At the time of writing this post, we are two hours from watching the Chicago Cubs kick off the 2021 MLB season. So many unknowns, once again.
Normally, those unknowns are only things like which pitchers will have a break out season, which players will avoid breaking and stay off the injured list, which players will crush breaking balls, which players will represent our favorite team at the All-Star break and which players will we fear losing or dream of adding to the club around that same time of the season. You want to be winners and you want to be buyers. You want to be able to buy a ticket and attend the game and you want to know your team is going all the way, or at least believe its a great possibility.
You also want to know that your favorite players will be around for the long haul and that’s where we stand as we enter the 2021 Chicago Cubs season. You look around the league and while you hear of news of openers being canceled due to weather or worse yet, in the Mets/Nationals case due to COVID, you also see news of huge signings such as Francisco Lindor to the Mets for 10 years/$341 Million. Then you look at your own ballclub and think, wow, my guys did a great job of avoiding a COVID issue last year – I hope that’s the case for 2021 and no new players or player’s families take a stance about vaccines that could upset the possibility of my team doing the right thing and making it through the entire season to a division title again and possibly more. Also, you look at your own ballclub and think – hey, the family that owns my favorite team has the ability (I think) to get creative and find a way to keep our favorite stars, especially those in the core – Baez, Contreras, Bryant, Rizzo – so why aren’t we celebrating news of at least one of them putting ink to paper to stay long term as well?
Then it’s hard to set those thoughts aside and focus on the here and now. No extensions have been agreed to (yet) but on the other hand, no weather or COVID issues either (yet) so that’s a win. And our guys are back at Wrigley – the best stadium in baseball, wearing the best uniform in baseball, playing for the best fans in baseball and today against one of the worst teams in baseball – so that too should result in a win. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to try and focus on the ‘positives’ of the day (testing negative but the good news, that is) and hope that Rizzo and our core put up numbers in 2021 that follow the great comedian Steve Martin’s model: BE SO GOOD, THEY CAN’T IGNORE YOU and put the organization in the toughest position possible.
And on an even brighter side – it’s 2021 and fans can attend the games which puts us in a great position. Fellow Cubs fans, be safe, have fun and enjoy the game today. Opening Day, baby. LET’S GO CUBBIES.
Prose and Ivy 