Chicago Cubs: How the franchise has changed their course

For more than half a decade, Chicago Cubs fans have lived and died with the Theo Epstein regime. The culture shift brought a rejuvenation – one we hadn’t seen.

The last four seasons have seemingly been the most exciting point in the history of Chicago Cubs baseball. Four straight playoff appearances, three NLCS appearances, one National League Pennant and a long-awaited World Series championship. Quite a time to be a Cubs fan.

Before the days of Epstein, it was Jim Hendry. Hendry represented a rich history with the Cubs franchise. Long ago in 1994, he was hired as director of player management. Then, one short season later, Hendry was promoted to the Scouting Director. In 2002, Hendry officially took over as the Cubs’ general manager.

Understanding the shift for the club is essential, as they’ve moved from NL laughingstocks to perennial winners over the last half-decade. It is all because of Epstein, a front office leader who commands a room the minute he walks in.

Prior to his arrival, it felt like the Cubs could not hold merit when it came to the offseason. With the shift of Hendry to Epstein came a competitive edge that changed the franchise in a big way. So how exactly did this team of “lovable losers” come to embody a confident, winning group?