Impossible not to call these lovable losers a team of destiny
We love to throw around the word "destiny" in sports. A team of destiny, we say.
If you could look up "team of destiny" in a sports dictionary, you'd be staring at a picture of the 2015 Chicago Cubs.
Of course, the Cubbies have teased their long-suffering fans before. It's been generations since the club has won a World Series (1908) or even been to one (1945). But this team is doing everything possible to turn naysayers into believers by doing things that haven't been done by a Cubs team in decades.
For instance, Tuesday's 8-5 win over the San Francisco Giants was the Cubs' 21st win in their last 25 games, a stretch so good that it hasn't been done by a Cubs team since 1938, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Via @EliasSports: #Cubs have won 21 of last 25 for 1st time since 1938 (lost in World Series to NYY), 1st team to do it at all since '13 LAD
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) August 26, 2015
Here are other team and individual accomplishments that lend credence to the Cubbies being a team of destiny:
* Last weekend's four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves was Chicago's fourth four-game sweep of the season, last done in 1945, the last time the Cubs played in a World Series.
#Cubs: 4th 4-game sweep of the season (vs NYM, @ MIL, vs SF, vs ATL) First time with four 4+ game sweeps in season since they had 4 in 1945
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) August 23, 2015
* With his three-run homer Tuesday night, rookie Kyle Schwarber is the first Cubs player in the modern era (since 1900) to hit 12 home runs in his first 42 games of his career, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
* Pitcher Jake Arrieta not only became the first pitcher in baseball to win 16 games this season Tuesday night, he also became the first Cubs pitcher win eight straight road decisions in 21 years, acccording to Elias.
@ESPNStatsInfo @EliasSports Steve "the human rain delay" Traschel
— Fire Tom McCarthy (@JustinRSisholtz) August 26, 2015
* With his walk-off homer on Monday, rookie Kris Bryant became the first Cubs player ever to hit multiple walk-off home runs in his rookie season, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
* The Cubs are threatening to become the first team in MLB history to make the postseason while playing four rookies regularly at different positions, according to Baseball Prospectus writer Scott Lindholm. Of course, baseball's expanded playoffs has made that a bit easier to do, but it would still be a remarkable accomplishment.
(h/t CBS Chicago)
