Chicago Cubs - The Obama / Trump Era (2010-2019)

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2010

Decade

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103

Titles:

Top Cubs Players of the Twenty Teens

2015 - WC, Win WC play-in (Pirates), win NLDS (Cards), lose NLDS (Mets)

2016 - NL Central Champs, Won NLDS (SF), Won NLCS (LA), Won WS (Cleve)

Pitchers:

2017 - NL Central Champs, Won NLDS (Washington), Lost NLCS (Dodgers)

Jon Lester (13.84) - 50

2018 - Wild Card, Lost WC Play-in to Colorado

Jake Arrieta (20.02) - 46

Kyle Hendricks (20.75) - 38

Ballpark:

Carlos Marmol (3.1) - 22

Wrigley Field

Jason Hammel (6.01) - 20

Hector Rondon (4.04) - 20

Team Name:

Ryan Dempster (7.29) - 18

Cubs

Travis Wood (5.57) - 17

Jose Quintana (4.81) - 17

Owners:

Jeff Samardzija (5.62) - 15

Thomas S Ricketts

John Lackey (3.94) - 12

Matt Garza (5.72) - 11

General Managers:

Wade Davis (1.85) - 9

Crane Kenney (2010-2011)

Pedro Strop (7.42) - 9

Theo Epstein (President 2012-2019) / Jed Hoyer (General Manager 2012-2019)

Brandon Morrow (1.44) - 6

Cole Hamels (5.75) - 6

Managers:

Yu Darvish (3.47) - 5

Lou Piniella (2010)

Mike Quade (2010-2011)

Catchers:

Dale Sveum (2012-2013)

Wilson Contreras (11.52) - 29

Rich Renteria (2014)

Kyle Schwarber (4.76) - 22

Joe Maddon (2015-2019)

Geovanny Soto (5.1) - 21

Welington Castillo (6.6) - 15

Hall of Famers:

First Basemen:

Rookie of the Year:

Anthony Rizzo (33.01) - 86

Kris Bryant (2015)

Second Basemen:

MVP

Javier Baez (17.85) - 36

Kris Bryant (2016)

Ben Zobrist (7.11) - 19

Darwin Barney (7.56) - 7

Cy Young:

Jake Arrietta (2015)

ShortStop:

Starlin Castro (10.82) - 47

No Hitters:

Addison Russell (12.25) - 20

Jake Arrietta (2015)

Jake Arrietta (2016)

Third Base:

Kris Bryant (25.21) - 50

Notable Events:

Luis Valbuena (3.75) - 11

Aramis Ramirez (2.07) - 10

2010 - The Cubs entered the decade on a three season above .500 streak

including Division Titles in 2007 and 2008. Not bad even if they got swept in

Outfield:

both NLDS's. Therefore, there appeared to be some reason for optimism for 2010..

Alfonso Soriano (3.47) - 28

There wasn't. Chicago proceeded to finish last the first five seasons of the

Dexter Fowler (6.45) - 26

new decade. The 2010 roster was pretty bare of keepers moving forward as

Jayson Heyward (7.06) - 21

most of the team was over thirty. 2010 was the year they got old.

Marlon Byrd (5.15) - 16

The keepers on the 2010 roster:

Chris Coughlan (3.43) - 15

□ C - Geovany Soto, 27, 11th round pick 2001 draft

Ian Happ (3.33) - 11

□ SS - Starlin Castro, 20, IFA 2006, rookie in 2010

Albert Almora (2.49) - 7

□ C - Wellington Castillo, 23, IFA in 2004, debut ion 2010

□ RHP - Jeff Samardzija, 25, 5th round in 2005 draft

Notable Events:

2012 - Finally, the Cubs decide to get serious. Owner Thomas Ricketts had

2015 - It all comes together for the Cubs, after five straight last place

bought the club in 2009 and decided it was time to change the atmosphere of

finishes, they move to third with an eye popping twenty four game jump

losing that has pervaded the Cubs since after the 1930's when William Wrigley

in the standings to a gaudy 97-65 mark and a wild card berth.

owned the club and Bill Veeck Sr. ran it. Ricketts hired Theo Epstein away

The Cubs also beat the Pirates

from the Red Sox to become president of the team. Altho' Jed Hoyer was hired

and Cards in the playoffs before falling to the Mets. The leap forward

away from San Diego as GM, it was Epstein who was running the show. Epstein

can be attributed to the maturation of a lot of studly young talent

didn't come cheap, but he was one of the best GM's / Presidents in the business.

permeating the roster.

2012 - 1B Anthony Rizzo is a rookie. He was obtained from SD in a deal for

2016 - 2B Ben Zobrist, 35, is signed as a free agent from KC. Another

twenty three year old six foot six righthander Andrew Cashner. Lanky Cashner

savvy signing as Zobrist is a flat out winner wherever he goes.

had some talent, but was a project and this deal turned out to be a mega

steal for the Cubs. Nice start for Epstein.

