The Cubs, right now, are losing. Jake Arrieta has allowed three home runs. The Cubs have scored zero runs. The Cubs are trailing the most dysfunctional franchise in baseball, 4-0, in the 4th inning. This is not surprising.
But hey.
That last piece is important.
Earlier today, the Mets lost to the Marlins, falling to possibly just half a game in front of the Phillies ahead of a critical three games in Philadelphia this weekend. Things started well—the Mets had the bases loaded in the top of the first with nobody out. They got bad from there—the Mets did not score that inning, nor did they score for the next four innings, and once they did score, the Marlins answered back within the hour with three runs, some messy (I believe the earlier one was messy as well—it’s hard to keep track with the Mets but someone kicked a ball across the outfield at one point). And I mean, I guess this isn’t surprising either, but it sure is torturous.
This was, yet again, a year when the Mets were supposed to be good. They have arguably the greatest pitcher of all time on their roster. They have three other bona fide aces under contract. They have one of the best shortstops in the game, his best friend at second base (theoretically…injuries), the Home Run Derby champion anchoring the lineup, and hardly anyone of current competence elsewhere in their division. They are a good roster. They have been, at times, a good baseball team. They could still pull things together and make a nice little postseason run. Right now, though, those two first-listed best players are injured and the team as a whole is quite possibly about to fall behind a Phillies team that did the thing where it spent too much on four of the twenty things on its grocery list and had to take out a second mortgage to pay for a few at the end.
So, a question I would like to ask Cubs fans is this: Would you rather be a Cubs fan, and know that while your team has underachieved the last four seasons, it’s on a competent track and there’s little reason to believe the fates hate you; or a Mets fan, and know that God has a personal feud with your soul and is willing to break a lot of his own rules to make your life hell?
I’m taking the former.
