Nightengale: Cubs, Indians built to contend for years
CLEVELAND -- Well, after watching this year’s epic World Series, with Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross calling it a Hollywood movie, we might not have to wait long for the sequel.
How about next year? Same place, same time and, yes, same teams.
The historic championship-drought World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians was hardly a one-hit wonder.
The Cubs, with their entire infield filled with All-Stars, are built to win for at least the next five years.
The Indians have their vaunted starting pitching staff locked up through 2020 and will return prized relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen.
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They each will be heavily favored next year to win the National League Central and American League Central divisions, respectively.
So, as much as we loved Rocky, come on, Rocky II was just as sensational.
We could have these teams playing toward November every year until the next presidential election.
“I keep trying to make the point that these guys getting this experience right now absolutely bodes well for the future, too,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon says. “I think when you demonstrate the confidence in these kids, and they succeed, obviously they come back the next year and they’re a little bit better just for the experience itself.”
It’s a terrifying thought to the rest of the National League that the Cubs are just getting started.
The Cubs started six players under the age of 25 in Game 2, the youngest starting lineup in World Series history, and had five players under 25 in Game 7.
“It is the most complete group, and the youngest group I’ve had,’’ Maddon says. “That’s the part that really blows me away. If you take a moment to look out there, there’s a lot of young inexperienced players.
“Check these guys out in a couple years. The defense will stay the same. Their running speed will stay the same. Their arms, as long as they have good health, will stay the same.
“The biggest difference, I think, is that they’re going to become better hitters, better offensive players.’’
The Indians, meanwhile, have their entire starting rotation back and their nucleus. They’re bringing back 22-year-old sensational shortstop Francisco Lindor, 24-year-old third baseman Jose Ramirez, 29-year-old All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis, 30-year-old catcher Carlos Santana and 28-year-old right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall. Outfielder Michael Brantley should return from shoulder woes.
But while the Indians don’t have the bank account to even guarantee the return of pending free-agent first baseman Mike Napoli, the Cubs have the same financial restrictions as Warren Buffett.
The Cubs, who could have their own TV network in 2019, soon will have the greatest revenue streams of any team in baseball but perhaps the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. They can keep throwing $184 million contracts to the likes of Jason Heyward and $155 million to Jon Lester. If it doesn’t work, they’ll just dip into their checking account, and grab the next high-priced free agent.
The Indians have no choice but to keep outsmarting everyone. Their payroll ranks just 21st in baseball at $90 million, which made it imperative that they locked up their rotation. Indians president Chris Antonetti realizes they can’t afford to play with the big boys in the free-agent market.
“I don’t know if the extra satisfaction comes from that that,’’ Cleveland manager Terry Francona says. “Once the game starts, it really it really doesn’t matter. I know during the winter maybe sometimes we are in a different neighborhood than some other people. I get it. And Chris kind of told me about that before I got here. I think the extra satisfaction is actually doing it with the people that we’re doing it with.
“I think that far outweighs the salary limitations and all that. I’m pretty proud of the way we’ve done it.”
Still, the Cubs are the looming behemoth.
Imagine the future of 22-year-old Addison Russell, 23-year-old Kyle Schwarber, 23-year-old Javier Baez, 24-year-old Kris Bryant, and 24-year-old Willson Contreras. The only key pieces that are free agents this winter are center fielder Dexter Fowler, closer Aroldis Chapman, and backup catcher David Ross.
That’s it.
The Cubs are so loaded that they don’t even have room to play everyone they’ve got. The plan next year is for Albert Almora to replace Fowler in center field, a healthy Schwarber in left field and Heyward in right field. Why, with Baez securing the starting second base job, they don’t even have room for veteran Ben Zobrist or young slugger Jorge Soler.
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The Cubs, in all likelihood, will keep Zobrist for depth, but trade Soler for pitching help. The Cubs are loaded in the minors with position players, amateur scouts say, but have precious few pitchers in the system. The Cubs, in fact, don’t have a single homegrown pitcher on their roster, with all acquired by trade or free agency. They also could lose two starters after 2017 with Jake Arrieta and John Lackey eligible for free agency.
“Jorge is a really high-end, major-league player,’’ Maddon says, “and he is young. He just needs more opportunity. Jorgie’s just been held back by a couple injuries and we were unable to get him really locked in coming into this playoff run.
“But he’s not just a free-swinging fool. When he gets in a groove, man, you’ve got to throw the ball over the plate, because he’s not going to chase it on you. So the hitting and power abilities are really off the chart.
“We’re still working on defense, and it’s gotten better.’’
Yet, their prized outfielder is Almora, 22, the sixth pick in the 2012 draft.
“Albert, I think, is going to surprise a lot of people,’’ Maddon says
And give this Cubs team a couple of years, and well, we could be talking about a dynasty. They won 103 games in the regular season, their most victories since 1910, and have reached the postseason in consecutive years for only the second time 1909.
“We have a young core and our goal has always been to have that sustained success,’’ Cubs GM Jed Hoyer says, “but at the same time, I think you’re crazy if you take for granted these moments.
“It takes a lot to get here and I think you have to be humble enough to realize that there’s a lot of razors-edge moments in every postseason that allow you to get to this point. So you can never take for granted being here at this time.
“You can’t think, “OK, this is something that’s going to happen a lot.’ Because you have no idea.
“So capture the moment. Don’t think about future returns. Think about tonight.’’
Sorry, with the way this fascinating World Series is playing out, we can’t help but get greedy, and think about that titillating sequel.
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