Cubs Recent Play Really Testing My Narratives

After this past weekend and in the wake of last night’s game, I’ve had the rethink a few things, hard.

I have been enjoying watching this young bunch over the past month or so, and I have even been busy selling the Cubs as a fun watch.

Yet, the Cubs have really pushed that premise to it’s limits during this current stretch. They have been pretty awful in all three phases of the game of late. It has actually been kinda hard to watch.

I’m also starting to slow down my “Chris Bosio is the new Dave Duncan” narrative. Bosio has had some really good success turning some pitchers around for the Cubs, most notably Jake Arrieta. It now appears it may be entirely possible that Bosio may not be able to reclamate every young pitcher the Cubs get their hands on.

It is still very early, yet, Jacob Turner has had some ugly moments so far in a Cubs uniform. Ugly enough to understand why he was made available in the first place.

Meanwhile, I was able to clearly witness why the Cubs brass kept asking for Marcus Stroman during the Jeff Samardzija-to-Toronto talks.

Stroman may look like the mini linebacker gaffe on Madden NFL 15 but last night he looked a lot more like Greg Maddux. Stroman made it seem easy, throwing only 93 pitches against the Cubs, 66 for strikes.

“He got ahead of us with a first-pitch strike, which is huge, and he had the leverage to go anywhere he wanted,” Chris Valaika told Jamie Ross. “He got some quick outs and it gave him the chance to pitch deep in the game.”

Stroman (10-5) struck out eight while walking none. He is now 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his past three starts. Chicago have now been shut out 15th times this season, second in the NL behind San Diego’s 18.

“He’s got a really good arm,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of Stroman.

Turner, on the other hand, allowed five runs (four earned) over six innings. He struck out two and allowed seven hits, including a three-run blast to Jose Bautista in the fifth.

Of course, Turner is only 23, and he has also had some good moments in his brief stint with the Cubs. I’ve still got faith in Dr. Bosio to help this young pitcher around into something valuable for the Cubs in the long run.

Meanwhile, I hope something or someone can revive this lifeless bunch back to the fun watch they were recently.

They are making both of us look bad.