Chicago Cubs: Cubbies Crib staff casts their end-of-year award votes

Chicago Cubs: CC staff taps Indians’ Game 7 starter from a year ago

The Chicago Cubs got more than their share of looks at Corey Kluber and Max Scherzer over the last two postseasons. Last year, Kluber dominated Chicago in Games 1 and 4 of the World Series, allowing just one earned over those two games.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs should keep close eye on non-tender candidate Cody Bellinger
• Cubs starting pitching has been thriving on the North Side
• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs are giving pitcher Javier Assad a deserved shot
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups

But, in a pivotal Game 7, the Cubs got their hacks. He lasted just four innings, allowing four earned on six hits. Most notably, he did not strike out a single batter. Of course, that game was decided by each team’s bullpen, with Chicago winning their first championship in 108 years after 10 innings of play.

Fast forward to 2017.

For pretty much the entire season, the Cleveland Indians were expected to win another American League pennant. A big part of that line of thinking revolved around the work of Kluber, who tied a career-high with 18 wins and lost just four times in his 29 starts.

The right-hander eclipsed 200 innings for a fourth-straight year, leading the league in both complete games and shutouts – en route to a 2.25 ERA. In our balloting, that netted him 12 of 13 votes.

Chicago Cubs: CC staff goes with Mad Max in NL Cy Young race

Opposite Kluber in what, in many folks’ minds was a projected World Series matchup, Max Scherzer got the nod from the boys in the NL race.

The Washington Nationals right-hander, who was on the mound in the decisive inning of Game 5 of this year’s NLCS, had another masterful regular season. For the ninth consecutive campaign, Scherzer made at least 30 starts. It’s not just that he ate innings, either. He was lights-out almost every time he took the ball.

He put up a 0.902 WHIP – the best mark of his career, leading the league with 268 strikeouts – despite missing time with a hamstring injury in September. The two-time Cy Young winner allowed just 5.7 hits per nine – also a personal best.

Away from Nationals Park, Scherzer put up a minuscule 1.82 ERA in 16 starts. That, in our minds, encapsulates what it means to be a Cy Young-caliber pitcher. Giving your team the chance to win every single time you take the ball – especially on the road – speaks a lot about your body of work.

Chicago Cubs fans might see familiar makeup in the Minnesota Twins

While the Cubs celebrated a World Series title last fall, Minnesota Twins fans were wondering where the promising young roster they’d be promised was. The club lost 103 games, the highest total in all of Major League Baseball.

But, then, 2017 dawned and Paul Molitor got to work with a core that exceeded all expectations. The Twins won 85 games, clinching the second wild card berth in the American League. Although that one didn’t go Minnesota’s way – Twins brass offered nothing but support for their manager. That fact wasn’t lost on Molitor.

“I’ve never felt meddled in, in terms of how I ran a game, my pitching staff, who I decided to play on a given day,” Molitor said. “I was given total freedom to do that. And I think that’s important for a manager and his staff to have those decisions stay within the clubhouse.”

Three different players hit at least 25 home runs – Miguel Sano, Brian Dozier and Eddie Rosario. Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios headlined the rotation and, despite the front office selling at the deadline, Molitor led the group to a 40-34 record in the second half, good enough to send the club to the postseason for the first time since 2010.

Chicago Cubs: CC staff shows love for a first-year skipper

For year, Torey Lovullo’s name lingered whenever a managerial opening took center stage. And, prior to the 2017 campaign, he finally got the call with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

And he did not disappoint. Lovullo led Arizona to a wild card birth with an impressive 93-win campaign and a second-place finish in the NL West. Facing skepticism after Arizona disappointed in a big way in 2016, the former Red Sox bench coach stepped up in every way.

“I felt from the first meeting he had, the words he spoke, they kind of hit me,” Archie Bradley said. “And it was the first time in a while when your ‘leader or coach’ — the guy you’re going to follow for the season — says something and you stood up a little straighter. The hair on my neck stood up a little bit.”

Zack Greinke rebounded to lead the staff with 17 wins. Robbie Ray emerged as a legitimate front-line starter in the rotation and the offense was bolstered by the likes of Paul Goldschmidt – an MVP candidate – and third baseman Jake Lamb, who hit 30 homers and drove in 105 runs with a .357 OBP.

The talent was already there. But, as we’ve seen countless times, having the right man at the helm can make all the difference. For Arizona, Lovullo was that guy – and the future is very bright in Phoenix.

Chicago Cubs: CC staff can’t help but get behind Jose Altuve

For some, there is a debate as to who should take home the American League MVP. That debate hardly exists here at Cubbies Crib. Jose Altuve ran away with the honors, earning 11 of 13 votes on the staff – with his Houston Astros just four wins from its first World Series title.

Chicago Cubs

The Houston second baseman won his second-straight batting title with a .346 average. That pairs nicely with a fourth-straight 200-plus hit campaign in which he posted a career-best .957 OPS. Two of his teammates, George Springer and Carlos Correa, may have challenged Altuve for the honors had injury not interfered.

“They’re so talented,” veteran outfielder Josh Reddick said. “And so young. You forget how young all three of those guys are when you watch them. They are already such elite ballplayers and have a lot of years left. It’s going to be crazy watching what they are able to accomplish.”

Altuve is one of those guys who genuinely loves the game and plays all-out every single pitch of every single game. And, to fans in a city still recovering from a hurricane, he’s a beacon of hope.

Personally, he got my vote for his all-around game. Judge had his ups-and-downs in his historic rookie campaign. But, from the word ‘go,’ Altuve was firing on all cylinders. It’s hard to not vote for him when you take that into account.

Chicago Cubs: A close brush with the 60-homer plateau

Since he broke onto the scene, Giancarlo Stanton has held the promise of mammoth homers. The problem? 2017 marked just the second time in his career he appeared in at least 150 games.

The Miami Marlins slugger did not disappoint.

He narrowly missed out on joining the exclusive 60-home run club, smacking 59 homers and driving in a career-best 132 runs on the year. His 1.007 OPS ranked second in the National League, trailing only Joey Votto. Heading into his age-28 season, Stanton has a very good shot at breaking 300 career home runs in 2018.

For much of the final month, the media surrounded Stanton with talk of 60 homers. No one has eclipsed that mark since Barry Bonds in 2001. Of course, Cubs fans remember Sammy Sosa – the only person to manage 60-plus homer seasons in baseball history.

“It was tough not to think about,” Stanton said at the end of the season. “But at the same time, if I hit 60, you guys would be sitting here saying, why didn’t I hit 61 or 62? I’m fine with the way my season went.”

Next: Looking at the Cubs' best all-time home run hitters

After finishing runner-up in 2014, could this be the year for Stanton? Well, if it is, it may also prove to be his farewell gift to the Marlins organization. New ownership is reportedly looking to cut payroll drastically. The best way to do so? Trading their star outfielder and his massive contract.