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Joe Maddon: Cubs' Struggles 'A Natural Progression Of The Season'

Joe Maddon with the Spiegel & Goff Show

(CBS) Worry? Not Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

Despite the fact that the Cubs have gone 15-16 in their last 31 games, Maddon isn't at all concerned. His team is dealing with injuries, namely the loss of center fielder Dexter Fowler. More so, the Cubs are just experiencing a lull that any team faces during the course of a long season.

Maddon addressed the state of the Cubs during his weekly visit with the Spiegel and Goff Show on Thursday.

"We'll just get back to playing like we have," Maddon said. "It's just a natural progression of the season. I know a lot of people thought we were going to win 115 games this year, but that's pretty difficult to do. We've run into some issues with injuries, etcetera. It just happens. You look around baseball and it happens to a lot of other good teams, too. I don't fret about it, I don't worry about it.

"My biggest thing in moments like this is that you all hang together. You stay together as a group. Of course, we've been doing that. That's all my focus is on right now, is the consistency and the approach of the day by me. I know that as our players get well and we get a little bit of rest, we'll be fine."

The Cubs are nearing the end of a run that included 24 games in 24 days. Thursday was set to be an off day for the Cubs, but they are instead playing a makeup game against the Braves from an April rainout.

While the All-Star break is nearing, the Cubs are finishing out this tough stretch. In doing so, they've lost their sharpness.

"We've made mistakes we had not been making earlier in the season," Maddon said. "I don't disagree the fact that you play 24 in a row, an 11-game road trip to Florida, Cincinnati and New York, a lot of day games involved. All that stuff matters without the time off."

Still, the Cubs are 52-32 and own an 8.5-game lead over the Cardinals for first place in the NL Central.

"It's a team effort, always, whether it's good or bad," Maddon said. "It's difficult, and I know the fans don't like it, but believe me, man, when you play 24 in a row, it's a very difficult slot to get through. No excuses to be made. But that's the real grind of the Major League Baseball season. It's different than any other (sports) season, and that's why you see a little ebb and flow of each team.

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