Et tu, Sporting News?
I kid. I’m not actually much of one for jinxes and curses, so Sports Illustrated’s recent cover didn’t bother me, and a pick from the Sporting News doesn’t bother me either.
In short, the Sporting News has picked the Cubs to win the World Series in 2015, and they mean it for realsies (and probably for a little attention). In short, they like the Cubs’ rotational depth and bullpen strength, and they like the upside that the youthful offense offers, especially after Kris Bryant enters the mix. Throw in Joe Maddon, and it’s a good-looking team. I totally agree, even as I’d point out that they probably have 90-loss downside in addition to World Series upside.
Does it bother you when publications pick the Cubs to do well or to win it all? Is that tempting fate? Or is it just cool to have folks talking about the Cubs?
I land mostly on the latter, though you have to take the good with the bad: all the attention heaped on the Cubs lately is going to mean some heavy, and irrational, negative attention heaped on them at the national level (to say nothing of local) if the Cubs struggle out of the gate. Further, it’s going to mean heavy, and irrational, positive attention if the Cubs have a hot streak to start the year.
Whatever the case, you’ll have to try and keep your grounding, regardless of what Sporting News – or ESPN or CBS or whoever – is saying about the team. The Cubs have a nice core, a great manager and coaching staff, a thoughtful and productive front office, and a whole lot of upside. But there will be valleys along with the peaks, probably moreso in 2015 than in 2016 and beyond.