Chicago Cubs baseball is finally back!

Summer is starting to feel slightly more normal now that the Chicago Cubs are back on the field, even if no one can go the friendly confines to catch the game. The regular season has been reduced by 102 games. Make no mistake, this a great thing for the Chicago Cubs.

 Fewer road games for the Cubbies.

Sure, they had their funny road trip themes, but that fun did not translate to the field. Maybe if the team spent more time focusing on the game instead of their road trip theme, they would have fared better. To be fair, baseball is one of those superstitious sports. Maybe dressing like teammates, Easy Rider, or Anchorman was a fun way to distract from the stress of travel.

Dressing up might sound like fun, but leaving Chicago, and its non-floppy pizza, becomes harder when you actually have to think about what to wear. Don’t assume these superstars do their own shopping either; former Cub Chris Coghlan told reporters, “My wife still has to buy my white tank top today” prior to a 2016 road trip.

Anthony Rizzo once just dressed game ready for a one day trip. Jersey, pants, socks, and even his cleats. He donned eye black so everyone knew he was serious. The move was utilitarian for the fun-loving Rizzo. He appeared extra dedicated compared to the nonchalant look of his teammates’.

It’s unclear if the new manager, David Ross, will continue these themed road trips, but let’s hope that he starts a new tradition of playing well on the road. Last year the Cubbies were 33-48 outside of Wrigley, tallying up eighteen more losses on the road than at home. This was part of their fall from grace that led them to miss the playoffs.

Luckily, with the shorter season, the Cubs only have to play 30 games away from Wrigley. The furthest away game destination they have is in Kansas City. During a typical season, the Cubs would venture all over the US. Their longest road trip is eleven days featuring three 3-game series in Detroit, Cincinnati, and Pittsburg.

The Cubs will just focus on baseball in 2020

Maybe Anthony Rizzo had a point. Focus more on baseball, less on dressing up. Be game ready all the time. Dressed to the nines (does that count as a pun?) with armbands, batting gloves, and knee-high socks.

We might not see any whacky movie-themed costumes for the 2020 season. Still, it’s an awesome feeling to be able to see baseball on television once again. So far, the Cubs have won the first two road games of the season in Cincinnati. If they do pick a theme, maybe they should pick Rookie of the Year or Back to the Future II, both movies that have the Cubs winning a World Series…

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