Chicago Cubs - The Covid-19 Years (2020-2029)

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2020

Decade

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Titles:

Top Cubs Players of the Twenty Twenties

2020 - Won Division, WC Lost to Miami

2025 - Won WC (San Diego), Lost NLDS (Milwaukee)

Pitchers:

Kyle Hendricks (3.02) - 24

Ballpark:

Jameson Taillon (3.4) - 18

Wrigley Field

Justin Steele (8.23) - 18

Shota Imanaga (4.15) - 16

Team Name:

Matthew Boyd (2.6) - 11

Cubs

Drew Smyly (1.91) - 11

Adbert Alzolay (3.4) - 10

Owners:

Marcus Stroman (4.15) - 10

Thomas S Ricketts

Yu Darvish (2.63) - 8

Craig Kimbrel (0.27) - 7

General Managers:

Colin Rea (0.43) - 7

Jed Hoyer (2021-2021 kicked upstairs to President in '22)

Carter Hawkins (2022-2025)

Catchers:

Willson Contreras (9.06) - 24

Managers:

Yan Gomes (2.47) - 7

David Ross (2020-2023)

Craig Counsell (2024-25)

First Basemen:

Michael Busch (7.3) - 16

Hall of Famers:

Anthony Rizzo (2.36) - 11

None

Second Basemen:

Rookie of the Year:

Nico Hoerner (20.87) - 38

None

ShortStop:

MVP

Dansby Swanson (13.3) - 27

None

Javier Baez (3.5) - 11

Cy Young:

Third Base:

None

Christopher Morel (2.64) - 13

Patrick Wisdom (3.36) - 12

No Hitters:

Kris Bryant (2.72) - 9

2020 - Alec Mills (Milwaukee)

2021 - (Davies, Tapera, Chafin, Kimbrel) (LA)

Outfield:

2024 - (Imanaga, Pearson, Hodge) (Pirates)

Ian Happ (17.98) - 44

Seiya Suzuki (10.76) - 29

Notable Events:

Cody Bellinger (4.4) - 20

Pete Crow-Armstrong (8.3) - 17

2020 - Chicago extended its above .500 streak to six in '20 with their third

Rafael Ortega (2.3) - 10

Division title during that span. The Cubs lost the Wild Card to Miami.

Kyle Tucker (4.5) - 10

Unfortunately, as the decade opens, the Bruins appear to be getting

farther and farther away from being the elite team that they were in the

Notable Events:

first four years of the run ('15 thru '18). The pitching is still elite, but the

hitters, who are still in their prime in '20, have mysteriously gone from elite

2024 - The Cubs sign manager Craig Counsell away from the Brewers.

to below average. What started out looking like a potential dynasty led by

Definitely a coup. Forty million does a lot of persuading

a bunch of young talented hitters is slowly fizzling out.

2024 - Chicago underachieved big time in '23 based on their runs totals

□ Thomas S Ricketts has owned the club since 2009 and, after a rocky start,

and based on the fact that they collapsed down at the end.

has presided over a successful organization. He showed great management

The team definitely is in the hunt for the Division title. The rest of the

savvy in hiring away superb GM Theo Epstein from the Red Sox organization.

Division is competitive, but no standout teams. It should be a close race.

Epstein, who rose to President of the club, was reluctantly let go because

Theo wanted an ownership stake in the club which Ricketts wasn't interested

Offense:

in providing. Coincidentally or not, the club's good fortunes on the field have

The Cubs were above average offensively in '23 and should be again in '24

left right along with Epstein.

Plus there are several intriguing youngsters who could be difference makers

if they break out this season. OF Pete Crow-Armstrong is the best of them

□ Jed Hoyer was Cubs GM from 2011 thru 2020. He was kicked upstairs

Also 3B Matt Shea and OF Owen Caissie.

to team President when Epstein resigned. Hoyer had previously worked with

The team has good power with five guys topping 20 homers and

Epstein in Boston, briefly moved to San Diego and then reunited with Epstein

2B Nico Hoerner is a force on the basepaths.

in Chicago. Now that Epstein is about to depart, we'll get a chance to see how

Ironically, the two weak offensive positions are DH and 1B with the loss

good Hoyer is, flying solo. Carter Hawkins took over as GM a year later in '22.

of FA Jeimer Candelario.

