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?
Chicago Cubs: The Hendry era
Midway through the 2002 season, Jim Hendry took over as the man in Chicago, accepting the title of general manager. The season was another sideways affair, as the Cubs finished 67-95 under a combination of Don Baylor, Rene Lachemann and Bruce Kimm.
A few months into his tenure, the team traded Bill Mueller to the San Francisco Giants for Jeff Verplancke. It would be a move that came back to haunt the Cubs. A couple of years after the trade, the Boston Red Sox acquired Mueller. Over the course of his Red Sox tenure, Mueller posted a .303/.378/.474 slash line, with a .370 wOBA and 123 wRC+. Oops, Cubs.
The following year, the Cubs bounced back in a big way. They finished 88-74, winning the National League Central division. It would also be the painful year of Steve Bartman, and the year it almost happened. A significant move that season of Hendry’s that will always be looked at as one of his best, the team traded for 3B Aramis Ramirez. Over the course of his tenure, Ramirez slashed .294/.356/.531 with a .887 OPS, .377 wOBA, a 126 wRC+, and a 25.1 WAR. A remarkable Cubs career.
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Across the next few years, between 2004-2006, the Cubs had one great, one average and one horrendous season. The offseasons consisted of signing veteran free-agents with the hope that they would be producers for the team. Most, however, would be nothing but a temporary placeholder for the time.
The team brought back Greg Maddux in that stretch, in his age 38 season. Glendon Rusch is another name who comes to mind. While certainly not as aged out as Maddux was, Rusch did not bring much production in his time with the Cubs. Rusch’s best season for the Cubs consisted of a 3.47 ERA. His worst, a 7.46 ERA.
A fairly significant trade that happened under the Hendry regume is the acquisition of former Red Sox slugger Nomar Garciaparra for a brief period. It was part of a four-team trade. In his time with the Cubs, Garciaparra played 105 games. He slashed a modest .289/.339/.453 line with a .792 OPS. He posted a .343 wOBA and 104 wRC+.
The team continued to sign aging veteran free-agents. They also continued to trade veterans on the roster. Longtime Cubs legend Sammy Sosa found himself traded to the Baltimore Orioles in the offseason before the 2005 campaign.. The team signed guys like LaTroy Hawkins, Jeromy Burnitz, Neifi Perez, and Brian Boehringer, who was ultimately released
The most significant free-agent move in the Hendry era was the signing of Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year, $136 million contract. Soriano did not live up to the billing for the Cubs. He slashed .264/.317/.495 with a .346 wOBA and a barely above-average 109 wRC+. He also posted a 22.4 percent strikeout rate.
Concerning the draft moves made under Hendry, many bright spots and positives are stemming from the period. Under Hendry, the team signed Starlin Castro as an amateur free-agent and drafted Josh Donaldson, Sonny Gray and DJ LeMahieu.
Hendry signed Willson Contreras and Jeimer Candelario and drafted Javier Baez. Certainly, a handful of up-and-down seasons, mixed with three division titles and a trip to the NLCS. However things were about to change, and Chicago Cubs would go from an average baseball team to one of the best clubs in baseball.
Chicago Cubs: Theo Epstein to the rescue
In October 2012, the Cubs formally announced the hiring of former Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. The contract for Epstein was a five-year deal, valued at $18.5 million.
Following his recruitment, Epstein took over the position of president of baseball operations and decided to hire Jed Hoyer, whom Epstein had worked with in Boston, as the new GM. The deal for signing Epstein included two players the Cubs sent back to Boston, pitcher Chris Carpenter and Aaron Kurcz.
The first club manager under the Theo era was Dale Sveum. Sveum, however, struggled mightily in his two seasons, posting finishing records of 61-101 and 66-96, respectively. In 2014, Rick Renteria was tasked to run the team. He lasted all of one season, finishing with a 73-89 record before being let go.
The team culture started to shift, however, with Theo at the helm. After setting the goal in bringing a World Championship to the Windy City, Epstein decided on a complete breakdown and rebuild of the team.
