Rozner: Epstein believes Cubs just getting started

Theo Epstein is aware of the burden.

But you'll forgive him if he doesn't wear it like a cement coat as he walks the North Side streets.

The reality is the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908, but also true is that Epstein has been here for only five of those years.

So while the magnitude of it might feel seismic, Epstein has little time for pondering the meaning of it all.

"People always talk about it and you can sense what it will mean to them, but the great part is finding out how much once it happens," Epstein said. "We're working hard to make it a reality and look forward to that.

"But all the narratives surrounding the club, and the ancillary stuff that goes on, really doesn't exist when you have the laser focus that guys in the clubhouse have and guys in the front office have.

"We're trying to win 11 games. That's the focus."

The best news is that up to this point, the young roster doesn't seem to be hampered by potential distractions - and ridiculous questions.

They don't care about jinxes, black cats and droughts, nor should they.

"They're high-character guys who are grounded and play for the right reasons, and that's the biggest element," Epstein said. "There's so much fun going on in that clubhouse that they're fully satisfied playing hard for each other.

"They're enjoying it, so the outside influences don't become a bother and it's not something they need. Baseball teams are sometimes best when they're insolated in their own world and worried about each other."

Epstein experienced the same pressure to win in Boston, and in some ways it was worse, but whether a World Series here would be an even bigger story is not something he cares to consider.

"It's different," Epstein said. "But I don't think these things should be ranked. They should be unearthed and then enjoyed.

"That's what we're trying to do. None of that stuff matters unless we make it a reality. Then, the narratives can be truly savored rather than speculated about.

"I don't spend a lot of time thinking about those narratives."

As good as the Cubs have been in 2016, the numbers say they have only a 20 percent chance of winning it all this fall, despite being the postseason favorite.

At the same time, the window should be open for several years.

"I don't think any of us feels like this is the end of something," Epstein said. "This feels more like the beginning of something to us.

"It's a good feeling to know you're going to stand up in October and take your best shot and play for everything, but we're also not going away after the season.

"That's the position you want to be in."

And so it begins, the search for 11 victories and a party in Wrigleyville, but the Cubs are not looking big picture, merely taking the same approach and grinding it out one at-bat at a time.

"It's an organizational ethos that we have starting with Tom Ricketts at the top, and all the way down to the bottom of the minor leagues," Epstein said. "It's all about the Cubs and it's about the team. We have character guys who understand that.

"We embraced the expectations and we worked hard to get here and now that we're here, we have a chance to go out and prove ourselves against the best teams in baseball. We're excited to have that opportunity."

With the longest spring training of all time having finally come to an end, let the real games begin.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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