Matt Eberflus has been settling in as the new man in charge of the
Chicago Bears. Being the head coach of that team carries a lot of clout and he got to enjoy one of the perks on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Fields. The
Chicago Cubs allowed him to throw out the ceremonial first and sing the 7th inning stretch. Both duties he handled with his usual laid-back class. It was clear he was having fun.
Everybody that has followed his arrival since January knows that Eberflus conducts himself based on something called the H.I.T.S principles. It stands for hustle, intensity, turnovers, and smarts. His players will be required to meet them if they want to stay on his team. Well, it seems the Cubs decided to bring the hits as well because they ushered in his first-ever game at Wrigley with a 21-0
pelting of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
It is important to point out how unexpected this was.
Before this game, the Cubs had been mired in an offensive slump. They scored three runs or fewer in seven of their last 11 games, going 4-7 in the process and falling below .500. It was frustrating too since Pittsburgh won the first two games because of this. So apparently Chicago finally had enough and took out all their frustrations on their divisional rivals in a single afternoon. It was one of those games that calls for the MLB to instill a mercy rule.
Matt Eberflus no doubt enjoyed himself. He might be a source of good luck for that franchise, maybe offering hope he can be the same for the Bears. Rest assured if he can get them to pitch a 21-0 shutout of a division rival this coming season, people will be ready to build a statue of him outside Soldier Field. Either way, it was an enjoyable afternoon for Chicago fans after what happened to the Bulls on Friday night.
