Even a World Series Ring Can't Guarantee Patience for Cub Fans

As I sat and ate my breakfast this morning, I read all the articles I could find recapping last night's Cubs game (a morning ritual for me between the months of April and October). Jesse Rogers and Carrie Muskat are usually my go-to beat writers for all things Cub, but an article written by former Cub Doug Glanville was my favorite this morning. He talked about his experiences on the Cubs back in 1997 when they started the season 0-14 and how a 3-4 start for the 2018 team should not cause panic for the Cubs' fan base.

I was only 3 years old in 1997, so my knowledge of that start and that season as a whole is non-existent. In fact, my first memory as a Cub fan is sitting on the living room couch watching game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. It doesn't require an explanation, you know what happened. Moises Alou went up against the brick wall in left and Steve Bartman did what any fan would have done. I remember being frustrated, but as a fourth grader the enormity of the situation didn't stand out to me. I viewed it as a bump in the road in that game and that game alone, but for my dad, a lifelong Cub fan who had experienced plenty of Cub-related heartbreak before that game, it was a much bigger deal. My dad is one of the most laid-back and easy-going individuals I've ever met, but when Bartman touched that ball and my brother, Zach (a Cardinal fan, no less), started laughing, my dad about lost it ("IT'S NOT FUNNY!"). Needless to say, that's one of the funnier moments we reflect on as a family now, but how fitting is it that my first memory of cheering for the Cubs is one of heartbreak?

It's hard to believe this year will be the 15th anniversary of that game. The craziest part about it is how much the Cubs' organization has changed since then. In 15 years the Cubs have had plenty of different "saviors" who would lead the ball club to that coveted World Series title: Nomar Garciaparra, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Lou Piniella just to name a few. Not one of those guys made it out of the NLDS. However, those guys gave the fan base hope. It was after they were all gone, with Soriano being the last man standing, that things had to get ugly in order to get pretty.

I have this app on my phone called "TimeHop" which, for those of you not familiar with it, allows you to see your social media posts from past years on today's date. Looking back four, five and six years ago on that app at this time of year is incredibly painful. Seeing the starting lineups featuring the likes of Luis Valbuena, Emilio Bonifacio and Jeff Baker isn't something I hope to relive any time soon. Add in the fact that Carlos Marmol was the closer back then and you have a heart attack waiting to happen. Cubs baseball was not fun back then. Did I still watch as many games as I could? Absolutely. All the way through September. It was brutal most days, but there was a reason for it and Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer had the 5-year plan in place.

So now here we are in 2018. A World Series banner has been raised and the Cubs have made three consecutive trips to the NLCS. I grew up watching an NL Central division that was perennially dominated by the St. Louis Cardinals. Heck, the Cardinals made three consecutive trips to the NLCS TWO SEPARATE TIMES. My brother couldn't have been more spoiled as a Cardinals fan. Sheesh. But look at who was on those Cardinals teams. Generational legends like Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. All-time legends like Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa. Those teams were flat-out good, and now the Cubs have the roster to make the same noise those Cardinals teams did.

Who would have thought there would ever be a year where Cubs fans couldn't wait for their bullpen to enter the game? Last night, Justin Wilson walked three straight hitters to load the bases only to watch new-comer Steve Cishek strike out Lorenzo Cain to get out of the jam. The days of watching Kevin Gregg or Brian Schlitter blow a late-game lead are over. They have one of if not the best bullpen in baseball right now (albeit with a very small sample size) and even though they're off to a bit of a slow start, their starting rotation should be at least in the top five, potentially top three by the end of the season. There is not a single hole in their batting order and the youth of the team projects perennial contention for the next few years. This is a Cubs team unlike any other Cub team before them.

So stop panicking. Stop being impatient. Stop questioning the Cubs' focus or motivation. It's April 7th. This team was built for longevity, not just "win now" on a one or two year timeline. Cubs fans (myself included) have been so spoiled these past three years and I never thought I'd be able to say that. The problem now, though, is that success is not a hope or a pleasant surprise, it's an expectation. Hoyer and Epstein have made all the right moves and now the team has shown the potential it has. That brings about a lot of pressure, but also a lot of irrationality from the fan base.

