The Chicago Cubs have spent the last five years rebuilding their farm system and stocking their team with talent from every imaginable resource, and they’re hoping that all of that work will begin to pay off when they kick off their National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
The Cubs, who finished the season with 103 wins and had the best record in all of baseball, are considered to be the favorites in any series that they’ll play in during this postseason, but with the Giants’ recent run of postseason success and the unpredictable nature of a best-of-five series, the team won’t be able to take anything for granted.
After all, the Giants have made the playoffs four times in the past seven seasons, and in the first three appearances they won World Series titles. This even-numbered year dominance is something that the team has played up as an asset, even using the hashtag #Believen to celebrate, and with the roster they have, they fully expect to be a competitive team yet again.
The Cubs won’t have to face Madison Bumgarner until at least Game 3 in the series after he pitched a complete game shutout in the wild card game on Wednesday, but they’ll still be faced with tough challenges on the mound. Jeff Samardzija, Matt Moore, and Johnny Cueto are all capable starting pitchers, and all will provide unique tests for the Cubs in the first round.
Fortunately for Chicago, they too have a dominant pitching staff, and they were able to set their entire rotation for the postseason. Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks will lead off in the first two games, and both pitchers were excellent at Wrigley Field this season. Jake Arrieta and John Lackey are scheduled to pitch the two games in San Francisco, and although Arrieta struggled at times during the regular season, he’s still a dangerous pitcher to watch as his intimidating presence can have a big impact during the cauldron of postseason baseball.
As for the offensive matchup in the series, the Cubs should hold a bit of an advantage. With power hitters like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo and smart contact hitters like Ben Zobrist and Dexter Fowler, the Cubs’ offense can produce in a lot of ways, and they’ll look to keep up consistent production to help back up their exemplary staff.
The Cubs also should have a bit of an advantage in the bullpen, but that will depend on how well the guys at the back end of the bullpen can do. Aroldis Chapman is unquestionably a huge weapon to have out of the pen, but the struggles of Hector Rondon down the stretch and the health issues that dogged Pedro Strop will be worth keeping an eye on as the series begins.
Chicago Baseball
Ultimately, the Cubs will be favored to win this series, but the key will be to do exactly what Joe Maddon always preaches when it comes to approaching games: treat every game as if it’s a regular season game. Undue pressure is something that can sink a team, but with Maddon repeating that mantra on a consistent basis and with the team having last season’s playoff experience to draw from, the Cubs shouldn’t beat themselves mentally in a short series with the Giants.
