Chicago Cubs News: Five X-factors for team in postseason

Chicago Cubs: Here’s hoping Billy will be kid-like in scurrying around bases

I’ve been advocating for the Cubs keeping a burner since they picked up Terrance Gore for the stretch run in 2018. While it didn’t pan out all that well in that postseason, it’s not that it was a terrible idea. Every contending team should have a specialist for generating runs and saving them with his legs. With 26 men on a roster now, it’s even more of a doable thing. With 28 for the postseason, it’s a given that Billy Hamilton will be on the roster as we advance into October.

Any time the game is tied or the Cubs are down by one and leadoff a runner on base late in the game, and Hamilton could be deployed to swipe a bag and try and score on just about anything. As Cubs fans have already seen in his time with the Reds and short stint with the Cubs this season, Hamilton has the rare ability to cause havoc with just his legs. While Cubs fans know all about this because of a guy named Javier Baez, Hamilton is even faster and more explosive than Baez, although El Mago does have the magic wand at his disposal at all times.

If the Cubs are to be significant players in this miraculous 2020 postseason, there’s no doubt that Hamilton will have stamped his mark somewhere on a game or series. Just make sure you’re watching, or you might miss him.