The bottom line is this: things could be so much worse. It's a beautiful day when a 3-4 start can be considered a reason to be anxious rather than bringing about a "here we go again" mentality when thinking of the season as a whole. Be excited because truthfully, it could and has been so much worse. I'd take a 3-4 record with Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Javy Baez headlining the Cubs any day over a team with Marlon Byrd, Bryan LaHair and Koyie Hill. Smile, Cub fans. Life's pretty darn good right now.

The 2017 World of Wadley MLB Guide

The calendar has turned to that familiar time when the sun shines a little brighter, the grass turns a little greener and the grills come out. It's baseball season, and while the excitement of a new season is nothing new, something feels a bit different in 2017. The Chicago Cubs are defending World Series champions. 99.9 percent of the world's population has never known this kind of world, but the curse ended and so too did a major story line in the game. 2017 is a new chapter for baseball and it's an enticing one.

Here are some things to keep an eye on and what to watch for this season...

Can the Cubs repeat?
This is an obvious starting point for the 2017 discussion. The Cubs open the season Sunday night in St. Louis on ESPN and may have improved from last season. Kyle Schwarber will be available for an entire season and, who knows, maybe Jason Heyward will play like a big leaguer again. It's scary if both of them produce. After all, this team already has MVP Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo plus a stable of pitchers who are downright nasty.

So can they repeat? Sure they can, but they won't. It's simply too hard. Too many things can happen such as injuries or poor play at the wrong time. As ESPN pointed out, no team has repeated since the Yankees in 1998-2000 and only one National League team (the Cincinnati Reds) has ever repeated in the last 95 years. The numbers simply aren't on the Cubs' side.

So who wins then?
The Boston Red Sox. Boston spends big and they should win big this season. Rick Porcello may not turn in another season like last season, but Chris Sale is in Boston now and he and Porcello along with David Price is a nightmare for opposing offenses. Big Papi is gone, but name a more fun trio to watch than Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley, Jr.? The Red Sox will have to overcome an always tough AL East and the Cleveland Indians, but if they stay healthy then they will win it all.

What about those Indians?
The Indians will be in the ALCS. They came oh so close last season and they have a loaded roster. It wouldn't be surprising to see them in the World Series again if they can get past Boston. But like the Cubs, it's hard to do it all over again and that's why we are predicting the Indians to be ousted before the World Series rolls around.

Don't forget about Mike Trout
Last season we wrote about how Mike Trout is stuck in Anaheim. He might be stuck on a bad team, but tune in whenever you can to see him play. He's the best player in the game and it's easy to forget that he's still only 25 years old. Trout will be an MVP front-runner once again, but like past seasons, he's going to be sitting at home watching the playoffs. Still, he's a special talent so don't miss out on his best years.

Speaking of the Angels, Albert Pujols is going to make history
Albert Pujols' star has faded since leaving the St. Louis Cardinals, but this season he should pass 600 career home runs. He enters 2017 with 591 and he's done it all clean. His name has never been linked to steroids and he will become the ninth player to eclipse the 600 mark.

Are the Dodgers ever going to win with all that money and talent?
Who knows, but they won't win this year. Magic Johnson and the Dodgers have spent big and on paper this team looks fantastic. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in the game and will surpass 2,000 strikeouts for his career this season. Adrian Gonzalez, Corey Seager and Justin Turner make a great lineup. Yasiel Puig is a wild card year-in-year-out. LA hasn't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and with the Cubs in the National League it doesn't seem like that will change this year.

Will Bryce Harper return to form?
Harper struggled last season after his MVP campaign two years ago. He hit .243 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs last season, which is a great season for many guys in the MLB. But this is Bryce Harper, the guy who hit .330 with 42 home runs and 99 RBIs in his MVP season. Still only 23 years old, this is Harper's sixth year in the league. The Nationals, much like the Dodgers, haven't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs and without Harper at his best they don't stand a chance.

Which Astros team should we expect?
The Astros have taken us on a rollercoaster ride the past two seasons. The joy of 2015 was gone after an average 2016 season in which Houston missed the playoffs. The core of Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer is still there and the pitching staff hasn't changed. Dallas Kuechel's shoulder is an issue, but one thing to watch is whether or not the Astros make a move for Chicago's Jose Quintana before season's end. This is a fun team to watch, but the AL West has strengthened the past few years. Time will tell if the Astros can take the next step.

