Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers poised for years of showdowns

Chicago Cubs have work to do this offseason

If the Chicago Cubs want to remain competitive with the Los Angeles Dodgers moving forward, they have a lot of work to do. I’m not just talking about this upcoming offseason – that speaks for itself. Chicago has a lot of holes and they’re going to need to make moves to fill them. There are a lot of tough choices ahead.

But, perhaps even more impactful will be the continued focus on drafting and player development. Chicago has the chance to develop a new generation of Cubs starters internally – with an intense focus on pitching. Do that and you can be successful for a long time.

And, objectively speaking, I have to admit. This Dodgers organization is in the best shape it’s been in for a long, long time. A farm system still-loaded with talent and no major holes on the big-league roster.

Next: An appreciative look at all-time home run hitters

Either way, this much is clear. For the foreseeable future, both the Dodgers and Cubs will be contenders. These teams – and their fans – will enjoy meaningful baseball deep into September and, likely, into the month of October.