Chicago Cubs: Five reasons to care about this year's World Series

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The Chicago Cubs aren’t playing in the World Series for the third straight year. Yet there are at least five reasons for Cubs fans to watch the Fall Classic.

No, the Chicago Cubs are not playing in the World Series this year. In fact, a lot of fans are still upset over the disappointing finish to the 2019 season. In addition, many of the fans have turned their attention to the ongoing managerial search, trying to figure out whether the next skipper will be David Ross, Joe Espada, Joe Girardi or someone else. And of course, there’s plenty to talk about regarding what the roster will look like next year.

Yet the baseball season isn’t over yet. We’ve got a great matchup ahead between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series. And we’re not just Cubs fans; we’re also baseball fans and we should appreciate a good matchup whenever we see one.

The Nationals overcame a rough start to earn an NL Wild Card spot. After a comeback win against the Milwaukee Brewers, they surprised the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers by winning the NLDS in five games before dominating the Cardinals in a four-game sweep of the NLCS.

Meanwhile, the Astros had a dominant regular season, and after surviving a tough test in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Astros knocked out the New York Yankees in a thrilling six-game ALCS.

Don’t care about either of these teams? That’s fair enough, yet if Cubs fans look closely, we can see that there are at least five reasons that they specifically should care about this year’s World Series. Let’s take a look at them.

Chicago Cubs: Joe Espada is a managerial candidate

In case you hadn’t heard, the Chicago Cubs are looking for a new manager. While former Cubs hero David Ross has been the favorite throughout the process, Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada has also emerged as a serious candidate for the job.

Compared to Ross, or even to fellow candidate Joe Girardi, Espada isn’t as well-known among Cubs fans. Espada never played in the major leagues and has yet to hold an MLB managerial post, though the 44-year-old has plenty of coaching experience. He has previously served as a third base coach for the Marlins and also worked in the Yankees’ front office before serving as the Astros’ bench coach since 2017.

Would Espada be a good fit for the Cubs? He comes with a strong reputation, and it seems almost certain that someone will hire him to be their manager, likely even this offseason. He is an analytically driven coach, which would seem to fit with the philosophy of the Cubs’ front office.

At the same time, he would provide some fresh perspectives to an organization that could use some. Since the Houston Astros have been considered one of the league’s best-run organizations for several years, maybe Espada could bring some of that magic to the north side of Chicago.

Espada will be getting a second interview with the Cubs, it was announced on Sunday. Should the Cubs decide to go with Espada – which would be a minor surprise, given how highly regarded that Ross is in the Cubs organization – it likely wouldn’t be announced until after the World Series. For those interested in learning more about Espada, the World Series should provide an opportunity to do that.

Chicago Cubs: Dave Martinez shines as Nationals manager

Dave Martinez has done a great job as Nationals manager this year, taking a team that got off to a 19-31 start and turning them around to capture the franchise’s first-ever National League pennant. He also comes with some Chicago Cubs connections.

Many forget that the Cubs are Martinez’s original MLB team as a player. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the third round of the 1983 draft, and he made his big league debut in 1986. He struggled in his first year with the club, but in 1987 he batted .292 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs. In 1988, the Cubs traded Martinez to the Montreal Expos for Mitch Webster. Martinez appeared briefly for the Cubs again in 2000, towards the end of his career.

After his playing career, Martinez became a coach and was a trusted bench coach for manager Joe Maddon with the Tampa Bay Rays. When Maddon came to the Cubs in 2015, Martinez came with him, and Martinez was the bench coach when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016. Martinez was a candidate for several managerial positions for several years before finally getting his chance with the Nationals in 2018.

Given that the Nationals had a disappointing 2018, along with the fact that the team got off to such a rough start this year, there was talk that Martinez’s job was in jeopardy. Now, with this remarkable turnaround, he’s getting the credit that he deserves. Cubs fans should be glad to see him succeed.

Chicago Cubs: There are free agents to watch

The Chicago Cubs have several holes to fill on their roster this offseason, and these two clubs might have some options via free agency.