The White Sox stink now, but....
Okay, we know no one is tuning into White Sox games this year because they just can't get enough of the SouthSiders. Chicago is going to stink. Sure, Todd Frazier will hit some bombs, but that's about it. However, don't sleep on this team in the future. They made some quality moves this offseason (namely getting Yoan Moncada) to go along with youngsters Tim Anderson and Charlie Tilson, which means the future could be bright on the South Side. The young guys are going to get their chances this season and that may just be worth tuning in.

___

The 2017 season begins Sunday, April 2nd with a tripleheader on ESPN.

The Youth of the MLB Continues to Shine While the NBA Struggles to Figure it Out

If you pay attention to any sports-related news outlet, you've surely heard the name Trevor Story by now. The Colorado Rockies rookie has wasted no time in making a name for himself this past week as he's already belted seven home runs in his first six major league games, including one in each of his first four games. The season is only eight days old, yet Story already has his batting gloves and helmet displayed in Cooperstown at the Hall of Fame. And while Story's week is certainly one for the record books, his instant success is further proof that the MLB has more than enough young superstars on the rise.

Story has become a household name very early in the season

You hear the argument in college basketball and the NBA about college athletes being "one and done" meaning they attend school for their freshman season then declare for the NBA draft immediately following the conclusion of the season. It's become a trend and it has become an issue not only for the NCAA and its universities, but also for the NBA. The league is watered down with these kids that have no business leaving after one year of college and it's also killing the college game. Kids don't hang around, they treat college as if it's a one-year sentence and then chase the money that very few of them actually end up getting long-term.

Don't get me wrong, every now and then you get a Kevin Durant, a John Wall, or an Anthony Davis who become All-Stars and some of the best in the league. But for every Kevin Durant there's a Greg Oden, for every John Wall there's an Anthony Bennett, and for every Anthony Davis there's a Michael Beasley. The young guys that come into the NBA rarely have any staying power and if they do, they don't make the impact that they were projected to. What's worse is that once these young guys get cut from the NBA they have nowhere to go in order to truly improve and work for another shot at playing professionally. The D-League does absolutely nothing for the players and rarely if ever do we see players get called up to the pros. I understand that there aren't as many players on an NBA roster as there are in the MLB, but the NBA and NCAA don't give the younger players who could have potential any help. They're cheating them by allowing them to leave after one year and they're cheating them by allowing them to rot in the D-League after they're cut from the NBA.

Bennett, once a number 1 pick, averaged 4 minutes in 19 games this season

This is where the MLB has made all the right moves. Trevor Story has already been mentioned, but before Story even came to the league there were guys like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Kris Bryant,  Manny Machado, and Giancarlo Stanton. These players have already reached a high level in the MLB and have had more than enough individual success in their very young careers. But what sets these young stars apart from the young stars in the NBA?


The difference is that the MLB's minor league system is set up with more intention of teaching and allowing adjustment to the professional game than the NBA. In the NBA, you are drafted straight to the pros. You play in the summer league and that's all well and good, but there's no way to adjust to the physicality or speed of the NBA when you're playing other guys your age who are also just coming off their college experience. In the MLB there are three levels of play you could possibly go through before you even set foot in an MLB ballpark. Even Bryce Harper, as successful as he has been, spent time in the minors after he was drafted. There is no rush for players who are drafted into the MLB and rarely if ever are they drafted straight to the professional level. The ball clubs draft their players and then send them through the minor league system so that they learn from multiple coaching staffs and get plenty of higher level experience before being called up to "The Show".

That's what makes the MLB's young stars so exciting. It's the excitement of watching a player grow through AA and AAA ball before they get called up. Being a Cubs fan, I can't tell you how many conversations I've had these past couple years that have involved the sentence "Have you seen how so-and-so is doing in AAA?" Guys like the aforementioned Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, and Jorge Soler have all made a big impact on the Cubs at some point in time because they were ready for the challenge when they got called up. They weren't treated like the one-and-dones from the NCAA in that they weren't thrown into the fire at age 18. And because of that we see far more success stories in the MLB than we ever will in the NBA.

