\u2018Twas the night before Cub Christmas, and in 2025
The Cubs won 92, hooray! Playoff hope came alive
But the Brewers ended that dream on October 11.
We\u2019re all waiting. C\u2019mon, Jed, bring us to baseball heaven.<\/p>\n
Tokyo was where the \u201825 Cubs season began In the very first game in the A\u2019s temporary park The Cubs kept on winning and took over first place Meanwhile the same Dodgers who took two in Tokyo Two new Cubs helped the team set the early pace The Cubs kept the lead in the NL Central into May Winning kept going, and by the beginning of June On a holiday Friday at the ol\u2019 ballyard The Cubs held first place into the All-Star break But while the Cubs managed to stay well over And so the Cubs fell out of first place But it wasn\u2019t enough. Milwaukee soared above Earth The Cubs clinched a postseason place in Pitt<\/a> The Padres, a team that had once defeated our faves The Brewers were next, a division series beckoned But the big Wrigley crowds then came to a roar Despite the October disappointment, there came some hardware<\/a> Nine years have passed since the World Series<\/a> win As the offseason started, Jed Hoyer was panned Sh\u014dta decided to take the team\u2019s qualifying offer<\/a> Michael and Seiya took big steps forward What\u2019s still up in the air as we approach \u201826 And some other young Cubs could make an impact There is still time to get guys who hit base knocks
It was a very nice trip<\/a>, but no wins came in Japan.
After some more spring games and a split with the D-backs
In West Sacramento they went on the attack<\/p>\n
A rare event happened, ending long after dark
Carson Kelly hit for the cycle<\/a>, finishing with a triple
It certainly made much more than a ripple.<\/p>\n
It seemed that it might be a good pennant race
In April at Wrigley the D-backs scored 10 in one inning
Didn\u2019t matter. The Cubs ended up winning!<\/a><\/p>\n
Fell to the Cubs four of five times on American soil
Pete Crow-Armstrong was beginning a coming-out party
10-for-19 with four homers in those wins \u2014 pretty hearty!<\/p>\n
Kyle Tucker and Matthew Boyd both knew their place
\u201cKing Tuck\u201d hit homers and there were paper crowns for him
Boyd picked off baserunners at a near-record clip<\/p>\n
But reliever Ryan Pressly \u2014 man, he had a bad day
A 5 to 5 tie into extras against San Francisco
Pressly turned that into nine for the visitors<\/a> \u2014 fans wanted him to go<\/p>\n
The Cubs led the division by five games, quite the tune
After a win over Milwaukee on June 17<\/a>
6.5 games in front in the Central. What would this mean?<\/p>\n
Eight baseballs were hit by Cubs really, really hard
Busch (thrice), PCA (twice), Seiya, Dansby and Carson
A team-record eight home runs off the Cards<\/a> \u2014 now THAT was fun!<\/p>\n
PCA and Tucker went to Atlanta to stake
Cubs places on the NL All-Star team
Matthew Boyd joined them and everyone beamed<\/p>\n
The .500 mark, the Brewers were hover\u2026
\u2026 ing closer and closer, as they won and won and won
Two long winning streaks, they did get done<\/p>\n
By the end of July. And the next month brought
The Brewers to Wrigley. The Cubs kept pace
The series they won, three to two, \u2018twas hard fought<\/p>\n
And the Cubs were relegated to a wild card berth
But one Cubs player got very, very, very hot
Cade Horton\u2019s great second half really hit the spot<\/p>\n
First since 2018, they did it with grit
And good pitching, both from starters and pen
Some games in October! Let\u2019s do it again!<\/p>\n
Years ago in a playoff series, was the wild-card opponent
A hard-fought set with few runs crossing the plate
Was won by the Cubs, an electric Wrigley moment<\/a><\/p>\n
With what result would the Cubs have to reckon?
Pitching blew up, though, in the first two games
Sh\u014dta Imanaga gave up two homers \u2014 not good for fame<\/p>\n
And the Cubs shut the Brewers down in Games 3 and 4.
One game, then, in Milwaukee to get it done
Unfortunately, the Cubs lost, scoring only one run<\/p>\n
For Happ\u2019s play in left field, good fielding with care
A fourth straight Gold Glove, and there were two more
Nico won, so did PCA, catches made flying through air<\/a><\/p>\n
(\u201cBetter than 108,\u201d I thought with a grin.)
It\u2019s time for Tom and Jed to realize what they\u2019re leading
A team that should be in place for succeeding.<\/p>\n
Behind the scenes, did he have some sort of plan?
Just a handful of relievers have come the team\u2019s way
Hey Jed! Do you have anything more to say?<\/p>\n
Now he, Jamo and Cade need help so the rotation won\u2019t suffer
PCA had a 30-30 season, a great accomplishment
He slumped in the second half, for whatever that meant<\/p>\n
Thirty-plus homers each, I bet you heard
About that. Those hitters can anchor a lineup
With power galore\u2026 if they get help behind \u2018em<\/p>\n
Is whether youngsters Palencia, Brown, Hodge and Wicks
Can solidify manager Counsell\u2019s circle of trust
And make sure Cubs late-inning leads don\u2019t go bust<\/p>\n
Some of them could have very big bats
Alc\u00e1ntara, Amaya, Ballesteros, Caissie
They all deserve more than just a look-see<\/p>\n
And thus bring winning themes to Addison & Clark
Put together a winner, and please make it come soon
C\u2019mon, Jed, sign Tatsuya Imai<\/a>. It won\u2019t cost the moon.<\/p>\n