(670 The Score) The internal hope was that a level of urgency would drive the Cubs to a strong start to the season, propelling them forward in a daunting division and back into October.
Instead, the Cubs are off to a 1-3 start and troubled not by a lack of urgency but instead poor pitching and defense. Will those be blips or trends moving forward?
Let's take a look at the numbers.
6 -- Errors in the Cubs' 8-0 loss to the Braves on Monday
Committing a half-dozen errors in a game is horrendous for any team. For a Cubs team that takes such great pride in its defensive effort, the performance was especially ugly.
The Cubs on Monday committed six errors in a game for the first time since Sept. 12, 2006, when Freddie Bynum had three errors and Derrek Lee, Cesar Izturis and Jacque Jones added one apiece. The Cubs would go on to beat the Dodgers in that game, earning their 58th victory of a 66-win season.
The six errors committed by the Cubs were two more than any team in baseball had committed this season, the ESPN broadcast noted Monday.
It also marked the first time the Cubs had committed at least six errors and also been shut out since July 29, 1965, when they had a 14-0 loss to the Mets that included six errors, NBC Sports Chicago's Chris Kamka tweeted.
6.00 -- Cubs starter ERA through four games
The Cubs have a 6.00 ERA through four starts -- from Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Kyle Hendricks -- a mark that ranks 27th in baseball. Lester threw six quality innings in a season-opening win. The poor start from Darvish in an 8-6 loss to the Rangers on Saturday was the worst, as he went 2 2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs while walking seven.
Hamels was doomed by a Delino DeShields grand slam Sunday, allowing five earned runs over five innings. Hendricks allowed seven runs but only two earned -- both on solo homers -- in the Cubs' loss Monday. The rotation's collective 5.83 xFIP proves the early blunders haven't been a matter of bad luck.
It has been worth wondering whether the Cubs rotation would prove to be a strength or Achilles heel in 2019. The good news is these are only four games of sample size.
-1.33 -- Cubs bullpen win probability added
The job of a bullpen is to either ensure a team's lead or preserve a chance at a comeback. A bullpen that's a liability in a recipe for disaster, and the Cubs have the league's worst so far.
The Cubs rank dead last in baseball in bullpen win probability added at -1.33. In other words, their relief pitching has been detrimental in the team's chances at winning so far. By comparison, the White Sox rank 28th with a -0.82 mark.
This figure is no surprise given the back-of-the-baseball-card numbers for the Cubs relievers, who collectively own a 7.63 ERA in 15 1/3 innings.
Carl Edwards Jr. allowed two hits, two walks and the go-ahead three-run homer to Joey Gallo in the Cubs' loss Saturday. Pedro Strop allowed a ninth-inning double and fired the game-ending wild pitch in in an 11-10 loss to the Rangers on Sunday.
After four games, this group has brought anything but relief.
.313 -- Kris Bryant's four-game Isolated Power (ISO)
The Cubs missed the star play of Bryant during a 2018 season that ended in disappointment. He was limited to 102 games and wasn't right for many of those with an injured left shoulder.
Among the many career-low figures Bryant posted was a .188 ISO -- a measure of power per at-bat from FanGraphs. Bryant had posted ISO numbers of .213, .262 and .242 during his first three MLB seasons before the injury-plagued 2018. That's also why the .313 ISO figure that Bryant has through four games this season is encouraging, offering a reminder of what he can do at full health.
FanGraphs' Steamer projections have Bryant finishing with a .231 ISO number along with 27 home runs, 85 RBIs and a slash line of .278/.385/.508. That would be important in helping the Cubs to better results.
14-1 -- Odds Joe Maddon is the first MLB manager fired, per BetOnline
The pressure for a hot start falls on the manager Maddon, who's in the fifth and final year of his current contract without any guarantees beyond 2019.
Maddon isn't the betting favorite to be fired first. That would be his former bench coach, Nationals manager Dave Martinez. But if the Cubs continue to scuffle, the likelihood of his dismissal will increase.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