Let’s start with the Nationals. Anthony Rendon is the big prize this offseason, but it’s unlikely that the Cubs will pursue him, especially since they already have a third baseman in Kris Bryant. It’s also unlikely that the Cubs will pursue starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg should he opt out of the rest of his contract.

The more likely option is veteran Howie Kendrick, who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in which he hit .344 with an OPS of .966. Kendrick could fit in at second base, a spot where the Cubs didn’t get much production in 2019. Given that he’s 36 years old, the Cubs might be able to bring Kendrick in on a short-term deal. Asdrubal Cabrera and Brian Dozier are also soon-to-be free agent second basemen on the Nationals’ roster.

In the outfield, Adam Eaton could be worth a look if the Nationals don’t pick up his team option. As far as relief pitching, there may be a couple of bullpen options to look at. Daniel Hudson had a nice second half out of the bullpen, while closer Sean Doolittle will be a free agent if the club doesn’t pick up his option.

On the Astros, it’s all about pitching. Gerrit Cole is a free agent and will make a ridiculous amount of money this offseason, but it won’t be from the Cubs. Wade Miley would be a more affordable option as a starting pitcher. It’s also possible that the Cubs will pursue one or more of the Astros’ free agent relievers, which include Joe Smith and Will Harris, who both had ERAs under 2.00 this year. Former Cubs closer Hector Rondon is also a free agent.

Will any of these players be in a Cubs uniform next season? We don’t know, though the World Series will give fans a chance to check these players out.

Chicago Cubs: Teams offer a blueprint for success

The Chicago Cubs had a great plan for putting together a team that won a World Series in 2016 and made the playoffs for four straight years. However, given that the team has only won one pennant in the Theo Epstein era and has regressed each of the last three years, Cubs fans should agree that they should have been able to accomplish more. If the Cubs are looking for examples of how to running a winning organization, as is the case every year, they could learn something from this year’s World Series participants.

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One thing we’ve learned this postseason is that starting pitching still matters. In an era where bullpens are becoming more relied upon, especially in the postseason, the Astros and Nationals have both shown what having a strong starting staff can do.

The Nationals have built up a strong foursome in Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, and Anibal Sanchez, and they have succeeded despite having a shaky bullpen all year. Meanwhile, Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole have been outstanding for the Astros.

Despite already having good starting pitching, the Astros also went out and got Zack Greinke at the trade deadline this year.

Both teams also have a minor league system that continues to produce talent for them. The Nationals decided that they could afford to let Bryce Harper walk away as a free agent last offseason because they still had plenty of outfield depth, including the youngsters Juan Soto and Victor Robles. The Cubs’ minor league system hasn’t produced much over the past few years; with several of their players coming up on big paydays, it will need to start producing in case they end up losing some players via free agency.

Chicago Cubs: League pride is on the line

I have nothing against the Houston Astros. I was pulling for them against the New York Yankees in the ALCS. Yet when all other things are equal, I’m going to pull for the National League team in the World Series. Though the line dividing the leagues has diminished over the years, especially with the emergence of interleague play, I still consider myself to be a National League fan because that’s where the Chicago Cubs play.

The Nationals are a team that a lot of Chicago Cubs fans have found themselves rooting for. 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of the franchise when they were the Montreal Expos, and this year they won their first National League pennant. (The Seattle Mariners are now the only MLB team to never win a pennant.) They also gained a lot of supporters from Cubs fandom when they beat the rival Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card game and when they beat up on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.

One interesting note about this World Series is that you have Houston, which used to be a National League city, representing the American League, while you have Washington, which used to be an American League city, representing the National League.

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Anyway, though I won’t exactly be heartbroken if the Astros win, I’ll be pulling for the Nationals both because I’m a Dave Martinez fan and because I want to see the National League team win. What I’m hoping for above all, however, is a fun and competitive series. As Cubs fans, we should still be excited to watch.

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Chicago Cubs: Five reasons to care about this year’s World Series