It seemed almost impossible that the Chicago Cubs would win the World Series this year, but they did.
They were down 3-1 in the World Series Championship series. However, they came back and won a decisive Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians, to end a 108-year championship drought.
It took a rain delay and ten extra innings but the Chicago Cubs managed to pull it out, thanks to left fielder Ben Zobrist’s clutch hit that allowed the go ahead run to score. The Cubs built their team around youth, their star players range between the ages of 24- to 27-years-old. All of their main talent has come up through the Chicago Cubs farm system, meaning the Chicago Cubs spent years helping these players grow. The Cubs win also cement’s the legacy of former Red Sox General Manager, Theo Epstein.
Epstein is the brains behind this championship run, he was the one who decided to build the Cubs from within, like he did for the Red Sox, and only make trades for difference makers like Aroldis Chapman, who went on to be the winning pitcher of Game 7 last week. Epstein is becoming known as a championship drought-ender. He ended the Red Sox 86-year championship drought in 2007.
The Cubs were built as a team that relied on big hits, pitching and a legendary manager in Joe Maddon to bring it all together and get this team to a title. Maddon made some questionable decision in the run up to the Game 7, like leaving Chapman in the game, during Game 6, when the Cubs were up by four runs. However, Maddon proved us all wrong as his gamble paid off and Chapman was able to pitch the Cubs to a title.
Thanks to Epstein, Maddon and the Cubs young crop of talent, the Cubs will be a force to be reckoned with for a long time.