Chicago Cubs: What has changed since the 2017 NLCS loss

The Chicago Cubs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time in 2019. How does the franchise stack up to what it was in the 2017 Postseason? What were we lacking then, and what do we need now?

The 2017 National League Championship Series was a rude awakening for Chicago Cubs fans. We were no longer bulletproof. The offense had its struggles for the majority of the series but was dominant all year, ranking seventh or better in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage. The Cubs mashed baseballs in 2017, yet fell short in the playoffs.

The pitching held its own against a lineup that was simply on fire. Chris Taylor, along with many other Dodger hitters, couldn’t seem to make outs. Cubs pitching held the opposing offense under six runs, except for the fifth game, giving up eleven runs.

Fast forward to 2019. The Chicago Cubs have struggled to string together wins in the early going. Many new faces have joined The Cubs organization, and many have been added. For better or worse, The 2017 and 2019 teams have a completely different feel. The 2017 team still had a core that was extraordinarily young and growing into stars. The 2019 team has many Cubs fans waiting for another star to emerge.

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Some of the players we have seen leave had a prevalent impact and presence on the field, such as Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis.

Jake Arrieta was a staple in The Cubs 2016 and 2017 seasons. He was excellent throughout the regular seasons and took it to a new level once October came close.

He even came up clutch at the plate a few times in the postseason. The dominant righty was one of the guys that set the tone early. He believed he was going to win every time he took the field and I think that wears off on his teammates.

Arrieta’s absence has been counteracted with the signing of Yu Darvish. We have seen struggles from Darvish as of late, mostly due to the lack of command from his fastball and throwing offspeed consistently for strikes. Yu has lacked the physical presence and dominant stretches that we saw with Arrieta in a Cubs uniform.

In 2019, We see Jon Lester picking up the slack and becoming one of the leaders. Lester has shown dominance throughout his career and in my opinion, handles it very well. In his remarks about Ian Happ, he shows he is looking out for the success of the ball club and the development of cubs talent.

Wade Davis leaving any MLB roster would stunt any bullpen’s production, and the cubs are no exception. Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow have been tasked with filling Davis’ void. Pedro Strop has been successful throughout 2018 and 2019, recording a sub one WHIP with 16 saves and four blown saves.

Morrow, who has struggled to stay healthy and has been shut down indefinitely, has produced for The Cubs when he is on the active roster. Since joining the team in 2018, Morrow has recorded a WHIP of just under 1.1 with 22 saves and two blown saves.

The two glaring losses The Cubs have endured over the last two to three years have been loss of pitching depth and the loss of player leadership figures. Theo Epstein and the front office have acquired a young talent pool they and the fans are waiting to develop and fill the holes player turnover has created.

2017 was a year of young players developing and taking the next step. The same can be said about the 2019 roster, regarding players such as Kyle Schwarber , Albert Almora, Carl Edwards Jr., Ian Happ, Mark Zagunis, and many others who have not reached their talent ceiling.

2019, much like 2017, relies on the club’s young potential picking up the slack for those who are not on the roster. The Chicago Cubs developing cast is the lynchpin for their success in 2019.

The Chicago Cubs take on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time in 2019. How does the franchise stack up to what it was in the 2017 Postseason? What were we lacking then, and what do we need now?

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Schedule