On the bright side, there was no need for all the focus to be on the Cubs’ ongoing inability to hit after a 5-2 loss to the Braves on a freaky Friday at Wrigley Field.
There were other matters of strange, terrible baseball to share the spotlight.
Such as David Bote getting thrown out at second base on a bad-idea, worse-execution steal attempt to end the sixth inning with the Cubs down 4-2 and the potential tying run at the plate.
Or Javy Baez winging it with a total head-scratcher of a bunt attempt — and fouling out to the catcher, as if there’s anything worse — with the leadoff man on base and no one out in a 5-2 game in the eighth.