This is the year. The Cubs win the World Series.
Since 1989, we all knew this would be the year. After all, Back to the Future Part II was the one to tell us, and from flat panel televisions to Internet call services like Skype, the film had set a gold standard for what must happen in the future. Hollywood has a way of unfolding itself in the flesh, and all eyes are on the Chicago Cubs to see if the most famous sports prediction in history will be fulfilled.
For over half a decade now, the Cubs have strived toward the goal of hoisting championship silver once more. The rebuilding process was hard to watch, and a wave of new draft picks dominated the farm system, all while the main roster struggled for any respectable results. The consecutive fire sales that saw Ryan Dempster, Geovany Soto, Matt Garza, and Alfonso Soriano traded for a group of unknowns broke the hearts of loyal Cubs fans, as they knew that playoff contention was again pushed back.
However, this past spring, the promising young team emerged in the limelight, with each key prospect proving their worth in the Cactus League. Now led by newly signed perennial All-Star Jon Lester, the baby Cubs wobbled in their initial steps into the treacherously long schedule of professional baseball, but gradually strengthened their steps in the stomping grounds.
As with any child, discipline is needed. The Cubs lead the Majors with 476 strikeouts, 52 more than the closest NL team. They are the owners of a .239 collective batting average, fourth-last in the National League.
And it’s not as if they have been leaving the yard with every swing too. Heading into June, the Cubs are firmly planted in the middle of the league with 48 home runs, a whopping 20 homers fewer than the league-leading Houston Astros.
Then how have the “Lovable Losers” stopped losing?
The secret has been their pitching. No, not because of breakout pitchers, or team-leading aces. They don’t have any of that. The success in their pitching has been the timeliness of spectacular outings, coupled with sufficient run support.
An NL fifth-best ERA of 3.66 and second-best BAA (batting average against) of .241 doesn’t hurt, but the 26-22 record truly stems from the combination of pitching and batting.
Look at Sunday’s game against the defending AL champions, Kansas City Royals. On a day when the bats weren’t working against the gem that Yordano Ventura tossed (7 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run), the Cubs bullpen did not give up a single run in the 11-inning affair. The Cubs did not have the power of a home run in them, but still found a way to win a low-scoring game by a score of 2-1, walking off of David Ross’ bloop single to left field.
Rookie phenoms Kris Bryant and Addison Russell are only going to get better from here, as they adapt to the pitching of the Majors and become wiser batters. As their individual averages and performances improve, the rising tide will lift all boats. Other batters in the lineup will benefit from shaky confidence of the opposing pitchers, and more pressure as the bases load up. Even pitchers will benefit, as they will have more run support and flexibility to work longer games, relieving the bullpen of the arduous duties of late.
As All-Stars Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo continue to cause trouble for opponents, the team will compile more wins at a higher percentage, and allow the players as a collective to blossom into the next phase of baseball life. The pace at which these Cubs can grow throughout the season will ultimately determine their postseason success.
Being third in the NL wild card race, however, leaves them out of the playoffs completely, if the regular season ended today. Luckily for the Cubs, there are still over 100 games left on the schedule, where deficits evaporate into thin air and early promises can vanish at the drop of a bat. The front office of the Cubs has done well to reach this point of development, but the team must improve in order to reach the next level – the championship level.
First of all, key players must meet their expectations and contribute healthily to the team. Since the hyped signing of the offseason, Jon Lester has not served as the expected ace. His 4-3 record with a 3.30 ERA is nothing to be laughed at, but surely President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein expected much more when Lester was brought on board. After all, this is the pitcher who twice finished fourth in the voting for the Cy Young Award, with a career .632 winning percentage.
The golden boy from last season, Javier Baez, has not even played a game with the Cubs this season, after being option to Triple-A following an abysmal Spring Training. Baez has proven to possess incredible power, but his otherworldly number of strikeouts hurts the team more than anything. He must become a smarter batter, looking to put the ball in play rather than swinging for the fences all the time.
A promotion to the big leagues for Kyle Schwarber, likely in an outfield position to keep Miguel Montero at backstop, could jolt the offensive output of the young Cubs even more. The Cubs can then trade a couple of prospects, cash, draft picks, or even a less significant everyday player for a bona fide veteran pitcher, the likes of Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels, and Yovani Gallardo.
With nearly all the pieces already within the Cubs organization, the team simply needs to find a way to mesh and support one another. The storyline of the year may be less exaggerated than 1993’s Rookie of the Year, but the kids are growing up right before our eyes.