History channeled: Less beer and chicken but same pain for Cubs who remember Red Sox fall

A fan taunts the Red Sox during the final series of their historic 2011 collapse. | Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Theo Epstein smiled slightly at the question Wednesday, the day the Cubs were later eliminated from contention after an eight-game tailspin.

Ever had a year like this before?

“I’ve been through some tough stretches, yeah,” the Cubs’ team president said.

At least this one didn’t come with its own name for the history books.

It’s hard to equate this Cubs collapse in recent days to the Beer and Chicken Collapse of Epstein’s 2011 Red Sox – who had the best record in the American League through August and a nine-game lead on the last playoff position before blowing it all.

But that doesn’t mean the pain is any easier to take for Epstein or Cubs pitcher Jon Lester, who also endured the largest blown September lead in history in 2011.

“As far as what could have been and what was, yeah,” Epstein said. “They were different teams obviously, and this club had some real flaws I’m responsible for in a lot of ways – I’m responsible for it, period. But I do feel like we left a lot on the table.”

Those Red Sox imploded in an ugly September after dominating for months. The Cubs never were accused of being dominant this season, and of their eight straight losses to elimination, seven were decided by one or two.

“We had the worst ERA and made the most amount of errors, and didn’t play very well all the way around for a solid month,” Lester said of 2011 “I feel like [most of] these games we played really good baseball and just got flat-out beat.”

Bottom line, he said: “Losing’s losing.”

The Cubs’ collapse carried its fair amount of historical significance.

It included the Cardinals’ first four-game sweep at Wrigley Field since 1921, baseball’s first four-game sweep by anyone in which all four were decided by one run since 1919, and the Cubs’ first streak of five consecutive one-run losses overall since 1915.

“I don’t think anyone can say they’ve quite been through this,” Epstein said.

Epstein and first baseman Anthony Rizzo can say they have been through this one before: The eight-game skid was the Cubs’ longest since their 101-loss season of 2012 (their first with the Cubs).

“They’re painful,” Epstein said of moments like this. “But you find out a lot about people; you find out a lot about yourself, how you handle it. And if you’re worth your salt, it leaves you really motivated, invigorated and ready to tackle the next challenge head on, right away.”

DID YOU KNOW

• Only two Cubs pitchers this year threw a pitch in the ninth inning of a start, and both did it against the Cardinals: Kyle Hendricks in a May 3 complete-game win and Yu Darvish Sunday in a 3-2 loss. Hendricks also faced a batter in the ninth inning of a start May 14 against the Reds.
• The Cubs have had 15 Hall of Fame managers. The only manager in franchise history with a higher winning percentage (min. 130 games) than Joe Maddon (.582 through Wednesday) is Frank Chance (.664). Maddon also owns the franchise record for postseason wins (19).

THAT’S WHAT HE SAID

“It was courageous and heroic. And just baffling, honestly. I have a picture on my phone from right after it happened, and his ankle looks like Grimace because it’s cankly – which it normally is anyway – and purple. [A return] wasn’t even on our radar screen.” – Team president Theo Epstein on Anthony Rizzo’s painful return to the lineup four days after what looked like a season-ending ankle injury.

“We did beat a computer system so at least there’s a positive.” – Pitcher Jon Lester on the annual spring PECOTA projections that predicted a 79-83 finish for the Cubs.

HIDDEN FIGURES

11 – Games in Jason Heyward’s 10-year career, through the end of this season, in which his team was not in contention for the postseason: 7 in 2014, 4 this season (his 2011 Braves were eliminated on the final day).

4.46 – Jon Lester’s 2019 ERA, the highest for any of his 12 full seasons.

9 – Homers allowed by closer Craig Kimbrel this year, a career high in only 20 2/3 innings (through Wednesday) – including four in three September appearances.

1.029 – Rizzo’s OPS in six games after his surprising return to the lineup just four days after badly spraining his ankle (8-for-20 with a homer, double and walk).

Rizzo posted this photo of his injured ankle on Instagram.