Chicago Cubs tracking just fine these days

It's been quite some time - thankfully, some would say - since we have heard Cubs brass talk about "parallel tracks" or building a "foundation for sustained success."

Even team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer seemed to tire of those management-school buzzwords during the down seasons of 2012-14, their first three years on the job.

Epstein was quick to point on Opening Night this year that the train has yet to arrive at the station. But those parallel tracks seem to have merged into one.

In other words, Epstein's focus is almost solely on the major-league level and winning now.

To put it another way, last year's 97-win season clearly marked the end of Phase 1 and the start of Phase 2 of the Cubs' rebuilding process.

"Everyone gets in this game to win at the big-league level, to win a World Series," Epstein said as the season opened. "You don't want to be charting your progress in terms of farm-system rankings or trades that are made or overall health of the organization, although that's incredibly important.

"You want to be challenged to chart your progress by the standings at the big-league level."

By beating the Los Angeles Angels in the first two games of the season and outscoring them 15-1, the Cubs are off to their first 2-0 start since 1995.

During Epstein's first three opening-day addresses, the talk was honoring the "sacred" nature of the season while knowing full well the team had no chance to win anything.

"The first three years, I think our standard line here at this (opening-day) meeting was, 'We have a puncher's chance,' " Epstein said. " 'If everything goes right, who knows, maybe we'll find ourselves in it halfway through the year and maybe we can make some upgrades, maybe we can hang around.'

"Last year, we felt like if a lot of things went our way and our young players mature and adjust quickly, we can stay in this thing through the whole year."

Now, much is expected of the Cubs, who advanced to the National League championship series last season.

"This year, not that we're at the end of the road, but obviously we feel like we have a very talented, very competitive team," Epstein said. "All that gives us is an opportunity to go make the most of it. Today is the beginning of a great opportunity to go earn something."

That brings us to the next kind of good problem Epstein and the Cubs have: managing fan expectations and defining success and failure. Would it be a "failure" if the Cubs didn't make it to the World Series this year and win it?

"I don't think it's fair to sit here on Opening Day and determine what's going to be a success and what's going to be a failure," he said. "It's fair at the end of the year.

"As I look back on last year, I can identify a lot of things that were successes. And I can identify a lot of things that were failures, even in what was overall seen as a pretty darn good year for the organization.

"That's what we'll do at the end of the season, sit back and take stock on that and hope that these are the types of questions we're asked again next Opening Day. The fact that you're asking that means a lot's going right for this organization."

Judging by the reaction at January's fan convention, the number of Cubs fans in Anaheim and the anticipation of a box-office bonanza this year at Wrigley Field, many thought last year was, if not a success, certainly one of the most fun and pleasant surprises they've enjoyed in many years.

How did Epstein see it?

"Anytime you don't win the World Series, there's some degree of disappointment," he said. "We were really disappointed last year that we didn't win the World Series. We got to the (championship series), and we were very disappointed.

"I hope that we do win the World Series this year. If we don't, there's going to be a lot of disappointment, like there was last year. The expectations thing, I know it can kind of create a subtext that hangs over the club with every two-game losing streak or every game that goes wrong or every injury.

"The reality is that's not how we feel. We know it's a grind. We know it's a process. We know why we're here. We're here to win the World Series.

"But you don't think about that on a daily basis. You think about the challenges the game presents to you, how you can overcome those, coming together as a team and as an organization, working your tail off. That's what drives us.

"In the end, if you don't win the World Series, you're very disappointed. But if you do, it's worthwhile because you've focused on the journey."

All aboard.

• Follow Bruce's Cubs and baseball reports on Twitter @BruceMiles2112.

Chicago Cubs scouting report

Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field

TV: Comcast SportsNet-Plus today; WGN Friday and Sunday; Comcast SportsNet Saturday

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' John Lackey (0-0) vs. Rubby De La Rosa (0-0) today at 8:40 p.m.; Jason Hammel (0-0) vs. Robbie Ray (0-0) Friday at 8:40 p.m.; Kyle Hendricks (0-0) vs. Zack Greinke (0-1) Saturday at 7:10 p.m.; Jake Arrieta (1-0) vs. Shelby Miller (0-0) Sunday at 3:10 p.m.

At a glance: After more than six weeks in the desert for spring training, it's right back to Arizona for the Cubs (2-0). The Diamondbacks finished a three-game home series Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies. Arizona is expected by many to contend this year because of the acquisitions of pitchers Greinke and Miller. Greinke was knocked around on Opening Day, but he's an annual Cy Young contender. Speaking of annual contenders, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is in the MVP picture every year. He had a 4-RBI game Tuesday. The Cubs opened the season with quality starts from Arrieta and Jon Lester. Leadoff man Dexter Fowler is 5-for-8 with a double and a homer.

Next: Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field, Monday and Wednesday-Thursday

- Bruce Miles