The purpose of this piece is not to direct blame at any individual, but rather to examine some of the numbers behind a Cubs collapse that has probably been in the works for a few weeks now. Just like many injuries and home repairs, this appears to be a chronic issue rather than an acute one. As such, it may have been preventable had the organization practiced a little more foresight.
I continue to go back to the Seiya Suzuki situation in early August as a touchstone. The outfielder struggled terribly in June and his July performance, while better, was still well below average.