Was the 2015 season a success for the Chicago Cubs? Undoubtedly. They stormed their way into the playoffs despite finishing third in the NL Central (and winning 97 games in the process) and ousted the division rival Pirates and Cardinals in the Postseason before running into a blue and orange buzzsaw in the form of the New York Mets. While the season didn’t end with the team hoisting a trophy, it was still a satisfying year for the organization.
Preseason Prediction: The Cubs are going to be a lot of fun this year, there’s no doubt about that. While the newly found optimism on the North Side has led to some fans set to declare a World Championship for the first time in over a century, this team likely isn’t quite there yet. They could, however, absolutely be in the mix for a wild card spot when it’s all said and done. Anything around .500 and setting themselves up for a big year in 2016 seems pretty reasonable. (Randy Holt, March 9th)
What Went Right: Kris Bryant was as good as advertised, or as good as was seen in Spring Training. The certain Rookie of the Year hit 26 homers (t-1 in NL among rookies), knocked in 99 runs (led NL rookies), and finished with a .858 OPS. To go along with a 5.9 WAR and an ISO of .213, Bryant swiped 13 bases and walked 77 times.
Anthony Rizzo continued to insert himself into the conversation of best young players in the majors. The 25-year old hit 31 homers, with 101 RBI, and a .899 OPS. A solid 6.2 WAR and .234 ISO made Rizzo the most feared hitter in the lineup. He was much disciplined than Bryant (105 strikeouts versus 199 for Bryant). Even though he is young, he has emerged as the team leader and should be that for many years to come.
Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta continued where he ended last season. The Cy Young Award candidate finished with a 22-6 record with an insane 1.77 ERA. The 29-year old was almost literally unhittable in the second half of the season. In his last 15 starts of the season, Arrieta was 12-1 with a microscopic ERA of 0.75 (including a no-hitter against the Dodgers) and a WHIP of .727, He brought it in the Wild Card game against the Pirates as well to help Cubs along on their Postseason run. Indeed, Kershaw and Greinke have company on the “Best Pitchers in the League” list.
CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 26: Addison Russell #22 of the Chicago Cubs mishandles the ball after forcing out Pedro Alvarez #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at second base during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on September 26, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
What Went Wrong: Rookie second baseman Addison Russell had his moments, but he also has plenty of room for improvement. He struck out 149 times in 142 games and only had a .307 OBP. His 13 homers were nice, but the 21-year old has a long way to go. He’ll be fine.
The Cubs lineup led the league in strikeouts, but they also led the league in drawing walks, so that’s an interesting mix of patience and aggressiveness. The Cubs are a young team (26.7 average age) and any weakness that was put on display in 2015 will improve as the team gets experience. But let’s be honest, this team won 97 games and it was a team that wasn’t supposed to do much of anything; not much went wrong in 2015.
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 20: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Chicago Cubs hits a solo home run in the first inning against Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets during game three of the 2015 MLB National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 20, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Most Surprising Player: Rookie outfielder Kyle Schwarber made a lot of noise in 69 games. He contributed 16 homers in his short season of work and introduced himself to the national audience with an outstanding Postseason. Schwarber got consistent playing time due to the injuries to Jorge Soler and he made the most of it. What the Cubs will decide regarding his future remains to be seen, but the Big Boy isn’t going anywhere, that’s for sure. He did play 21 games as catcher, so that’s always a possibility, but no matter what, Joe Maddon will find a way to get Schwarber into the lineup in 2016.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 17: Jorge Soler #68 of the Chicago Cubs reacts after striking out against the New York Mets during game one of the 2015 MLB National League Championship Series at Citi Field on October 17, 2015 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Most Disappointing Player: A lot of high expectations were put on Jorge Soler coming into this season. Needing another outfield presence, the Cubs went with him immediately. While he played okay, he missed all of June and part of September with injury. He struck out 121 times in 101 games which, in a way, made him a great fit on the Cubs, but overall he is going to be a player of the future for the Cubs. He just needs to stay healthy.
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 21: Anthony Rizzo #44 of the Chicago Cubs and his teammates wave to the crowd after being defeated by the New York Mets in game four of the 2015 MLB National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 21, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Mets defeated the Cubs with a score of 8 to 3 to sweep the Championship Series. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Future: The future is about as bright as it can be for the Cubs. Their youth and talent is unmatched in all of baseball. They are young enough that they don’t need to worry about their studs leaving anytime soon. The only regular player who will be a free agent is Dexter Fowler and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the Cubs let him walk considering they have Soler and Schwarber. Arrieta is eligible for arbitration, but the Cubs have money to spend.
In no way should the NLCS result affect the optimism for Cubs fans and the future. Sure, they are in a tough division with the Cardinals and Pirates, but with all factors being accounted for, the Cubs have the edge and definitely are built to be good for multiple years. With Theo Epstein at the helm, any team would feel confident moving forward. What’s the only negative? It’s a good possibility they will be seeing the Mets for years to come as well.
