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.

Molina's Legacy Cemented With New Extension

With the stroke of a pen, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina cemented his legacy and joined an elite club this past Sunday. Just before the Cardinals opened the 2017 season against the Chicago Cubs, Molina signed a three-year extension, which signals that he will most likely finish his career in St. Louis. By the end of his contract, Molina will have spent 17 years as the Cardinals' backstop. The club might as well make some room for another statue on the corner of Clark and 8th Street.

Molina has been a top two catcher in baseball for almost his entire career. His resume speaks for itself: seven All-Star games, eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, two World Series rings and four trips to the World Series. That resume along with the fact that he's a clubhouse leader, fan favorite and still the game's best defensive catcher (did you see any World Baseball Classic highlights?) makes the extension an obvious move for the Cards.

However, the thing that stands out most about the extension is what it means for Molina's career. At the completion of his contract, he will have spent 17 seasons for one team. If that sounds rare it's because it is. Players just don't do that in this era of free agency and frequent trades.

Molina can become the third Cardinal to spend the first 17 years of his career in St. Louis. The other two are Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. Molina can also become just the sixth catcher to spend 15-plus seasons with one team and only 52 position players have ever accomplished the feat, according to MLB.com.

Leaving a team certainly doesn't taint a star's legacy. Albert Pujols left St. Louis for Anaheim and, while his production has dipped, his spot in Cooperstown is still reserved. Molina didn't need to stay in St. Louis to get into the Hall of Fame, but it only enhances what is already an impressive resume.

Still, the extension means the Cardinals believe Molina can continue to succeed. They most certainly didn't sign him just to be a good story and to check a box for his legacy. Molina's game may be fading a bit, but he is the heart and soul of the Cardinals and he's what makes the pitching staff go.

"To me, this is much more than what he's done," GM John Mozeliak said. "What it means to me is what he's going to do. In a way, today is just the next chapter in our future. We believe he can compete at the highest level, and we still feel that Yadi is one of the greatest catchers in the game. He's in great shape. He trains well. He eats well. And he knows what's important about not only today, but tomorrow as well.

"So today is not about a sun-setting career. Today is about us retaining the greatest catcher to ever wear a Cardinals uniform."

Mozeliak is right - the Cardinals can compete at the highest level and they can give the Cubs a run for their money, but they can't do it without Molina. Luckily for St. Louis, they won't have to for quite some time.

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.

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

For the Cubs and the City of Chicago, "Next Year" is Finally Here

12:47 AM eastern time. Two outs, and a one-run lead. Mike Montgomery was on the mound. Wait, who? Talk about your unlikely closer. This moment was made for Aroldis Chapman, the flame-throwing left-hander who came up big time and time again in the World Series. Or maybe this moment was Jon Lester, the prized 2015 free agent who put up Cy Young-caliber numbers this season. Or maybe, though it's a stretch, this moment was for Hector Rondon. A guy who struggled with consistency yet still managed to seal a couple key wins for the Cubs these past few seasons, yet lost his closing job when Chapman was acquired this summer. Could you imagine Rondon being the hero after the guy who took his job was knocked out of the game? So many scenarios, so many possibilities, but it was Montgomery who had the weight of 108 years and generations of sadness on his shoulders.

108 years later, the Cubs can celebrate once more

And it didn't phase him one bit. That final pitch, a curve ball that the Cleveland Indians' Michael Martinez grounded just past the mound to a charging Kris Bryant, is the pitch that will replay in the minds of Cubs fans for eternity. Bryant threw the ball to Anthony Rizzo, Montgomery completed the one-out save, and the baseball world was turned upside down. The Chicago Cubs, yes, THE Chicago Cubs, were World Series champions. There are people who lived and died without ever saying those words in the same sentence. Yet here we are, still trying to comprehend what took place in Cleveland, Ohio last night.

So many times in that game it seemed like the Cubs were going to crumble. Dexter Fowler's lead-off home run seemed too good to be true when it happened, but the Cubs piled it on early. It was in the fifth inning when things started to get shaky, and every Cub fan desperately hoped and prayed that this team would avoid another historic collapse. David Ross' throwing error, Lester's wild pitch, Chapman giving up three straight hits, Rajai Davis' game-tying home run in the eighth. You name it. Time after time it seemed like the Cubs' magical season was going to come to a horrific end. So many times it seemed like history could repeat itself.

But this team never cared about history. Dexter Fowler said it himself. This team was not going to break under any pressure. Down three runs in the ninth inning of game four in the NLDS? No worries. Fail to score a run in consecutive NLCS games? Don't sweat. Trail 3-1 in the World Series which requires winning two of three games on the road? No big deal. Time and time again this Cubs team was faced with season-threatening obstacles. To watch this team fight back and show grit and heart that no Cubs team has ever shown is something that every baseball fan should be able to admire. I understand the Cubs have their fair share of enemies and haters, but to look at a group of kids, literally kids with a little veteran leadership,  and see the maturity, the fight that this group has. How can you not appreciate that?

It's what brought so much excitement to the north side of Chicago. It's what gave every single Cub fan reason to hope. The emotions that fans feel towards the Cubs are something no other fan base can truly appreciate. No other fan base in all of sports understands what that kind of perennial mediocrity and disappointment feels like. I'm 22 years old, I don't even know the full affects of that, but I'm old enough to vividly remember "The Bartman Game". I watched the Cubs get swept out of the playoffs back-to-back years in '07 and '08. I sat and watched as they lost 101 games in 2012. I witnessed the Cubs drop four in a row to the New York Mets in the 2015 NLCS. 22 years of age and still experienced all that disappointment. God bless those Cubs fans who are on the back half of their lives. That's dedication that will always be respected.

That is why emotions were in abundance when Bryant and Rizzo combined for that 5-3 putout. Decades of hope, passion, and anxiety finally rewarded. No more talk of curses. No more jokes. No more "this is what was happening in the world the last time the Cubs won" on Sportscenter. No more waiting for next year. The Cubs are on top of the baseball world, and this team is built to last.

Bedlam in Wrigleyville

So now what? 108 years of pain has been alleviated, so where do the Cubs go from here? The "lovable losers" label is long gone and the wait for a championship is now over. Are the Cubs ever going to be the same? The answer is no, and that's perfectly okay. Look at what the Red Sox have done since they broke their curse: they're now perennial contenders (with a few bad years sprinkled in) and have sustained their success. To this generation, they are a better organization than the New York Yankees even though history would certainly tell us otherwise. Are the Cubs now setting themselves up to be viewed as superior to the St. Louis Cardinals? Again, history would tell us otherwise, but for now the Cubs are in the driver's seat in the NL Central with a young core that will be around for at least a couple more years. And now, with no curses to think about and every single reason to hope, Cubs fans can truly begin to wonder if a dynasty started on November 3rd, 2016.


I shed a lot of tears last night. I wasn't old enough to appreciate Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. The Cubs went to the playoffs four separate times before this year and never came close to winning the World Series. Shawn May and the North Carolina Tar Heels beat Illinois in the 2005 men's basketball championship. Peyton Manning and the Colts took down the Chicago Bears in the 2006 Super Bowl. USC disposed of Illinois in the 2007 Rose Bowl. Derrick Rose went down with a torn ACL in 2012, one year after the Miami Heat beat the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that core's potential was never fully realized. I've never experienced what it's like to have a favorite team of mine win on one of the games' biggest stages. Let me tell you, watching my brother and grandpa celebrate a couple St. Louis Cardinal World Series wins got old really quick, too. So last night, there was a lot of emotion that went into that Cubs victory. Sweet relief and pure joy. This Cubs team gave the city and its fans everything they had and completed one of the best seasons in major league history. And you know what's most exciting? They could just be getting started. Hey Chicago, what do you say?

Trout Joining List of Great Players Stuck on Bad Teams

Mike Trout is at again this season. The best player in baseball is hitting .320 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs through 95 games and has a chance to finish top two in the MVP voting as he has done each of the past four seasons. Trout has been the best player since the day he stepped onto a big league field, but his talents have rarely been showcased in the postseason. This season will be more of the same.

While Trout thrives, the Los Angeles Angels flounder. Big contracts like Trout, Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton have not translated to success and the big spending has handicapped what the Angels can do moving forward. Trout is signed through 2020 and it's unlikely the Angels will improve in that time. Currently sitting in fourth place in the AL West with a 43-52 record, the Angels are 11.5 games behind the Texas Rangers and aren't a factor in the Wild Card race.

Another year in which the MLB playoffs will go on without the game's best player.

Trout is not a complete stranger to the postseason. He got a small taste in 2014 as the Angels won 98 games and secured the number one seed in the American League. However, the Kansas City Royals won the Wild Card game and then embarrassed LA with a three-game sweep in the ALDS. Trout struggled mightily in the series, going 1-for-12 with a home run and three walks. He was a non-factor, but then again, so was his entire team.

As another year rolls on with Trout playing for a bad team, my question is this: if nothing changes will he go down as one of the most wasted talents in baseball? He is the game's best player, but has been stuck on a bad team. Fans have little hope of seeing Trout play on the game's biggest stage as long as he is in Anaheim. Baseball is different from basketball or hockey in the sense that one man can't influence the game as much. He is relegated to four at-bats per game and can help defensively when the ball is hit to him. For a pitcher, he can only impose his will on the game every fifth day, which means we might see him only once or twice in a postseason series.

