Imrem: Chicago Cubs' Arrieta has set a high standard

Chicago Cubs pitching ace Jake Arrieta has brought unrealistic expectations upon himself.

It's like Arrieta poked his own eye. He walked into a glass door. He shifted the car into reverse when he wanted to go forward.

This guy was so good for so long, without interruption, that he spoiled people. Just the other day, Cubs manager Joe Maddon had to proclaim that, no, he doesn't take his No. 1 starter for granted.

Still, let's say Arrieta gives up a hit now: The instinct is to wonder how it happened.

Let's say he gives up a run: Is something wrong with his arm?

Let's say he loses a game: Well, that hasn't happened this season.

Sirens aren't going off yet. Alarms aren't blaring. Red lights aren't flashing.

"We believe we can win any game he pitches," teammate Kris Bryant said before the Cubs rallied to win Arrieta's latest start Sunday against Washington.

Arrieta hasn't quite been his old self lately, which is saying something considering he has a 6-0 record and 1.12 earned run average.

"Right now," Maddon said, "he's pitching at a very high level without being at the top of his game."

Maddon added that the difference between Arrieta at this time last year and this time this year is he can prevail now without being at his best.

The fear is that Arrieta will start losing with less than his best before he regains his command.

Arrieta is so important to the Cubs that mediocrity isn't an option for him.

No pitcher goes out there with superior stuff every appearance. Sometimes he has to struggle just to keep his team in the game.

But after Arrieta threw two no-hitters in the span of 11 starts, it was easy to imagine that he'll make a run at another one every time he pitches.

Then against Washington, Arrieta yielded a single on his sixth pitch of the day to the Nats' second batter.

Gasp!

Arrieta yielded 5 more hits during his 5-inning stint on the Wrigley Field mound.

Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!

By the time Arrieta left the game, the Nationals scored 2 earned runs sandwiched around 1 unearned run.

Gasp! Half-gasp! Gasp!

Arrieta was dominant from the beginning of August last season and resumed the run at the beginning of this season.

So it's surprising if not stunning if not shocking when Arrieta, for even a single day, doesn't perform like the guy who looked like Cy Young while winning the Cy Young Award last season.

Blame Arrieta for establishing his standard of a quality start every time out, along with at least a sniff of a no-hitter and certainly a victory.

Blame the sensational statistics that Arrieta mounted for more than two months in 2015 and another month in 2016.

One mediocre outing is disappointing but not disastrous. It's just that Arrieta was limited to 5 innings in 2 of his last 3 starts and just doesn't look right even if he's so-so instead of no-no.

Arrieta's next start will come this weekend against the Pirates, whom he did shut down last week.

This would be a good time for Jake Arrieta to demonstrate that he's still every bit of what he had been and every bit of what the Cubs need him to be.

Sorry, sir, but it's your own fault that you're expected to live up to unrealistic expectations.

mimrem@dailyherald.com