Rozner: Young Cubs earning the right to have a voice

The Cubs have spoken frequently in the last seven months about being in a class with the St. Louis Cardinals.

They have displayed a confidence and arrogance that belies the experience of their club.

And their fearlessness has been impressive and necessary.

But on the field, it feels more like big brother vs. little brother than rival vs. rival.

Consider at the same time the Pittsburgh Pirates, who finished 18 games out of first in 2012 and still 9 back of the wild-card Cardinals.

In 2013, the Bucs finished 3 back of St. Louis and in 2014 it was only 2 games.

St. Louis has been to the postseason in five of the last six years with four division titles, including the last two years when the Pirates captured second place and a wild-card spot.

In a huge series in Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Pirates also believed they were closing in on the Cardinals, with the thought that they were good enough to win the Central, and Pittsburgh took three of four in spectacular fashion.

On Saturday, the Bucs came back to tie the game in the eighth and in the 10th, and then down again in the 14th they won it on an Andrew McCutchen walk-off blast.

On national TV Sunday night, they came from behind twice and scored 3 in the bottom of the 10th to take down all-star closer Trevor Rosenthal, closing to within 2½ games of first-place St. Louis, only percentage points behind Kansas City for the second-best record in baseball.

The Pirates believe they are right there, and while the Cubs talk about it, they are not there yet.

It takes time and the Cubs have just arrived on the scene. There are growing pains and steps to take, and after the Miguel Montero double cleared the bases and put the Cubs ahead in the sixth inning last Wednesday, the Cubs may have taken a small step toward closing the gap.

The crowd was frenzied, a frustrated Yadi Molina was tossed out, and the Cubs were on the verge of taking three of four. But Jhonny Peralta hit a 2-strike, two-out, 2-run homer to beat the Cubs in the top of the ninth.

The Cubs' statement was muted — at least temporarily — while the series brought back memories of Joe Maddon's young team in Tampa in 2008, when the Rays went to the World Series but first had to announce their presence before being taken seriously in a very difficult American League East.

“In 2008, two fights — one in spring training with the Yankees and one during the season with the Red Sox — could be considered seminal moments,” Maddon said. “The first was with the Yankees in spring training and that was the one that really guided us through the season.

“I'm not advocating fighting to earn your moment. But I'm always talking about earning the right — kind of — to be heard. No one is going to give you status. You have to take it.

“Basically, we had to take it there (in Tampa). We have to take it here. No one's going to give you anything. This division is really good.”

So the Cubs still have to earn the right to have a voice — if you'll allow Maddon that “King's Speech” moment — and they can do that by hanging around this race all season and then making a real run at the Cardinals and Pirates and a division title.

Perhaps that will happen this season, but most likely it will come in 2016, when there will again be an opportunity to prove to big brother that little brother is growing up and can no longer be pushed around.

It was a better first half than the Cubs had a right to expect, but the second half will test a team of young players that looked physically and mentally tired heading into the break.

The wild card is there for the taking and, if nothing else, Cubs baseball is again entertaining and worth watching.

Of much greater importance, the Cubs are taking the first step in a process that will eventually see big brother yield, roles switched and the Cubs looking down instead of up.

Rarely is there a parade without a complicated journey that tests and prods, tempts and pokes.

It also makes the ticker tape a lot more fun to toss.

brozner@dailyherald.com

• Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM.