Chicago Cubs: Why being in the NL Central hurts the Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are once again expected to repeat as NL Central Division champs in 2018. Here’s why their weak division is more of a curse, rather than a blessing, for an organization with championship aspirations.
It’s not the Chicago Cubs’ fault they happen to play in a lopsided division.
The Saint Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, two former heavy-weights, are now long past their prime.
The Milwaukee Brewers look like a team on the rise, but they still aren’t considered a major threat to the Cubs even after winning 86 games in 2017, thanks to being in a small market.
And the Cincinnati Reds are just down-right awful at the moment, as they undergo a long uncertain rebuilding period.
Fans, as a result, should be rejoicing as their beloved Cubs remain the clear-cut heavyweight favorite to win their division. Right?
More from Da Windy City
- Juan Soto appears headed to the Yankees which is not a big blow Chicago Cubs offseason
- 3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks shootout loss to Nashville
- Chicago Cubs in the middle of chaos that is Shohei Ohtani’s free agency
- The Chicago Cubs are on a roller coaster of emotions chasing Shohei Ohtani
- Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates
Not exactly.
Winning your division in any professional sport is nice. Doing so gives your team, regardless of overall talented, an opportunity to win the ultimate prize: a championship.
But having said that, are the Cubs being fooled once again by their weak division? Fooled into believing that winning the NL Central means that they’re actually good enough to win another World Series?
Think about that theory for a moment. For as great as Theo Epstein has been since joining the Cubs’ organization, isn’t it puzzling that he’s been ultra-conservative as of late when an opportunity arises to make a big-time splash in order to improve his ball club?
For instance, the Cubs were one of the few teams that 2017 National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton would accept a trade to. Unfortunately, the New York Yankees struck a deal with the Miami Marlins for his services. In exchange, they got former Cub Starlin Castro and a few middling prospects.
While the Yankees are now likely responsible for paying Stanton $265 million over the next ten seasons, barring a player opt-out after 2020, the risk of taking on a large contract for a player in his prime is well-worth taking, especially if Stanton helps the Yankees win a World Series in the distant future.
The Cubs could have easily parted ways with OF Kyle Schwarber and a few other prospects of equal caliber to the Yankees’ in exchange for a player who’d provide a major upgrade.
Even going back a bit further to August 31, Epstein’s hesitance hurt the Cubs’ quest to win another World Series.
Justin Verlander, an ace who helped the Houston Astros win the World Series a month ago, was made available via trade by the Detroit Tigers. Verlander wouldn’t have minded being traded to the Cubs. Unfortunately, Epstein didn’t want to take on another large contract for a player in his early 30’s.
Yet, could he not have helped the Cubs reach the World Series by simply pitching deeper into games? Didn’t the Cubs’ starting rotation have trouble doing that all season long, especially in the postseason?
This is the alarming problem that the Chicago Cubs are currently unknowingly trapped in. Because the division they play in is weaker than most, there’s less urgency to make bold moves to upgrade the roster. The Cubs can hang on to most, if not all, of their core players until their rookie contracts run out even if they continue to under-achieve, as many did in 2017.
If the Chicago Cubs were playing in the American League East with the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, two power-house teams, there’s no way Epstein would stand pat when it comes to making bold moves to improve the Cubs’ roster.
Next: Cubs get relief help, sign Brandon Morrow
In 2015, when the Cubs gave up their top prospect, shortstop Gleyber Torres, in exchange for rental closer, Aroldis Chapman, that was a bold move made on Epstein’s part.
The difference back then was that the NL Central Division was the toughest division to win that year. The Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs all won more than 95 regular-season games.
The Chicago Cubs can’t continue to be conservative when opportunities arise to make splash trades. Otherwise, they’ll continue to find themselves in a familiar position for the foreseeable future: just good enough to win their weak division but not good enough to reach or win another World Series Championship.