As it turns out, I’m not the only one who notices the Cubs having more fun. Much of that can undoubtedly be attributed to them just being able to play ball, period. Throw in the hot start and the novelty of this weird season, something the whole organization has embraced, and you’ve got a recipe for wackiness. Then there’s the whole fake-it-till-you-make-it concept in which you sort of force the fun until it eventually becomes real.
There are simply too many variables for us to be able to apply credit to any one thing, but it seems fair to say that external factors alone aren’t driving the changes.