For context on the quandary that is the Cubs bullpen, consider that the defending World Series champion Astros closed out their two most important games last season without a pitcher whose primary purpose was to get the final three outs.
Lance McCullers Jr. threw four shutout innings to finish off the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. Charlie Morton staked his claim to baseball immortality by giving up one run over the final four innings against the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series. Neither McCullers nor Morton, trusted members of the Astros rotation, has a regular-season save in 15 combined major-league seasons.
But if you insist on finding an example of a pennant contender that entered late September without an established closer, lest anybody in Chicago forget reliever Bobby Jenks of the White Sox. At least nobody on the South Side ever will. Jenks played a major role in the Sox celebrating a World Series title in 2005, but as of Sept. 15 that season, the rookie right-hander had registered exactly two saves. Jenks emerged late by necessity more than design. An injury provided Jenks an opportunity and he seized it, perhaps the way somebody in the Cubs bullpen will over the next few weeks.
That's the best way for the Cubs to view the situation Manager Joe Maddon created Thursday in Washington. In a move that was as avoidable as it was regrettable, Maddon not only sent closer Pedro Strop to the plate in the 10th inning against the Nationals but allowed him to swing instead of stand statuesque with the bat on his shoulder. That exposed an underrated relief pitcher who had converted 11 of 13 save situations since mid-July to unnecessary risk; Strop hadn't batted since May 28 and had only four plate appearances in 10 major-league seasons. Relief pitchers who try to imitate sprinters during rare dashes down the first-base line only ask for trouble.
Not surprisingly, Strop suffered a left hamstring injury trying to beat out a double-play ground ball, and his absence will extend through the regular season, costing the Cubs their second closer this season. If the Cubs had not ended the so-called curse two years ago, surely you would see goats wandering Wrigleyville this weekend bemoaning Strop's bad karma.
As a result, Maddon skeptics resumed doubting the smarts of the manager deciding what reliever to use even more than the skills of the pitchers being asked to get the final three outs. The Cubs won Thursday's makeup game 4-3 in 10 innings thanks to an MVP effort from Javier Baez, but the Tribune headline could have read: "Cubs survive Nationals, Maddon."
It might have been Maddon's most dubious tactical performance since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series as enough of his moves malfunctioned to make the Cubs computer system, Ivy, require a reboot. Maddon pulled starter Mike Montgomery after he gave up three hits in four-plus innings. He pinch hit slumping Willson Contreras for hot-hitting Victor Caratini, who drove in seven runs in the previous five games. He let Strop hit with the bases loaded and one out despite having historically good pinch hitter Tommy La Stella available. He put himself in the position of needing Strop to pitch the 10th because he went to the bullpen too early when he pulled Montgomery after just 62 pitches, reinforcing local perception that Maddon selects wines much better than he picks relievers.
Even good managers such as Maddon have bad days, and this was one of his worst in the Cubs dugout. That doesn't necessarily make Maddon unfit for the playoffs or unworthy of a contract extension in the offseason. But it did make confidence in some parts of Cubdom dip like Ian Happ's batting average because of a lack of faith in Maddon to shrewdly maneuver a bullpen full of guys unaccustomed to pitching the ninth inning.
The Cubs still can be better for having endured 29 scheduled games in 30 days if they wake up Thursday, at the end of the mentally and physically grueling stretch, still in first place with the ability to refresh. They still can win the National League Central, and even the pennant in a weak NL, with Strop and Morrow playing limited roles -- or no role at all -- if a dangerous lineup gets hot again.
Granted, winning the World Series without either closer against the American League champion seems a bit quixotic, but stranger things have happened in baseball -- as recently as 11 months ago.
A Cubs fan still can trust history, if little else at the moment.
Sports on 09/15/2018