Imrem: World Series all or nothing for Chicago Cubs

So, the Cubs' postseason began with a victory Friday night and it's time to address the pressing question.

Will this season be a failure if the Cubs don't at least advance to the World Series?

Let's see, best team in baseball, best regular-season record from start to finish, haven't been to the World Series in most of their fans' lifetimes.

Of course it will be a failure if the Cubs don't reach the World Series.

The Cubs did everything possible in Wrigley Field to start down the right path.

Jon Lester shut out the Giants in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Javy Baez hit a home run in the eighth inning to give the Cubs a 1-0 victory.

Catcher David Ross threw out a couple out runners early to steady Lester.

The Cubs won a tight, taut game by playing solid baseball and fashioning a nice formula: Great starting pitching and errorless defense until Baez could loft a 3-2 pitch through a blustery crosswind into the left-field basket.

This is just the start of the playoff journey, though. The Cubs need six more victories to reach the World Series and 10 more to win it.

That's all anyone is asking for and the least the Cubs can do.

The Cubs have to win something significant to finally declare victory in the war on futility.

One theory is that 2016 already is a success because the Cubs won a division title and will be a bigger success if they win the NL Division Series.

No, those achievements are nice but mere trinkets. When Cubs pitcher John Lackey says he signed here for jewelry, he's talking about a World Series championship ring.

Nothing less.

Merely making it to the playoffs is like declaring victory in the war on drugs after arresting a kid for smoking a joint in the back of Chevy van.

The Cubs have reached the NL Championship Series four times in the past 32 years, most recently a year ago.

Been there, seen that.

There has to be a next level for this season to be more than just another tease.

The Cubs have to make it to the World Series, especially after being so close last October.

One difference this time, we're told, is that the Cubs are built to last. Sustained success it has come to be known.

Win this one. If you don't win this one, OK, win the one in 2017. If you don't win that one, OK, win the one in 2018.

For young players like Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, if the Cubs don't reach the World Series this year, it'll be easy to lapse into waiting until next year.

But for Cubs fans there have been too many next years that never arrived because too many next chances were squandered.

Think of how many fans who were around last season — and the 71 seasons since the last time the Cubs were in the World Series — didn't live to see this season.

Now think about how many fans are around this season but won't be back next season.

That's pretty morbid but it's the cold truth wrapped in a package of traditional skepticism and tied with a bow of historical cynicism.

So, fellas, feel free to win something significant this year or the season will be rendered just another failure in a century of them.

Thanks to Jon Lester, David Ross and Javy Baez, the Cubs are another victory closer to being a success instead.

mimrem@dailyherald.com