Chicago Cubs: Our staff makes their predictions for the 2017 campaign

Following a historic season that exceeded all expectations, the Cubbies Crib staff put together their predictions for the 2017 Chicago Cubs. Some of them might surprise you.

In last year’s rendition of this annual tradition, most members of the Cubbies Crib staff felt the Chicago Cubs were poised to make a legitimate run at a World Series title.

And, boy, were they right.

Staff writers Tim Stebbins, David Miniel, Ryan Tadych and Mike Niederman all said the team would, at the very least, reach the Fall Classic. Site expert Nicholas Blazek said that 2016 would “be a year to remember.” Yeah, that about sums it up.

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On the individual side of things, zero members of our team picked Kris Bryant for the National League MVP. Blazek tapped Anthony Rizzo, who finished in the top five in voting, but, other than that, no one felt any one Cubs player would step up to dominate like he wound up doing.

It’s hard to put together predictions when your team is coming off its first title in 108 years. Really, would anything but another title be considered a success?

It seems unlikely the City of Chicago and its fans would accept anything less given their die-hard nature.

Without further ado, let’s get into our predictions for the upcoming 2017 season.

Most expect a rebound from Heyward in year two

Last season was a year to forget – at least offensively – for Jason Heyward. In his first year of the biggest contract in Cubs franchise history, the outfielder put up the worst numbers of his career. He did, however, bring Gold Glove defense to right field at Wrigley, but most fans got consumed in his struggles at the plate.

By and large, the Cubbies Crib staff think this year will be an improvement – albeit not a large one.

Question: At season’s end, will Jason Heyward hit above or below .260?

Quinn Allen: I believe Jason Heyward will hit around .250 this season. He put a lot of work into simplifying his swing this offseason and I believe once the season rolls around, he’s going to start producing offensively. It won’t be a banner season for him at the plate but I believe he will produce more than he did in 2016. 

Jason Heyward put up the worst offensive numbers of his career in 2016. Despite this, our staff overwhelmingly believes his hard work will pay off and he’ll push his average north of his career .262 mark.

Tim Stebbins:  Jason Heyward should bounce back from his abysmal 2016 season. While one shouldn’t expect him to hit .290 or .300, his career average is .262. For that reason, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he hits .270 or even closer to .280 in 2017.

Corey Francis: Hard work is rewarded and Heyward is putting in time and effort. That cannot be disputed. And, so far, his attitude and that of his teammates is positive. Heyward will be put in difficult situations this year, with runners on base or clutch situations. The dedication to his swing will pay off this year, and he will average above .260.

That’s a fair assumption. I mean, after barely posting an OPS above .300 last year, there’s nowhere to go but up, right? Not if you ask one of our staff writers.

David Miniel: Jason had a hard time keeping up with the fastball last year – which is one of many reasons why he tweaked his approach in the batter’s box during the offseason. Hasn’t shown much this spring (yes, I know it’s only Spring Training), so I’m going below .260. 

Our guys go all-in on the reigning National League MVP

It seems like an obvious answer to the question: which player, Anthony Rizzo or Kris Bryant, will have the best all-around season in 2017?

Of course, you’d immediately assume Bryant, who is coming off a Rookie of the Year Award in 2015 and Most Valuable Player honors in 2016. Still, Rizzo, the veteran of the group, won the Platinum Glove Award last year at first base and finished fourth in NL MVP voting, smacking 32 home runs and driving in 109.

And, well, our staff seemed to agree with KB.

Question: Who will have the better all-around season – Bryant or Rizzo?

Chicago Cubs

Ryan Tadych:  Rizzo and Bryant clearly are the top two players on the team and Rizzo has been about as consistent in baseball as anyone the last few seasons. He will remain that way and Bryant will continue to reach new heights. Bryant will surpass 40 homers, drive in 110+ runs and continue to show why he is the NL MVP. Both of them will provide a lot of fun and offense during the season, but Bryant will have the better numbers.

Tim Stebbins: Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo have been nothing short of spectacular during their time with the Cubs. If I had to pick one of the two to have a “better” season, I’d go with Bryant to build off of his MVP season. I fully expect Rizzo to have a great 2017 season, but Bryant has gone from winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2013 to MVP in 2016. The guy is a beast, simply put.

Not everyone is hopping on the well-deserved bandwagon of Bryant, though. Anthony Rizzo, who could be in the franchise top 10 for homers by the start of 2019, has more than carried is weight on this team.

Because of Bryant, and the reintroduction of Schwarber into the mix, some believe Rizzo could be the biggest star of all for the reigning world champions in 2017.

Corey Francis: Should their position in the lineup stand, and both players stay healthy, Rizzo will have a better year. With Schwarber and Bryant in front of Rizzo, RBI numbers will be close to 120. As long Zobrist or Russell contribute consistently, Rizzo will see good pitches. He will hit for a .307/.370/.575 split, with 39 HR, 121 RBI, 70 runs scored. 

Some say ‘yes’ – some say ‘no’

In 2015, the Chicago Cubs featured the National League Cy Young Award winner in Jake Arrieta and the Manager of the Year in Joe Maddon. Last season, Kris Bryant won the National League MVP award, and several Cubs’ pitchers earned Cy Young votes, although none won the honor.

