The Chicago Cubs remain a juggernaut in the NL Central

Chicago Cubs: Everything is fine

Talk to most Cubs fans, and they will dispel the rumor the team is lacking in production. As the club is coming off their fourth straight 90+ win season, who can blame them? A disastrous number of factors played into the Cubs losing the division on the final day of the season.

First, Kris Bryant missed 59 games due to a shoulder injury, which incidentally also forced him to change his swing, zapping his power. Second, the team only got 40 innings out of prized free-agent acquisition Yu Darvish before he was also shelved for the remainder of the year. In the time Darvish was healthy, he posted an 11.7% walk rate and 4.86 FIP. Not the numbers of a $126 million man.

Next, Willson Contreras experienced a complete and utter meltdown in the second half of last season. He slashed just .200/.291/.294 and struck out at a 24.6% clip. Lastly, the team was without closer Brandon Morrow for the final three months of the regular season due to injury. Morrow was sitting at an outstanding 1.47 ERA in his first 30 2/3 innings.

Joe Maddon and the Cubs experienced many adverse factors throughout the regular season and won 95 games. While the run to a fourth straight NLCS was cut short by Kyle Freeland and the Rockies, understanding where the Cubs sat heading into the final day paints a picture of utter amazement it didn’t end up worse with their season derailed.

Chicago Cubs: Competition is suddenly strong

Fresh off two straight division crowns, and the three consecutive NLCS appearances, it was hard to see anyone else competing at the level the Cubs found themselves. The Brewers finally cracked the stronghold, leading the Cubs to finish outside of the top for the first time since 2015.

More from Cubbies Crib

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

Suddenly, with the Cardinals additions, the N.L. Central is a competitive division again and could be the division everyone keeps their eye on as the season progresses. There is already much-anticipated animosity between the Cubs and Cardinals after Bryant called St. Louis ‘boring’ last month, as well as the race to the top to dethrone the suddenly solid Brewers.

Chicago meanwhile has tweaked the depth chart in minor ways with the expectation Bryant, Darvish, and Contreras return to form. Fans, of course, carry the same aspiration and for a good reason. The question remains: Can the Cubs find enough grit and determination to return to the top?

Bouncing back to the top

Objectively speaking it will be difficult for the Cubs to take the division crown in 2019, but certainly not impossible. It also feels as though the team has two new shiny toys in healthy and resurgent Bryant and Darvish. PECOTA has somehow projected the team to finish dead last in the Central, but that seems too farfetched.

For all the wrong reasons the Cubs have been in the spotlight – there is no denying that truth. Thankfully the season is close at hand, and they can get back to doing what they are best at, and that is playing baseball.

The boys are looking good and healthy and are showing a new resurgence so far this spring. Bryant has demonstrated the power is returning, Darvish is consistently hitting 96 mph, and other guys like Contreras and Albert Almora are showing off in their ways. It has no doubt been exciting.

Calm, cool, and collected is where Maddon wants this team. When things are loose, they play better. So far this spring, it has been that way, and that should get fans excited for the season, as well as a complete resurgence back to the top where they belong.