Rozner: Confident Cubs aren't afraid of what's next

There are those who believe the baseball gods are always watching, even listening, merely waiting for the opportunity to throw high and tight with a heavy dose of karma.

It is less superstition than actual fear, available to feel in any clubhouse around baseball, lurking around every corner, especially when things are going well.

To borrow from Crash Davis, "Never (mess) with a winning streak."

Jake Arrieta is not the type to concern himself with such things, his confidence as certain as a breath, present as the next day's game.

With the Cubs catching fire and back in first place, and Arrieta having thrown three straight solid games, the Cubs' starter was not shy about where he thinks the club is after a huge start to the second half.

"We expect to remain in first place," Arrieta said after the Cubs pounded the White Sox on Wednesday on the South Side. "We know it's going to be a tough task, but that's kind of what you deal with at the highest level of sports.

"You expect to have really good competition from teams that are either equal with you or close behind. We feel like we have the group to separate ourselves at this point in time and remain in first place for the remainder of the way."

That sort of conceit is entirely necessary in professional sports, if not always welcomed by the opposition or even a player's own manager.

The Brewers will undoubtedly have it placed prominently in their clubhouse for this weekend's series in Milwaukee, though the Brewers have more pressing matters, having lost 9 of 11 and having given back a healthy lead in the Central Division.

Their latest defeat was a 15-2 drubbing Thursday in Washington.

Nevertheless, Joe Maddon has been around too long to flirt with temptation, and offered his own perspective Thursday before the Cubs won again on the White Sox' home field.

"Be very careful with what you say sometimes because it's going to come back," Maddon warned. "There's baseball karma out there. It's going to come back to bite you.

"Look where the Pirates are right now, where the Cardinals are. They're both doing better. This division that appeared to be weak in the beginning is now appearing to be strong again. Milwaukee's not going anywhere. In the other divisions, some teams are coming back.

"So I don't take anything for granted, man. I really approach the day the same all the time."

Maddon has been around too long to tempt fate. He didn't mention it Thursday, but he was the Angels' bench coach when Dusty Baker handed that ball to Russ Ortiz as a memento of the Giants' World Series victory in Game 6 in 2002.

San Francisco only needed eight outs with a 5-0 lead. Problem is, the Angels saw the gesture, came back to win Game 6 and defeated the Giants in Game 7 behind rookie John Lackey.

"My experience tells me to be aware of not doing that," Maddon said. "If you start getting full of yourself or believe in whatever, it's going to go away very quickly.

"There's nothing wrong with saying, 'I feel it. I like where we're at. I like the way the guys are reacting, I like the energy.' Those are all good thoughts, good words.

"But when you start getting full of yourself, or think it's going to come easily, that's the trap."

The Cubs are 11-2 since the break after taking three of four from the Sox and head to Milwaukee for the weekend up 1½ games.

Finally getting consistent starting pitching after the trade for Jose Quintana, the Cubs are getting their swagger back.

"We're a great team right now, and I think we have the pieces to get it done," Arrieta said. "We're feeling it. I remember last year we were in this clubhouse around this same time, and it's no different."

Again, we offer you the bard of baseball, Crash Davis, who suggested, "You be cocky and arrogant, even when you're getting beat. That's the secret. You gotta play this game with fear and arrogance."

Joe Maddon doesn't seem to have any problem with that philosophy, but finding fear anywhere near Jake Arrieta is highly unlikely.

Karma or not.

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 and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.