Cubbies Crib
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A Perspective: Why Chicago Cubs fans are so excited about this team

By Ryan Dunn

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This is what it must feel like to step beyond the velvet rope.

For years innumerable, we have stood in line, watching as the A-listers were given special access to an exclusive club. The bouncer let them in with a smile, wink, and nod while we waited behind the velvet rope in hopes that there might be room for us in the club sometime soon, too.

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At times, it got really cold while we waited. There were moments when we felt like the club just wasn’t for us. It wasn’t even our scene. We didn’t belong there.

But now we have access, Chicago Cubs fans. The A-listers have taken notice. Stars like Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, and Kris Bryant have pointed us out to the bouncers and said, “these people are with me.”

We get the smile, wink, and nod. The bouncer lifts the velvet rope. In we go.

The “club” is baseball success. We’ve gotten glimpses of it before. Seven to eight years ago, it seemed we stepped to the front of the bouncers’ line and got to peer into the door, seeing what the A-listers celebrations were like.

We could hear their music. We could feel the heat from the dance floor. We could see their movements. We just couldn’t get in.

We’ve watched some of our friends go in. We saw the White Sox and their fans head in. The hapless Royals joined the party last year. It all makes it feel so much more tantalizing to us.

So now we’re walking in the doorway. Do you hear the music? Feel the beat? Smell the… well, nevermind…

But we’re heading in. And we’re making a big entrance because the guys who got us here know how to leave an impression.

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The Cubs hit the long ball. This is the team that set a postseason record for hitting six homers in one game. They’ve crushed 12 in their last five games—and “crushed” is not hyperbole as Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, and newly anointed starting shortstop Javier Baez have hit some impressive shots.

With the Cubs’ increasing home run frequency, there is a fear their run production could become dangerously reliant on the long-ball. When Joe Maddon called for another safety squeeze in the midst of NLDS Game 4 against the Cardinals, he was fighting against a sole reliance on home runs to score.

The squeeze failed, but the Cubs still prevailed, thanks, once again, to homers from Baez and Rizzo. The fear of being too reliant on homers to score might have more credence if it wasn’t for the fact that so many Cubs are in on the action: from leadoff man Dexter Fowler to middle-infielder Starlin Castro.

When we’re waiting on one or two guys to hit one out, the offense becomes stagnant. But when everyone is capable of going yard runs pile up. This team is booming and we’re loving it.

Sure, the Mets have great pitching. They’re also young and have logged some innings thanks to a long series against the Dodgers.

And the Cubs showed an ability to tire pitchers out during their series with the Cardinals, taking 17 walks over four games. This team consistently hits home runs because they wait for the right pitches so they should be able to wear out the young arms on the Mets’ staff.

The rest of the baseball world may be wondering why Cubs fans are so giddy over their team’s recent success. We’re giddy because we’ve been waiting for it for so long— and this team is delivering success in spectacular style. We’re giddy because we see such a strong likelihood of it continuing.

So let us enjoy it, will you? After all, if you’re a fan of another team, then we’ve been waiting in line longer than you have.

Next: Breaking down LCS teams and their payroll

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