If Not Now, When For the Cubs?

This is the year for the Cubs. This has to be the year for the Cubs. Right? Just look at that team. The one playing on the North side, with the greatest oldest stadium left in the league. That team that has two NL MVP candidates. That team that has their playoff veteran, the likely NL Cy Young winner, and arguably the best pitcher in baseball. And yes, that is three different pitchers. That team that has won more than 100 games for the first time in more than 100 years. That team that is the most overwhelming favorite to win heading into the playoffs since the 1998 Yankees.

They are just so good. If this isn’t the year the Cubs win, they might actually be cursed.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo have both emerged as MVP Candidates. Rizzo has long proven to be a capable first baseman and has been even better the last three years, making the All-Star team every year, combining a gold glove caliber glove with 30 home run-100 RBI power. Bryant, in just his second full season, hit 39 home runs while driving in 102 run, both up from last year’s Rookie of the Year campaign.

But not only is Bryant a huge asset on the plate, but also in the field where he is extremely versatile. Primarily a third baseman, Bryant has also played left, center and right field, first base and even shortstop.

The lineup the Cubs put out on the field is consistently better than anything another team will be able to put out there. With Bryant and Rizzo on the corners, rookie Addison Russell and veteran Ben Zobrist up the middle, and whoever the Cubs decide to put behind the plate between Miguel Montero, Willson Contreras and David Ross, the infield is solid. And the outfield has been reliable with Jorge Soler, Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward, who has been disappointing this year after signing a large contract in the offseason.

Pitching wise, the Cubs have a great rotation. Veteran Jon Lester at the top of the rotation is having as good a year as he has ever had posting a 19-5 record with a career low ERA of just 2.44. And don’t forget, Lester has been down this road before pitching the clinching fourth game for the Red Sox against the Rockies in 2007. That’s a good start, but the Cubs follow that up with the likely NL Cy Young award winner Kyle Hendricks who led the league with a minuscule 2.13 ERA. Then there is one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last three years in Jake Arrieta. Obviously, Arrieta couldn’t match what he did last year when he put up a sub 2 ERA, but he is still a great pitcher who allowed batters to hit just .194 against him.

Oh, and after the great starters, the Cubs have 105 mph throwing Aroldis Chapman waiting at the end of the bullpen.

The Cubs have the bats. They’ve got the pitching. And if that weren’t enough, they are managed by the best and most creative manager in the game who isn’t afraid to move people around and put them in the best position to get a win.

So, I’ll ask again: If not now, when will the Cubs win?