Chicago Cubs show how sudden a dynasty can end

The Chicago Cubs had arguably the best era in franchise history end without much fanfare at this year’s trade deadline. Anthony Rizzo was sent to the New York Yankees and Javier Baez followed him to the big city, except to join the New York Mets. Kris Bryant was sent out west to the San Francisco Giants and Craig Kimbrel did not have to travel far as he joined the Chicago White Sox.

All those trades happened in the span of a few days, leaving the Cubs gutted and without much direction for the remainder of the season. That clubhouse has to have a dark cloud hanging over it.

In even more gutting news, the trio of Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant all hit home runs in their respective debuts elsewhere. All three are also on playoff contenders, as is Kimbrel, so it’s possible Cubs fans have to see former friends compete for a title this October wearing different uniforms.

The painful side of baseball

The jarring thing about all of this is just how fast players have to move on. They join new teams and immediately begin playing like nothing has changed. For fans, this pain will last for years. Fans witnessed core players be developed in the system, debut, and lead the team to a World Series title.

So why did the trio of Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant all have to go? That comes down to money, and Cubs fans have already taken to social media to lash out at ownership, and rightfully so. They got their championship and seem to be satisfied with just the one. Trading away Yu Darvish was the early writing on the wall in that regard.

All good things come to an end, but it is tough to take it all in when something ends so suddenly. A trio of Cubs legends had no sendoff and were just waiting in the dugout to be traded until they were. No goodbye, no curtain call, and no tribute video. Instead, fans can turn on a game and see local hero Rizzo playing in a Yankees jersey, or Bryant out west in a Giants jersey, almost like a bad dream.

Sports can be a brutal business and Cubs fans are the latest to realize this fact. We even almost forget to mention the fact Kyle Schwarber is now on the Boston Red Sox.