Cubs could have a grand fall, one way or another

The Curse of the Bambino died at 86. It lived a long and full life, fueling great depression in Boston from the Great Depression through the dawn of the 21st century.

The Curse of the Billy Goat turns 71 this fall, a vibrant symbol of the failure of the Chicago Cubs since World War II. The curse was on life support this spring, as the Cubs laid waste to the rest of the National League.

However, there is no more compelling second-half story line than this: the Cubs aren’t really going to blow this, are they?

The team celebrated on stage and in song as America’s most lovable losers started the second half with the largest lead in the major leagues. The Cubs led the National League Central by seven games. They won 103 games from last year’s All-Star break to this one. They had seven All-Stars this year, including the entire starting infield for the NL.

On June 19, the Cubs were 47-20, with a 12 1/2-game lead. In the three weeks that followed, they were 6-15, including a five-game losing streak and two four-game losing streaks.

The Red Sox had not won the World Series in 86 years. The Cubs have not won in 108 years — the Curse was bestowed on the Cubs during the last World Series appearance, a losing one — but pitcher Jon Lester said Chicago does not belong in the same league as Boston for civic angst.

“This is pretty mild,” said Lester, in his second season with the Cubs after nine seasons with the Red Sox.

If there is panic in the streets of Chicago, Lester said, he hasn’t seen it.

“Chicago is a Midwest town. It’s more low-key,” he said. “I don’t think they get worked up as much as they do in the East. I don’t think you can really compare.

“Chicago is more kind of laid-back and happy-go-lucky, whereas New England every day is, you gotta win today, you gotta win today and, if you don’t, they’ll have a big story about it.”

The Cubs lead the NL in runs, with third baseman Kris Bryant leading the league with 25 home runs and first baseman Anthony Rizzo the only NL player with an OPS above 1.000.

They have been fortunate in that their five starters — Lester, Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks — started all but one of the Cubs’ 88 games in the first half. But the Cubs have put up a 7.45 earned-run average so far in July, meaning bullpen help might not be on the only item on the team’s wish list. Lester hasn’t made it out of the third inning in consecutive starts. Arrieta started the season 9-0 with a 1.56 ERA, but is 3-4 with a 4.81 ERA since then.

Panic city?

“I don’t sense it at all,” Bryant said. “But I’m not the type of guy that seeks that. I don’t pay attention to what people are saying on the Internet or Twitter.

“But we are not panicking at all.”

Said Rizzo: “I’m a fan of watching sports. I get mad when the Dolphins lose a game they should win. But that’s how professional sports are. The other team gets paid to beat us. It’s pretty much an even playing field.

Cubs ace Jake Arrieta delivers a pitch against the Pirates during a game on July 8.

(Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press )

“As a fan, I understand it. But, as players, it’s not easy. It’s the way sports go. It’s the reason everyone loves sports.”

Second baseman Ben Zobrist said he understood the murmurs of discontent among the long-suffering fans.

“I understand that it’s a long season and there’s ups and downs,” Zobrist said. “They know that too. The way we’ve played lately, we’re not happy with it either.

”We feel the same emotions they do. We just can’t show it.”

The All-Star break offered the Cubs their first day off since June 16, and they closed the first half with 14 of 18 road games. The second half starts with 24 of 32 games at home, and with leadoff batter Dexter Fowler expected to return from the disabled list and ignite the offense.

The Cubs also have Manager Joe Maddon, whose “Try Not to Suck” T-shirts have been so much the rage that shortstop Addison Russell graced the All-Star game with a pale yellow version. The shirts are sold for charity and available in a variety of colors and styles, including tie-dyed, and even a “Try Not to Stink” kids’ version.

“Joe is a positive force all the time,” Zobrist said. “You always look to the leader of the clubhouse to stay positive when things aren’t going well, and Joe has always been that.”

For now, the Cubs’ fan base can place its faith in the manager with the witty sayings and trademark glasses.

Lose a few more, and the fan base can revert to blaming a goat.

“It gives people something to talk about,” Lester said. “Baseball is a weird game. Weird things happen. You can point to a Bambino or a goat or a person but, at the end of the day, you’ve got to play good baseball.

“The better team, or the hotter team, will always win. That’s what makes the playoffs fun. It doesn’t matter what you did during the season, if you get going in the playoffs. You see it every year, a team that wasn’t really expected to go places might be the team at the end.”

That would not be good news for the Cubs, since they have been expected to go places since they showed up at spring training.

By places, we mean to a podium with a trophy presentation, and perhaps to a parade.

“It would be awesome,” Fowler said. “I think they’d burn down the city again.”

Follow Bill Shaikin on Twitter @BillShaikin