June 22, 2014: Losing Stinks

Another day and another loss… times 2.  Both baseball teams do it again, and both lose on the same day.  I would like to break that down over the seasons:  how many times both teams have lost on the same day vs how many times they’ve both won.  I’m thinking the losing outnumbers the winning by a long shot, although I’m sure split days probably are the most common.  With 1 World Series title in about 203 years, we should be used to it.

Shouldn’t we have better odds at winning a World Series title than most cities?  We have 2 teams for God’s sake.  New York has got 2 teams, but they are carried by one of them.  The Yankees with 27 World Championships are far and away the best, although the Mets have kicked in 2 over the years.  Yes, we have a combined 5 titles over the years, but only 1 that anybody can remember.  The Cubs with 2… back to back actually in 1907 and 1908, have made 10 World Series appearances.  With a 2-8 record on that stage, they have the worst winning percentage of any team that has won one.  The Sox have made 5, and sit at 3-2… not bad.  Although 1 in 97 years isn’t very good, it’s still better than the Cubs.

Los Angeles has 2 teams, but again, only one of them has carried that city.  The Dodgers have won 6, while the Angels have kicked in 1 over the years.  The Bay Area, which I’ll consider as one city for the purpose of this blog, has a combined 16 World Series titles.  7 by the Giants and 9 by the A’s show a winning pedigree.  With 11 and 8 respectively, the Cardinals and the Red Sox round out the top all-time series winners.  The Cardinals will have a hate file all to themselves one day, while the Red Sox have overcome their “curse”, and have won 3 recent titles.  What’s wrong with us?

Before 2005, the last World Series appearances for the Cubs and Sox were 1945 and 1959 respectively.  We almost had to wait 50 years just to GET to the series.  I’m sure there a plenty of people who remember those series’ losses, and I’m sure it was painful.  Little did they know they’d have to wait so long before there was another shot…. little did they know they’d STILL be waiting for the Cubs to get back there.

Sox fans should definitely be happy to have one in 2005, and should cherish that one forever.  I can’t wait for the Cubs to get back there and win.  I know it will happen in my lifetime… well, at least my son’s lifetime.  I’m glad at least they won at some point in their history.  Having 2, even though it was 106 years ago, is better than none for a franchise.  The Padres, Rangers, Rockies, Astros, Brewers, Rays, Nationals, and Mariners all have yet to taste the ultimate victory.  But let’s remember, the Cubs were founded in 1871… the oldest team out of that group was founded in 1961.  So we’ve had a head start of about 90 years to get our 2 World Series titles… but what does that really matter to me if I didn’t see it?
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Being a Cub fan you have to endure plenty of losing.  You never get used to it, at least I don’t, but you can’t get too down.  With 197 in the past 2 seasons alone, you can’t let every loss sink you.  Although it does stink, you keep watching for those wins.  You keep watching for that ultimate win.  NOT being a Cub fan any more because of the losing is NOT an option.  This is my team.  I just can’t stop being a fan because they are history’s biggest losers.  I guess a lot of people have.

Do I blame them for picking another team to root for when your team never wins?  Yes.  I guess I understand a little bit… enduring loss after loss… enduring a huge meltdown when you get so close, a la 1984 and 2003.  Maybe people just threw in the hat then.  Maybe they gave up in 1969 when they blew the huge lead late in the season.  At what point do you just stop rooting for your team?

For me, there isn’t one.  Regardless of the losses, the tough ones, the ownership change, the constant cycle of managers and players, I will always be a Cub fan.  I couldn’t be a fan of any other team the way I am a fan of the Cubs.  They are MY team.  Yes, there will be plenty more losses in the future, and maybe some more tough ones, but I’ll keep on.  I’ll keep on waiting for that day.  I hope I see it.  That will make all of these losses worth it.