Chicago Cubs: 2015 Cubbies Crib staff picks

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The long-awaited return to postseason baseball

Michael Settepani – Staff Writer

The Cubs will make the improvements their fans have been yearning for since 2009 and eek into the final Wild Card spot.  It’s an odd year, which means the San Francisco Giants will not win the World Series — don’t worry, Giants fans, they’ll win it next year probably.  It’ll come down to the final game of the season and the Cubs defeat the Brewers to finish a game ahead of San Francisco.  They’ll take on Pittsburgh in the one-game playoff and hopefully they inexplicably start Edison Volquez again (ignore that he’s on the Royals).

– Cubs’ final record – 85-77, 3rd in the N.L. Central, 2nd Wild Card Spot

NL Central

1. St. Louis Cardinals

2. Pittsburgh Pirates

3. Chicago Cubs

4. Milwaukee Brewers

5. Cincinnati Reds

Cubs MVP – Anthony Rizzo (.286 BA, .379 OBP, 33 HR, 101 RBI)

World Series – Washington Nationals vs. Baltimore Orioles

Nationals win

National League Awards

Rookie of the Year– Jorge Soler – CHC (.281 BA, .333 OBP, 26 HR, 87 RBI)

Cy Young – Clayton Kershaw – LAD  (20-4, 2.03 ERA, 240 K, 0.90 WHIP)

MVP – Giancarlo Stanton – MIA (.297 BA, .398 OBP, 36 HR, 118 RBI)

Nicholas Blazek – Co-editor

Every year, my father gets his friends that are Cubs fans and our family together for our yearly picks. Nothing at stake, just for fun. Needless to say in the past five years I’ve overshot the Cubs win total in my projections each season. I’ve always said that one day they would make me look good.

Hopefully this is the year.

I’m keeping my optimism and hoping the Cubs can live up to the hype. I think the core is solid, and the additions will be enough to compete. I think the Central as whole will be very tough, and I’m counting on that for the Cubs to have the time for some of the young players to develop–as the division essentially beats up on itself.

I’m not going crazy with a World Series pick, but I think they sneak out the Central..by less than two games.

Cubs 2015 record: 91-71, First in the NL Central

NL Central
1. Cubs
2. Pirates – *WC
3. Cardinals – *WC
4. Brewers
5. Reds

Cubs MVP – Starlin Castro – I think he puts it together for a solid season. I think in part due to Maddon, the other in fear of Addison Russell on his heels. Doesn’t mean he won’t have typical “Castro” lapses, but he’s an All-Star, so this isn’t far-fetched to believe.

World Series – Nationals vs Indians
Nationals win in six

National League Awards
Rookie of the Year – Jorge Soler – CHC – Bryant is likely to have a fantastic rookie season, but I think Soler is more complete and is about to have his breakout year.
Cy Young – Matt Harvey – NYM – Kid was fantastic before injury, and has looked great this spring. I see him having an impressive year as long as he avoids injury.
MVP – Giancarlo Stanton – MIA – No explanation needed. This kid is just good. 

Next: We're a pretty optimistic group