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

After the most bizarre season anyone has ever seen, these five Cubs will play a massive part in any postseason success the team achieves in 2020.

Somehow, the Chicago Cubs made it. As improbable as it may be, the postseason is here for 16 lucky MLB teams. The format is different, the set up is changed, and the venues will be neutral following the first-round series. There isn’t much about this postseason that seems familiar to most people. However, they’re still handing out a trophy, and lots of people will indubitably tune in for October baseball.

The Cubs are taking on the Miami Marlins in the first round, with all afternoon games to be played at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (if needed) in the best of three series. The two teams haven’t seen each other this year, so that could work for or against the Cubs.

Oh, and they’re also won’t be any fans in the stands, so home-field advantage may be a little strange other than getting the last at-bat. That being said, the playoffs bring out a different intensity and quality of the game. There’s also one more thing we know about the postseason: current and future stars are made under the bright lights (or sun, in this case) of playoff baseball.

Which Cub will turn into a star or cement their shine in 2020 is anyone’s guess, but there are certainly some guys who could take their turn in the limelight. The following are five X-factors that will help make this postseason last a bit longer than the last couple.

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.

Chicago Cubs: A sharp Kimbrel would be an excellent tool to have in the postseason

Allow me to be blunt: Craig Kimbrel looked like a complete and utter failure as a signing after a debacle of a year in 2019 and his first four appearances in 2020. More to the point, it looked like he was having a hard time hitting the broad side of a barn when his manager said he was “working the rust off” back in July.

I’ll admit I didn’t have a lot of faith or confidence in the once elite closer given his early-season struggles coupled with the sub-par half a season in 2019 when he didn’t sign until June. However, with every low-leverage appearance, Kimbrel seemed to be finding pieces of his mojo along the way. By the time the season ended, Kimbrel was essentially back in the closer role (though Ross hasn’t named anyone or used labels all year). His upper-90s fastball, coupled with his patented hook, had led him back to a spot where he was striking out two batters every time he took the ball for an inning.

As Kimbrel’s command, confidence, and stuff worked itself back into form, the rest of the Cubs bullpen followed suit as well. Yet, with the loss of Rowan Wick and the suspect peripherals of bullpen savior Jeremy Jeffress, the Cubs must get the best version of Kimbrel possible. His performance will be an essential factor for the Cubs in this postseason, and he’s got a chance to impact it in the same way as Aroldis Chapman in 2016. Let’s hope the outcome is the same… minus that home run to Rajai Davis, of course.

Chicago Cubs: Have we been witness to ascension the past couple weeks?

Before every Cubs groupie was clamoring for Brailyn Marquez and anointing him as the savior and second coming, there was Adbert Alzolay. Alzolay had some nasty stuff- a mid 90’s fastball, a nice change, and a good slider. Alzolay represented the first of many Cubs homegrown pitchers who would put an end to the “Cub-developed Pitcher Drought.”

Alzolay debuted last season with a four-inning win in relief, giving up just one hit, one run, and striking out 5. He followed that up with a four-inning tease of a start where he gave up just one run on one hit again. Unfortunately, he threw a clunker against the Pirates and got only one more chance in the second half of 2019.

In 2020, Alzolay wasn’t even called up until about halfway through the season but was then used somewhat regularly every week or both in relief and to start. In his last two appearances, one being a start, all Alzolay did was throw nine innings, while giving up only four hits and two runs. Oh yea, he also struck out 15 while walking four. He developed a different grip for his slider while working out in South Bend and it’s mystifying hitters.

Alzolay overshadowed a bit since the last offseason by the specter of hard-throwing left-handed prospect Marquez showed he was poised to take up a spot in the rotation next season. More importantly, Alzolay also gave Cubs fans a preview of the weapon they would have out of their pen in the postseason.

Chicago Cubs: Strong up-the-middle defense helped win in ’16. Repeat?

Baez was able to assert himself as a key component defensively alongside a certain former shortstop (who had a tragic fall from grace), forcing Joe Maddon’s hand into playing him as much as possible throughout the postseason.

Sure, it didn’t hurt that Baez was on fire in the first two rounds of the playoffs that year, but the point remains- Maddon wanted Addison Russell and Baez to lock things down up the middle. Defensively, they were by far the best tandem in baseball; one legitimate shortstop is hard enough to find, and the Cubs had two combining to make most plays look easy. Maddon could also rely on right fielder Jason Heyward, who was at the height of his right field powers in ’16.

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The defense was one of the most important aspects of the 2016 Championship run because most of the Cubs pitchers were pitching to contact and relied heavily on the smooth leather flashing of the fielders behind them. It’s also a tad lackluster ever since.

Granted, much of that could be attributed to the loss of Russell. Still, Kris Bryant’s injuries had precipitated a slide in his defensive metrics, and the outfield defense outside of Heyward certainly has its detractors and critics.

By placing the best defensive squad on the field for as many innings as possible, Ross will be able to maximize his out-making. Nico Hoerner will have to be an option to start games because of his superior defense at second base. The speedy and aforementioned Hamilton will indeed have to play some center in games the Cubs lead in the late innings. Defense wins championships, and that’s the goal. Hopefully, the Cubs will rely on their much-improved defensive group this season through the playoffs.