Here are some more players with big talent that found themselves in less-than-ideal situations.

Felix Hernandez | P | Seattle Mariners | 147-105, 2197 SO, Cy Young, 6-time AS, 0 Playoff Apps.
Let's start with another star in today's game. King Felix has struck hitters out at an impressive rate since his debut in 2005, surpassing 200 strikeouts in six-straight seasons from 2009-14. Despite his ability to strike hitters out, Hernandez has been stuck in Seattle on some bad teams. The Mariners have not made the playoffs since 2001, but are in the hunt for a Wild Card spot this season. We could get our first look at Hernandez in postseason play and that would be must-see TV.

Ryne Sandberg | 2B | Chicago Cubs | .285 BA, MVP, 9-time Gold Glove, 10-time AS, 2 Playoff Apps.
Ryno played in two NLCS with the Chicago Cubs, but lost to the Padres in five games in 1984 and to the Giants in five games in 1989. It's a shame Sandberg didn't have the opportunity to play in more postseason games because he was incredible in the 10 he played in. He went 15-for-39 with five doubles, six RBIs and six walks. Sandberg played eight seasons as an All-Star, while not making the playoffs and did not make the postseason after he turned 30 years old.

Nolan Ryan | P | 324-292, 5714 SO, 8-time AS, 5 Playoff Apps., 1 World Series
Ryan is by far the most decorated postseason player on this list, but when you consider that he played 27 seasons you see that he spent much more time watching the postseason than playing in it. As a member of the 1969 New York Mets, he won a World Series at age 22, but he wouldn't see the postseason again for 10 years. Ryan pitched in the playoffs three-straight seasons from 1979-81 and then again in 1986. He never won another playoff series after the World Series win and he finished his career with a 2-2 record in the postseason.

Ken Griffey Jr. | CF | Seattle Mariners | .284 BA, 630 HR, 1836 RBIs, MVP, 13-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Junior will enter the Hall of Fame this weekend after a stellar career in Seattle. For all the success he enjoyed, he was rarely on a playoff team, qualifying for October baseball in just three seasons. In 1995, Junior had 16 hits, six home runs, nine RBIs and stole three bases in a fantastic postseason run. His star would never shine brighter in October as he played in the playoffs two seasons later, going 2-for-15 in a series loss to the Baltimore Orioles. During his forgotten season with the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Junior played in three games in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays and finished 2-for-10.

Rod Carew | IF | .328 BA, 3053 H, 353 SB, 18-time AS, MVP, 4 Playoff Apps.
Carew is one of the greatest hitters the game has seen, winning seven batting titles and finishing with over 3,000 hits. The 18-time All-Star enjoyed plenty of individual success, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1967 and the MVP in 1977. He never did win a postseason series though,  losing all four that he played in. Carew's Twins teams qualified for the postseason in both '69 and '70, but fell to the Orioles each time. Carew went a combined 1-for-16 in the series. As a member of the California Angels, Carew went to the postseason twice, enjoying a great run in 1979. He finished 7-for-17 with three doubles and four runs scored, but the Orioles bested him again. Carew's final trip to the playoffs was in 1982 when the Angels lost to the Brewers, while Carew finished 3-for-17.

Tony Gwynn | RF | San Diego Padres | .338 BA, 3141 H, 15-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Another one of baseball's greatest hitters, Tony Gwynn made the postseason only three times in his 20 seasons as a Padre. However, Gwynn made the most of his time in October, making two trips to the World Series. Gwynn, unlike some others on this list, also produced in his postseason play and finished with a .306 postseason batting average. The Padres fell to the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series and then lost to the New York Yankees in the 1998 Fall Classic. Gwynn was stellar in the '98 World Series, finishing 8-for-16 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs.

Ted Williams | LF | Boston Red Sox | .344 BA, 2654 H, 17-time AS, 2-time MVP, 1 Playoff App.
The greatest hitter who ever lived put up such unbelievable hitting statistics that some of them may never be touched again. The Splendid Splinter hit .406 in 1941 and is the last MLB player to top the .400 mark. He won six batting titles and his numbers would be even better had he not missed three years to military service. Despite his hitting prowess, Williams played in just one World Series (that's all the playoffs were back in his day). The Red Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1946 Series and Williams finished 5-for-25 with an RBI and two runs.

There are plenty more great players who have rarely tasted the postseason. Contrast that with players like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio or Albert Pujols and it makes you wonder if the players on the list above would be held in an even higher regard had they won in the postseason. Trout is already behind his counterpart Bryce Harper in terms of postseason play, but there's also plenty of years left for both of them. The reality is that if Trout remains in Anaheim then we may rarely if ever see him play October baseball. That's a sad reality for baseball fans, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time we've seen it.