Bernfield: Cubs' progress looking linear after all
When Theo Epstein took over the Cubs' baseball operations in 2012 and laid out his plan to rebuild, fans and media alike hurtled questions about when the team would be championship-caliber.
"Progress isn't linear," he said.
And at the start, it certainly felt that would be the case.
The 2012 team finished 61-101, the second-worst record in the sport that year. It marked the franchise's worst season since 1966, when they lost 103 games.
The following year, they improved by five games, ending at 66-96. The team was so bad that Travis Wood led them in WAR at 5.2, per Baseball Reference.
In 2014, the Cubs improved again, by seven games, finishing 73-89. Optimism developed. Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks emerged as viable starting pitchers, each finishing with ERAs below 3.00. Anthony Rizzo belted 30 home runs for the first time in his big league career. The Cubs formed a strong bullpen with Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm. And Javier Baez, despite his struggles in 52 games down the stretch, was the first of the Cubs' "core four" prospects to reach the Big Leagues.
With the marquee free agent acquisition of Jon Lester, the trade for Dexter Fowler, and the promotion of Kris Bryant and Addison Russell, the 2015 Cubs made a stunning 24-game improvement and won the NL Wild Card despite playing in the toughest division in baseball. The year ended with the Cubs falling to the Mets in the National League Championship Series-a year ahead of schedule.
So in 2016, the only way progress could remain linear would be for the Cubs to win the Central Division, and better position themselves for a longer playoff run. They fortified the roster with the additions of Ben Zobrist, John Lackey and Jason Heyward, and promptly won the NL Central in a rout.
The Cubs became the first team since the 2013 Braves to win it wire-to-wire, and had a whopping 17-game advantage over second place St. Louis when they clinched last Thursday night.
The Cubs will begin the 2016 post-season with the most equipped team in baseball to accomplish Epstein's and the franchise's ultimate goal. They've scored 226 more runs than their opponents this year, a run differential 60-runs higher than any other team. And by most metrics the Cubs have the best defensive team in baseball.
Contrary to Epstein's proclamation back in 2012, the Cubs' progress has been linear. Their National League Central Division title Thursday evening proves Epstein's plan worked - even better than he expected.
• Jordan Bernfield is an anchor and co-host of "Inside The Clubhouse" on WSCR 670-AM The Score. He also works as a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @JordanBernfield.