The Chicago Cubs dropped their Saturday evening tilt with the Chicago White Sox, but still clinched the National League Central title. They were able to do so with a St Louis Cardinals loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
While most that follow baseball understand the magic number and how it works, I don’t think many understand how the Cardinals entered the night in second place, yet the third place Cincinnati Reds had clinched a playoff spot and they had not. This is weird, and I cannot recall anything similar ever happening, but due to the number of games the Cardinals have missed due to COVID, their winning percentage puts them above the Reds but they had played less games playing tricks in the standings.
Saturday night’s game against the White Sox started out promising. With the Cubs routinely putting the ball into play, the Sox put on an awful display of defense which eventually allowed Kris Bryant to score after an errant throw from Nick Madrigal sailed past Jose Abreu. Abreu had a very tough defensive night, missing a pop-up on the infield as well as some dicey plays at first.
Later, the Cubs were able to load the bases, and after Jason Heyward struck out (thanks Angel Hernandez), Kris Bryant came to the plate.
Bryant took that cement mixer over the left field wall putting the Cubs up 5-2 and continuing a nice night for him personally.
Jon Lester’s last stand
The bad defense bug didn’t just hurry the Sox, in the bottom of the fourth, that bug hit two of the most unsuspecting players in the field. To lead off the inning, Madrigal popped a ball up that seemed like a routine fly ball. Well, with the wind Saturday (if you live in the Chicago-land area you’ve seen it Saturday night) the ball seemingly died in the air and fell in front of Heyward and just beyond Jason Kipinis.
That started a hellish inning that seemed to not want to end.
Later in that inning, there was a ground ball to Cubs shortstop, Javier Baez. As Baez charged it seemed that he wanted to make an attempt at the runner at home, then last second changed his mind to throw to first. The hesitation not only allowed the runner to score, but the batter to reach first.
The two errors, even if they weren’t noted as such, really cost the Cubs the game and may have sent Jon Lester into retirement (maybe) on an incredible sour note. Perhaps the biggest free agency signing in Cubs history (Chicago history? Maybe only Marian Hossa can top Lester?) Would go out giving up seven runs and not even complete four innings.
As Lester walked off the field you could see the emotion in his face. If this was your last start, I want to publicly thank you for a great run in Chicago. Three NL Central titles, five playoff appearances, three (maybe more) NLCS appearances, and a World Series. This truly had been the glory years. Thank you.
Jon Lester: "You can put me on the moon for all I care. I just compete, man. That's all I care about, competing. I thrive off competing."
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) September 27, 2020
Kris doesn’t give a sh–
Bryant had a good game tonight and I believe he earned the opportunity to blow off a little steam. As you can read in a previous post, this bad mutha is a former MVP that had continued to compete, put all he’s got on the field, put up numbers, but all fans do is shit on him. So when he has a good game, when he does the things the critics (who don’t know shit about the game) criticizes him, well… He doesn’t give a shit.
Kris Bryant on social media criticism he receives: "I don't give a shit."
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) September 27, 2020
He backed that up and repeated it, “I don’t give a shit.”
Kris Bryant asked about the criticism he takes says he can go 4-for-4 and people will still complain. Then ends it with, "I don't give a shit. How's that?"
— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) September 27, 2020
It’s strange cause Bryant is a very clean kinda dude. Wholesome, nice, sense like the type that would walk the elderly lady across the street. So when he curses, I feel you have to take notice, like Jesse Rogers.
Might be the first or second time I've heard Kris Bryant curse. Let alone on a zoom! https://t.co/8hLl6abkzp
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) September 27, 2020
This is so uncanny as recently I’ve spoke with someone close to Bryant and that’s exactly the advice they’ve given him, don’t care what the media or other’s are saying.
And he shouldn’t!
He’s doing something those who are critical of him couldn’t do in a million years. They don’t know what’s going on, they don’t understand what it takes to be a professional athlete, they don’t understand there’s another professional – often brought in with the sole purpose of getting him out – on the other side.
David Ross was asked about Bryant and the season he’s had and the unfair criticism he’s received online. Sounds like Rossy doesn’t give a shit about Twitter either…
David Ross: "This is a former MVP… This guy wants to do well for this organization. He’s done nothing but be a model citizen and a great player since he’s been here…I don’t search through twitter to find out what people are saying about Kris Bryant. I don’t care.”
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) September 27, 2020
The worst part of society today is social media and the fact that seemingly everyone has a voice (ironic since this blog doesn’t really work without social media). I love freedom of speech, I truly do. As a Marine, to me, freedom of speech is the foundation of our country and what truly set it apart from other “free” nations. But when it comes to social media… Maybe not everyone needs a voice.
So I’m glad Kris called out Twitter-verse for what it is. He shouldn’t care what is spread around by chickens who are afraid to put their name on their comments.