Chicago Cubs: Continuing to build a youthful core
After the team acquired future All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, there was a different feel in the chilly Chicago air. It was the first significant transaction under Epstein’s eye. Shortly after that, the Cubs drafted Albert Almora and David Bote. Then a few short weeks later, the team signed Jorge Soler, a projected top-of-the-line international prospect, to a nine-year,$30 million contract.
Of the three, Almora and Bote have worked out very well. Unfortunately for Soler, he never panned out in a Cubs uniform. The bold idea to sign him, however, was a big move by Epstein and the club, showing that he was ready to turn the franchise around completely.
Midway through the 2012 season, the team made another trade, sending an aging Ryan Dempster to the Texas Rangers in exchange for a young kid named Kyle Hendricks and prospect Christian Villanueva. Hendricks, of course, went on to make his debut a couple of years later at the age of 24, posting a ridiculously solid 2.46 ERA in 13 starts. The rest, as they say, is history.
In 2013, the Cubs were coming off a 61-win season. It granted them the number two overall pick in the amateur draft. The team selected Kris Bryant, a big right-handed third baseman out of the University of San Diego. Of everything which has happened since Epstein has been in charge, drafting and signing Bryant is his most significant accomplishment, outside of winning a World Series.
Bryant not only went on to be named the N.L. Rookie of the Year in 2015, but followed that with 2016 NL MVP honors (and a World Series ring). All within two years of making his big league debut. No big deal.
Two more inspiring moves happened under Epstein’s guise in 2013: signing international amateur free-agent Gleyber Torres and trading for Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop. Only 16 years old at the time, Torres ranked as one of the top prospects in baseball. Torres, however, never saw the field as a Cub, as he became the trade chip for the team to acquire Aroldis Chapman a few years later.
Arrieta, meanwhile, became the team’s ace quite quickly. From 2013 to 2017, Arrieta dominated in a Cubs uniform. He carried a 2.73 career ERA with a 24.8 percent strikeout rate and a 3.33 xFIP as a Cub. In 2015, Arrieta won the N.L. Cy Young Award, finishing 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA that season.
Chicago Cubs: Everything begins to change
Entering the 2015 regular season, the Cubs were well on their way to success under Epstein. The team was in the midst of three-straight losing seasons. However, things were about to change, and there was no looking back.
After Andrew Friedman left Tampa to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, Joe Maddon opted out of his deal with the Rays. The stars aligned and, after one season, Chicago parted ways with Rick Renteria, to be replaced by one of the most high-profile managers in the game.
The 2015 team found immediate success. The Cubs finished 97-65, winning the Wild Card game over the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Division Series over the St. Louis Cardinals, before running headfirst into a New York Mets rotation that proved too strong to overcome in the NLCS.
The following season, magic happened. Epstein accomplished his goal of bringing a World Series championship to the North Side after a fantastic 103-58 regular season and an epic postseason run that included defeating the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians along the way.
Success began to breed the desire to play in Chicago
During this time, the team wooed Jason Heyward to join as their right fielder, after signing a significant contract. Epstein also did what it took to bring a championship to Chicago. I’m sure if you ask Cubs fans if trading Torres for Chapman was worth it, most would agree.
The club became more aggressive on the trade front, sending some top prospect talent away in exchange for established major league talent. Epstein shifted the direction of the winds in favor of the Cubs, and it has paid off over the past four seasons.
The past couple of seasons have included another run to the NLCS and a playoff appearance. It has seen the signing of one of the most prominent free-agent starting pitchers in Yu Darvish. The reports of the Cubs involvement in free-agent superstar Bryce Harper remains relevant. It couldn’t have happened without success Epstein has brought to Chicago.
The Cubs have a youthful core filled with some fantastic talent. They continue to post winning seasons year after year. Since 2015, they have averaged almost 97 wins per season.
Epstein has created a culture of winning and success. It is a place where top-of-the-line free-agents hope to be lucky enough to land. For fans, the excitement each season brings is real, and they look forward to that realistic possibility of a World Series championship. Chicago is sure blessed to have Theo Epstein running the show.