Is the race to win the National League Central?
You are not supposed to start a story with a question. They teach you these things in the journalism school, or at least they did it in the old days when the dinosaurs wandered through the earth and communicated our thoughts about sports recording random forms such as torpedo bats on the sides of the caves.
Anyway. There are no signs of questions in the LEDE. That was the norm.
But Chicago puppies are breaking their standard this season, and perhaps we should follow their example.
For 109 years, puppies have called Wigley Field Home. It is a lovely stadium hidden in a vibrant neighborhood, and despite the fact that recent renovations have replaced the old charm of the area with a more modern and sterile (and expensive) atmosphere, still nothing like an afternoon in Wrigley.
One of the many things to love on stage is that for decades and decades, it has a launch park. And he has a batter bone.
Everything deepens the month.
At the beginning of the season, before the ivy becomes green on the garden wall, the park has traditionally favored the launch. It can be quite consecutive in April in Chicago, and the persistent winds of Lake Michigan can tear down balls without remorse.
Then comes the transition at warmer temperatures, and in the heart of summer at the end of June, July and August, the ball absolutely jumps from the bats of the batters in Wrigley. A routine ball on the left on some other stadium can end up sailing easily on the wall and landing in the famous stands.
Quite simple, right?
Cold games at the beginning of the season, less offensive. Hot games in the heart of summer, more offensive.
Except that this season is already different in Chicago. It is the first week of May, and the puppies are scoring races as if on July 4 was just around the corner.
Through their first 36 games, the puppies are first located in the largest on average batting (.262), third as a percentage of base (.338) and third as a percentage of slugging (.456). That adds to an OPS of .794, which follows only the New York Yankees (.811) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (.795).
The puppies are first located in hits, fifth in doubles, first in triples and third in homers. Ah, and by the way, they lead the largest with 46 bases stolen in 53 attempts.
Runs! We almost forget the races. They entered on Tuesday with 217 races, which were classified first in the major. The Yankees are the second with 190 races, which is substantial behind the Chicago rhythm.
All this is happening at the time of the season in which the puppies are supposed to face their biggest challenges to score. If they do this now, imagine what they could do when they are 95 degrees and the sun is hitting.
The puppies receiver, Carson Kelly, said he and his teammates were scoring in several ways.
“I mean, it’s incredible,” Kelly said after the victory on Monday 9–2 over the San Francisco giants. “You see it today: pressing other teams could lead to some mistakes and could start a rally. I think that is what is so dynamic of this team is that we have in all aspects.”
It is a bit ironic to suggest that the central playoffs race of the National League is over, but the puppies are in a privileged position to flee with the division as the season continues.
Upon entering Tuesday, the puppies were 22-14 and had an advantage of four games over the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee brewers. They had an advantage of five games over the St. Louis cardinals and a 10 -game advantage over Pittsburgh Pitates in the last place.
In addition to the advantage, the puppies have finished playing the Dodgers, the parents of San Diego and the Diamondbacks of Arizona for the rest of the regular season. The rest of its NL West calendar presents six games against the Colorado rockies and five games against the giants.
Then, puppies have challenged the chances of starting the season as an offensive power. They have created the separation against a central division of the National League that does not seem to have a monster waiting, although the reds are young and exciting. And they have already finished their regular seasonal games against some of the toughest teams in the League.
On the exchange deadline, they are the team in Central NL with the greatest ability to increase their payroll if they wish. His group in the section could be Sternger that the group they have today.
Does the race stay?
It is a valid question, even if this is only the beginning of the history of 2025 of the puppies.
