Cubs repeating
This is probably this biggest storyline heading into next season. Not because baseball fans don’t think the Cubs can repeat a World Series win in 2017, but there’s the aspect of “the hangover,” as I refer to it as.
Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel had a hangover when he won the 2015 American League Cy Young Award. The following season he threw a 4.55 ERA and his strikeout rate dropped by over three percent. And even the San Francisco Giants need a year off in between winning World Championships, so the hangover effect is real.
Luckily, the Cubs didn’t have anything too crazy happen in the offseason to make us worried they don’t once again have a chance. Joe Madden’s “if it’s not broken don’t fix it” mindset should work out in his favor.
Dexter Fowler heading to the Cardinals could leave a few hardcore fans worried because of the All-Star season he had, and losing David Ross is more of a leadership void than anything. We’re not taking anything away from Rossy at all — he was a huge ingredient to help the team. But overall the roster has the same feel from 2016, so Cubbies fans can relax a bit.