Joe published a Bryce Harper what-if earlier this afternoon, and it was kind of depressing, so let’s do a…well I guess this one’s depressing too. But, I don’t know, a little more would’ve-helped?
In 2017, if you’ll recall, the Cubs played a knock-down, drag-out NLDS against the Nationals that left Wade Davis’s arm on life support heading into a best-of-seven set with one of the two best teams in baseball. Game 5 was one of the wildest baseball games I have ever watched hammered in a chicken costume, and possibly the wildest baseball game I have ever watched even not hammered and not in a chicken costume.
Well, it didn’t have to be that way. Game 5 was not necessary.
The Cubs were leading the series, 1-0. They were leading Game 2, 3-1. Then, this happened:
Massive home run, right? Was bigger in person. Much bigger in person. I have never seen a home run like that home run in person.
We were in center field. We were giddy. It looked like the Cubs, who’d come on hot over the back half of the regular season, were going to put the Nationals away. Then, Bryce Harper did that. Let’s watch it again.
I mean he smoked that ball.
You want a good what-if? Say Harper doesn’t hit that home run. Say the Cubs put the Nats away rather easily. Say the Cubs enter the NLCS with Wade Davis in fine shape. They’re still probably underdogs against the Dodgers, but there’s at least a chance there. There’s at least a chance of getting through against the team they’d beaten the year before. And then, the Astros? Again, underdogs, but a chance. And maybe even just putting up a fight against the Dodgers would’ve changed the narrative. Maybe Chili Davis wouldn’t have come in. Maybe we’d all still be happy.
Sorry for bringing this up, Carl Edwards Jr.
