Just a friendly reminder that the season doesn't hang on this series with the Phillies. We weren't saved by the sweep of the Nationals. The next three games won't be a reliable litmus test of whether or not the Cubs are back (it's been a long time since they were here, by the way, hence the 101 years and counting theme).
We tend to judge by microcosms, and it kills us. Look, the Cubs are still essentially a .500 team prone to streaks good and bad. Until the Cubs put together a month of good baseball or a month of terrible baseball, they're almost impossible to judge. The players have been playing below their career stats, so we'd be ill-informed to judge them on their lowest lows. But the season of mediocrity is now over half done, so we can't allow a few games (or even a few series) to overturn 3 1/2 months of evidence, either.
Be patient, Cub fans. Enjoy (or despise) each win and loss as it comes. Then pause to evaluate when you have a sample large enough to be reliable.
Or . . . just stick with the hopeful ignorance that is my life and assume this is the year. That's always fun, right up until the dreadful moment when reality and mathematics confirm you were wrong.
Go Cubs.
