MILWAUKEE -- Yes, the Chicago Cubs won 97 games. It really happened. You might need a moment to let that sink in. They even won their final eight games after clinching a postseason spot. These things weren’t supposed to happen this year. Not now. Maybe next.
“It’s a great, great season,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said after their latest win, 3-1 over the Brewers on Sunday. “Rewind a year ago then fast forward a year, we’re in a great position. It’s on us players to keep repeating that success. In spring training, [manager] Joe [Maddon] said the hardest thing to do is crack the postseason the first time, you learn how to win.”
Boy did they learn. Hanging a few games over .500 in late July they went on a two-month run rarely seen in baseball. The Cubs went 46-19 in their final 65 games. Everything came together. And they did it in the National League Central, the toughest division in baseball. Three teams won 97 or more games.
“To have that many wins to come out of one division that’s never happened before,” Maddon stated. “Very proud of each and every one of our guys.”
He should be. His tight-knit group of young rookies, combined with some grizzled veterans -- along with the best pitcher in the world right now -- put their hard hats on and played the game the right way. Day in and day out there was a different hero.
“Everyone has done their job really well,” catcher David Ross said. “It shows on the field. Guys have gotten better.”
Baseball doesn’t always follow a script. Rookies should get better as a season wears on but sometimes fatigue takes over, or earning a big paycheck for the first time takes their focus, or sometimes it’s just too darn long of a season to maintain a high level of play at their age. But every single rookie contributed, especially in the glorious second half. One guy saw it coming. He doesn’t know how, but he did.
“Sometimes you get a feeling,” Rizzo said. “I can’t explain it. Just have a feeling this was going to be a good year. Just raised our bar. The bar is set from here on out.”
Rizzo made a declaration about 2015 on the final day of last season, then upped the ante in the winter, saying the Cubs would win the division. He was wrong, but was he really?
“You just felt it,” he said. “You felt the winds turn.”
Everyone felt the winds coming but they were supposed to be a year away from producing this kind of energy. Hovering four to five games over .500 in July turned out not to be the ceiling but the floor for the Cubs. Then like a rocket ship they took off. If it wasn’t Kyle Schwarber it was Addison Russell, or the best of the group, Kris Bryant, helping them to wins. Jorge Soler came off the disabled list and contributed and even Javier Baez changed his approach at the plate while quickly becoming a mainstay on defense. Starlin Castro was benched for poor play and then out of nowhere his play got better, leading the league in hitting in September. All along Rizzo put up the most consistent numbers, finishing with 31 home runs, 30 hit-by-pitches and 101 RBIs. Youth was served, and the result was 97 wins. Unheard of for a team this young.
“Joe wasn’t managing to develop guys,” Ross said. “It’s a credit to him.”
There’s enough credit to go around as the pitching staff led by Jake Arrieta also did its job. An all-world second half has placed Arrieta squarely in the sights of the Pittsburgh Pirates one more time in Wednesday's National League wild-card game. Win or go home. Will the young Cubs be as ready as their pitcher?
“The adrenaline will be running a little more,” Rizzo said. “I think we’ll be ready for it. At their place, at our place. We have Jake on the mound. When he’s out there we’re a really loose bunch. We’re excited for it.”
So is a whole nation of Cubs fans. Some felt playing at PNC Park was the best thing for the young group as that’s how crazy Wrigley Field can get for a postseason contest. The feeling being it would be better for the Cubs to be on the road away from it all. But they don't know what they're up against as the veterans on the team -- like Jon Lester -- have repeatedly said the playoffs is nothing that can be explained, they have to be experienced. If the Cubs can hold up in a hostile environment and come out on top on Wednesday, who knows how far this team can go. It has surpassed all reasonable expectations to this point.
“There’s no words that are going to replace experience,” Ross said. “The one thing I will say is have fun.”
It’s what the Cubs have been doing all season under their charismatic manager. Why would they change now?
