There are days Ian Happ seems to emerge from the shadows, doing the routine—until he does the unexpected. And for Chicago Cubs fans, that sums up the 2025 season so far: a mix of quiet competence and sudden brilliance that keeps everyone on edge.

It's May 9th, and the national media has already crowned the Cubs the most stunning, powerful, dominant team in baseball. If you're a fan of the Mets, Cardinals, Braves, Rangers, or Rays, you'd be celebrating like it's October. But we're Cubs fans. We know better.

Sure, the media can paint pretty pictures. We see the fun, aggressive lineup of hitters and defenders that can take over games. But we also see the cracks: Dansby Swanson's inconsistent bat, the occasional hiccup in left field that still makes Ian Happ the best free-agent outfield signing of the offseason, Seiya Suzuki's defensive missteps in right (forgotten when his bat heats up, except in clutch moments), and the lingering question of whether PCA will be half the player he was last year. As for Nico Hoerner's mistakes? Let's just say he's playing like a modern-day deity.

But the real story is the pitching staff. It's not held together by bandaids and rubber bands—it's more like titanium and cement. And honestly, it must be tough to pitch with all that material strapped on. Two things stand out: First, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea need to be so careful that someone should probably brush their teeth for them. The same goes for Ethan Roberts—and Ethan, please avoid catching anything metal falling from the ceiling. Second, let's talk about Ben Brown, the Cubs' most consistent (best?) reliever, who's being thrown to the wolves again as a starter. Ben, don't change a thing. If that means one trip through the order, so be it. And Cubs, wrap him in bubble wrap anyway. Just to be safe.