With the embarrassing way the NCAA handles itself and its business combined with a watered down NBA, there's no fix to the problem coming anytime soon. Players who have no business leaving after one year will still leave and the majority won't even be heard from two or three years from now. That's really sad, especially when you're able to look at how many young stars there are in the MLB who haven't even turned 25 yet. The overall excitement over baseball will most likely never trump that of basketball, but it's no secret that the MLB gives fans more to look forward to in the way they foster the young talent. Players are given a chance to succeed in the MLB and if they don't pan out immediately, they're sent right back down the minors where they can figure things out and gain more experience. The NBA doesn't look out for the young players and because of that the league will continue to struggle to find consistent, productive draft classes.

For St. Louis, Cubs Present Serious Threat

Normally, winning 100 games with several key players injured throughout the season in the MLB's toughest division bodes well for the future. The St. Louis Cardinals held off the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates last season to win the National League Central despite patching together a roster that suffered injuries to Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright and Matt Adams. With hardly any roster turnover, and the above players all healthy, there's hardly a reason to doubt that St. Louis can replicate last season's success.

Except for one thing: the Chicago Cubs.

The Lovable Losers were neither lovable nor losers to Cardinals fans last season as Theo Epstein's master plan started paying dividends. Chicago's young studs Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber all enjoyed successful seasons and the Cubs received a career year from Jake Arrieta. After dispatching the Cards in five games in the NLDS, the Cubs were defeated by the Mets in the Championship Series.

The successful campaign was apparently a year ahead of Epstein's schedule and that has the baseball world gushing over Chicago. Several media outlets have picked the Cubs to end the 108-year drought and win the World Series, while manager Joe Maddon has his team wearing shirts that say "Embrace the Target." Life is good on the Northside of Chicago and there's reason to be excited.

For the Cardinals, life is changing. The Central Division has been owned by St. Louis since the new millennium as the Cardinals have won nine division titles. In addition, the Cardinals have also been a wild card team three separate times in that span, while adding two championships to their collection. Rarely has St. Louis not been the favorite in the division and it's been a while since they looked up to the Cubs. Sure, Chicago tasted playoff success in 2003 and won the division in 2008, but it wasn't like last year. Last year was different. Last year, legitimate belief trumped Cubbie skepticism and a confidence rarely seen overshadowed fear of curses.

In the offseason, Chicago signed former Cardinals Jason Heyward and John Lackey, along with Ben Zobrist. The Cubs got better. The Cardinals stayed the same. In the St. Louis clubhouse, the belief is that the organization did get better in the offseason by getting healthy. A pitching staff that was a bit thin will get its ace back in Wainwright and a lineup that was starved for runs at certain points will get Holliday and Adams back.

But is it enough? Everybody is healthy for the Cardinals, but will it stay that way? The reality is that Holliday is 36, Wainwright is 34 and Molina is 33. On the other side of the coin, Randal Grichuk hasn't played a full season without injury and Stephen Piscotty is unproven, although he did tear up the 2015 postseason.

Think about this: the Cardinals won 100 games while ranking 24th in the league in runs scored and 25th in home runs. The low offensive output put extreme pressure on the pitching staff, which responded with a league-best 2.49 ERA. Just how good is that figure? The Pirates' staff was second in the league with a 3.21 ERA.

It would be foolish to count on the same domination from the pitching staff and if St. Louis is to keep its strangle-hold of the Central than the lineup must produce.

As for the Cubs, Maddon is right - the target is squarely on their back. Fans are aching for the agony to end. But before blue and red confetti can rain down on Michigan Avenue, the Cubs have to win and that may be tougher than it looks. The roster is stacked with talent, but the Cubs made it through last year with hardly any injuries. Luck was on their side. They will need a little luck again this season in the ultra-competitive Central Division.

St. Louis is the king of the Central; the past 15 years tell us so. The Cubs are no longer the lovable losers; last season showed us that. And St. Louis knows they must be firing on cylinders if they are going to win their fourth-straight division title.

Because the Cubs are coming and they are embracing the target.