Coming off a title, are more big performances in store for Maddon’s club?

Question: Will the Cubs feature any major award winners in 2017?

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Corey Francis: Cy Young – Jon Lester; MVP – Anthony Rizzo; Rookie of the Year: Albert Almora, Jr. ; Gold Gloves: Rizzo, Contreras, Russell, Heyward, Arrieta

Okay, that’s being generous. I mean, I’d be okay with it. Winning the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year all in the same season? Sign me up. I suppose that’s one way to follow up breaking a 108-year curse.

Daniel Shepard: Jon Lester will be in the running for the Cy Young again. I don’t think Kyle Hendricks does as well in 2017. Kris Bryant will be in the MVP mix once again and should get it if he hits 40+ homers.

David Miniel: National League MVP goes to Kris Bryant. As far as Cy Young is concerned, it’s going to be hard for a starter to outpitch a healthy Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw could end up winning it by a landslide depending on how his back holds up. Don’t get me wrong, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks are going to do great but Clayton is the best pitcher in the entire league when he’s 100 percent. Addison Russell, Anthony Rizzo, and Jason Heyward each win a Gold Glove. 

If any player is poised to win more hardware, it’s hard disputing Bryant’s claim. The kid has racked up awards at every single level and says he expects to be even better in 2017. That’s saying a lot for a guy who helped break the longest title drought in American sports in just his first full big league season.

After predicting 103 wins in 2016, Blazek ups the ante in ’17

After guessing the win total on the money last season (so I needed a game to not be completed) I’m going for two in-a-row. I believe the Cubs will finish the season with a 105-57 record, with a more consistent level of play throughout the year.

The team will finish in first. The Cubs are peaking while the rest of the division is rebuilding. The Cards may push the Cubs thanks to Dexter Fowler, but they won’t be close enough to make it exciting at the end.

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As far as major awards go, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo all win Gold Gloves. I don’t think the Cubs will win any of the major awards, but they’ll litter the finalists in all of them.

In the battle between Rizzo and Bryant, all I see is KB progressing more and more with each passing year. After working to adapt his swing and take out some of the uppercut he had, he did just that and added the MVP to his trophy case. This season he’s focusing on hitting to the opposite field -which is his only glaring weakness at the plate. Rizzo has a good season, but it’s Bryant again.

I’m taking the over on the .260 mark with Heyward. Even with the results lacking this spring, I’ve seen a change in his confidence and approach at the plate. It’s might not be by much, but Heyward will surpass the .260 mark and hit in the .270 range.

Cubs win the Central; Bryant wins another MVP Award

And now for my own personal thoughts and expectations for the upcoming season.

For the first time in years, I’m not sure what to expect. The end goal has always been winning a championship – and it’s not like that changes once you’ve won one. But it’s hard to temper expectations after winning 103 wins and bringing home a World Series title.

That being said, there are scarcely a handful of scenarios that result in this team missing the postseason. Most importantly, the Cubs need to stay healthy. The club was remarkably injury-free last year (minus Schwarber) and it helped them make a smooth run at a division title.

In 2017, Chicago will take a step backwards – albeit a small one. Joe Maddon’s club will win the Central, but will suffer four more losses than in 2016, finishing the year at 99-63.

Kris Bryant will win his second-straight National League MVP Award – becoming only the second Cubs player to win back-to-back honors, along with Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks. He’ll also smack 45 homers and drive in 125 runs, leading the offensive charge for the team.

As for Jason Heyward, I think he bats around .250. This is the one regard in which I have managed to temper my expectations. Even if he hits at that clip, he brings immense value on and off the field. He’s the best defensive corner outfielder in Major League Baseball and his leadership is immeasurable.

Can the Cubs start a dynasty in 2017? Never say never.

A World Series championship changed how the entire world looks at the Chicago Cubs. Still, even with an NLCS appearance following by a title, this team is far from a dynasty and it will take big steps to get there in 2017.

So what does our staff think is likely come October? A deep playoff run – at the very least.

Question: How far will the Cubs advance into the postseason?

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Nicholas Blazek: I know this is going to be a tough road, and that most teams are gunning for the Cubs. If the rotation holds together, I think they’ll return to the World Series. They’ve shown they have the depth to survive injuries, but the rotation will likely be the key to it all. 

It’s hard to argue with that logic. John Lackey, the only member of the staff to suffer an injury in 2016, is heading into his age-38 campaign, and could be vulnerable to re-injury. Jon Lester has a bone chip that could cost him a year at any point and Jake Arrieta is known for his effective, albeit unorthodox, delivery.

Health will be everything for this starting rotation.

Corey Francis: Now that they are World Series Champions, the pressure of the curse, the fans, and team history is off their shoulders. Still, playoffs challenge even the greatest teams. With their team balance, the Cubs will make it to the World Series.

Daniel Shepard: The Cubs have a good shot to repeat as World Series Championship, but even if they don’t reach that, I believe they can make it back to the NLCS with ease.

David Miniel: Honestly, the Cubs have what it takes to reach the World Series yet again. The pieces that they missed over the offseason were found in other names. Albert Almora Jr. and Wade Davis will play well. 

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