2016 - Outfielder Jason Heyward, 26, is signed to an extremely costly

FA contract. One would be tempted to second guess Epstein on

2012 - A bump in the road for Epstein. 2B DJ LaMehieu, 23, is dealt to Colorado

this one. Heyward's a primo defender and base runner but only

for washed up 3B Ian Stewart, 27. Very bad.

an average hitter with average power.

2013 - Reliever Hector Rondon, 25, is a rookie. He was pilfered from Cleveland

2016 - Now it's Chicago's turn to give up primo prospects at the trade

in the Rule 5 draft.

deadline in order to make it to the finish on top. They deal highly

regarded prospect GleyberTorres and three others for a rental

2013 - RHP Jake Arrietta, 27, is stolen from the Orioles in a mid season four

of lights out closer Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees.

player swap. The Orioles, who were looking for pitching help to contend down

The deal pays big dividends as the Cubs go on to win their

the stretch, picked up Scott Feldman in the deal. Arrieta, who was pretty

first world title in over a hundred years.

much of a throw in by Baltimore, turned out to be the real prize in the trade.

Chapman re-signs with the Yanks at the end of the year.

2013 - RHP Kyle Hendricks, 23, is obtained in a trade deadline swap with Texas

2017 - The Cubs win the Division again despite dropping eleven

for Ryan Dempster. This trade was another theft by Epstein.

games in the standings to 92-70. Chicago gives up 139 more runs

than they did in 2016. The entire staff declines significantly altho' they

2015 - Joe Maddon is signed on as manager. Normally you wouldn't think that

retain enough effectivenss to win the division.

a manager of Maddon's stature would opt for going to a club that finished last

The Cubbies end up losing to LA in the NLCS.

five years running. However, the talent on the roster is evident and Theo Epstein

is in charge. Maddon is one of those rare managers who is a difference

2018 - RHP Yu Darvish, 31, is signed as a free agent from Texas

maker and that's the kind of guy Epstein wants holding the reins of the club.

to a hefty 6 year deal. Darvish develops elbow problems and wins

Maddon is also one of a dying breed. A non-analytics driven manager. Joe's

only one game for the Cubs in 2018

old school, which says that once you have the analytics in your hand, that's when

the conversation begins, not when it ends. In other words, good management

2018 - Chicago finishes the regular season in a flat footed tie with

uses analytics as a tool to manage, not as a tool to replace managing.

Milwaukee for the Division title. The Brewers beat the Cubs in a one

game playoff to win the Division.

2015 - 3B Kris Bryant, 23, is a rookie. He was the second overall pick in the

Chicago then loses the Wild Card play-in to the Rockies and they're out of

2013 draft. All he does is win Rookie of the Year on 26-99-.275 stats.

the playoffs despite finishing the regular season tied for the best record

in the league. Bummer.

2015 - Twenty two year old catcher / outfielder Kyle Schwarber, 22, is a rookie.

He was the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft. When Theo Epstein finishes

2018 - Altho' the Cubs are still among baseball's elite and have made

last, he finishes last productively by making the most of his high draft picks.

the post season four years running, they are not the dynasty that

Schwarber is a stud, but misses the entire 2016 season with a torn ACL

appeared to be on the horizon after their brilliant 2016 season.

The bevy of young stud hitters' production has slowly declined rather

2015 - Ace lefthander Jon Lester, 31, signs as a free agent. It seemed a

than taken off. 1B Anthony Rizzo, SS Addison Russell, 3B Kris Bryant,

foregone conclusion that Lester would re-sign with the Red Sox, but instead

C-OF Kyle Schwarber and OF Jason Heyward have all gone backwards.

reunited with his former GM, Theo Epstein, in Chicago. This was a gutsy

On the mound, starters Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks have both

signing on Epstein's part as fifth place teams don't usually splurge on thirty

remained solid, but Jake Arrieta flew the coop in 2018.

one year old pitchers.

The good news is that 2B Javier Baez has become the team's best hitter,

reliever Pedro Strop has continued to get better and the bullpen led by

2015 - SS Addison Russell, 21, is obtained from the A's in a trade deadline heist

Strop, Brandon Morrow, Steve Cishek and Carl Edwards is quality.

for pitchers Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija. Russell was a first round pick

in the draft in 2012. Epstein pulled the trigger on this deal even tho' the Cubs,

2019 - The Cubbies drop eleven games in the standings to third place.

like the A's, were contending for a playoff spot. Another gutsy move that looked

Not to panic, however. Their runs differential indicates a 90 win season

to pay big dividends. Unfortunately, Russell's career has been slow to take off.

which means, as usual, that the bullpen is the culprit whenever a team

underachieves its runs differentials by a lot.

Closer Craig Kimbrel 0-4 6.83 13 saves, 'nuf said.

Setup men Strop and Edwards also fall apart which doesn't help.

Chicago still has a talent, but the window is closing with each

passing season.