(670 The Score) Amid the underwhelming and disappointing play of the Cubs and the White Sox, a familiar refrain has emerged from team officials, players, fans and media alike.
It's some version of both teams still have hope due to their weak divisions. In the NL Central, the Cubs are 24-31 and in last place but are only 4.5 games out of first place. In the AL Central, the White Sox are 23-35 and in fourth place and seven games out of the division lead.
No one is arguing that either team is good, but some are clinging to optimism in the form of opposing teams' struggles – all of which 670 The Score afternoon host Danny Parkins finds to be "ridiculous."
"I'm struggling with how many people both on the teams and off the teams are talking about the Cubs and White Sox as still being in it, competitive, whatever simply as a product of luck and geography," Parkins said.
"That is like a weird, we normally call that out as excuse-making, rationalization and all of that.
"It gets said by general managers and players."
Parkins explained that he's afraid the proximity of the Cubs and the White Sox to the lead in their divisions could lead to them failing to sell ahead of the MLB trade deadline when they should take that approach.
"If you are 12 games under .500 but because of geography happen to only be five games back in the standings and then you buy, that is bad process," Parkins said. "That's not what you should be doing.
"Are you doing it for reasons that are not the product on the field, what your eyes are telling you? Is this a good team? Is there a long runway here? They should say (they still have a chance) to the players. They should absolutely say it to the players, but we shouldn't parrot it as media and fans."
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