□ C Yan Gomes, 36, '23 journeyman FA from A's, 10 63 .267

□ David Ross took over for legendary Joe Maddon in '20 and the club

□ 2B Nico Hoerner, 27, '18 1st round pick, 9 68 .283

improved. An infusion of young blood. That being said, the hitters continued

□ SS Dansby Swanson, 30, '23 star FA from Braves, 22 80 .244

to decline which is a problem for Ross moving forward.

□ 3B Christopher Morel, 25, '15 IFA, 26 70 .247

□ OF Ian Happ, 29, '15 9th overall pick, 21 84 .248

2021 - The mini-run is over. The Cubs crash and burn to a 71-91 mark.

□ OF Seiya Suzuki 29, '22 FA from Japan, 20 74 .285

The offense, which had been declining from the halcyon days, stayed pretty

□ OF Cody Bellinger, 28, '23 star FA from Dodgers, 26 97 .307

much the same in '21 as it was in '20. However, the pitching went from giving up

four runs a game to over five. No bueno.

What will potentially hold the Cubs back is their pitching. Lefty Justin

The big loss was the Cubs jettisoning ace Yu Darvish's contract, which had

Steele came out of nowhere last year to be an ace. Can he repeat?

two years remaining, in a trade with San Diego for righty Zach Davies

They may need righty Cade Horton, 22, the seventh overall pick in the

plus others. Starters Adbert Alzolay, Davies and Jake Arietta went a

22 draft to step up this season. Lefty Drew Smyly, 34, Righty Jameson

combined 16-36 with an ERA approaching six.

Taillon, 31, and Righty Kyle Hendricks, 34, are not an awe inspiring

rest of the rotation. Losing Marcus Stroman to the Yankees hurts.

2023 - The Cubs improve nine games in the standings to move to 83-79

The bullpen was decent last year but not deep.

and above .500. Chicago underachieved in '23 as their runs totals

indicated a 90-72 mark and a nineteen game improvement runs-wise.

2025 - The arrow is up for the Cubs despite their stalling at 83-79 in '24.

Generally, when that occurs, it's the bullpen that's blowing the close ones and

Chicago had a huge acquisition in the off season picking up star OF

that was the case in '23. The team also faltered, big time, down the stretch.

Kyle Tucker in his contract walk year for for 1st round pick Cam Smith in a

If they fix the bullpen, they are not far from being a legitimate contender

trade with the Astros. According to Tucker's WAR over the last few years his

The biggest contributors to the improvement were free agents star shortstop

acquisition should translate to six more wins for the Cubs in '25.

Danby Swanson from the Braves and outfielder Cody Bellinger from

Other than that, it's a group where their 83-79 record was appropriate

the Dodgers and the emergence of Lefty Justin Steele as an ace.

for the talent at hand. That all would project them to 89 wins in '25.

2025 Pitching:

The Cubs have a solid group of starters. A cut below championship callibre

but enough to get them to sneak into the playoffs.

□ LHP Shota Imanaga 31, '24 FA from Japan, 15-3 2.91

□ LHP Justin Steele 29, '14 draft 5th round pick, 5-5 3.07

□ RHP Jameson Taillon 33, '23 FA from Yankees, 12-8 3.27

□ RHP Javier Assad, 27, '15 IFA, 7-6 3.73

□ RHP Tyson Miller, 29, '15 IFA, 5-1 2.15

□ RHP Porter Hodge, 24, '15 IFA, 3-1 1.88

2025 Hitting:

Just like the pitching, outside of Tucker, it’s a solid, but not a spectacular

group. Most of the guys you wouldn't be surprised if they ended up with

around a .700 OPS. And closer to 800 for guys like OF Ian Happ, OF Seiya

Suzuki, SS Dansby Swanson and 1B Michael Busch.

They've got three youngsters that they hope will bolster the lineup:

C Miguel Amaya, 25, 3B Matt Shaw, 23, and OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, 23.