happens in all modern day pro sports with such a high percentage of teams making their leagues’ playoffs.
The Cubs front office seems to have some Jeckyll and Hyde qualities. They make some really deft moves while also making some total head scratchers. They are definitely dealing with a self imposed salary cap. But really, lack of spending isn’t what’s holding them back. They have the highest payroll in the division. They just aren’t getting good return on their investments. Some of that is underperformance, but some of that is poor roster construction.
I think these inconsistencies have to be explained by one or more of the following:
1) Jed Hoyer is simply very good at some aspects of the job and very weak at others.
2) There are multiple influential voices within the front office who don’t share a common vision.
3) Ownership is heavy handed on more issues than just payroll and like to occasionally step in and play GM. (then step out and wash their hands of any responsibility).
MLBTR keeps trying the same thing, and it’s not working. You’re a transactions news and analysis site. Not Fangraphs or the Cubs’ SBN site. Bleed Cubbie Blue does a MUCH better job analyzing the team and their stats rather than some national site like you, with some cursory 30k feet view with random stats you find on Fangraphs sprinkled in. There is nothing novel here. Stop this nonsense and stay in your lane.