Can the Chicago Cubs turn things around and play a competitive season during 2015?
The Chicago Cubs are heading into a very exciting 2015 season, and there are quite a few people that believe they will compete for a playoff spot. There are others that think they are a year or two away from that point but are certainly going to show improvement.
Cubs front office leaders Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have had a very busy offseason, and have brought together some new talent. They hired former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon to lead the clubhouse, which is a huge move in the right direction. The Cubs also acquired pitchers Jon Lester and Jason Hammel in free agency, and pulled off trades to acquire catcher Miguel Montero and outfielder Dexter Fowler.
All four of those players are going to be big for the Cubs this season, and they have put together a very talented all-around team. They are very young, but they have the potential to win some baseball games and make a run. If the youth on their roster can grow throughout the course of the season, the Cubs could very well be making a postseason appearance.
It would not be surprising to see Epstein continue to be active looking for upgrades throughout the season. There are going to be some starting pitchers available at the trade deadline, and the Cubs will likely have interest in swinging a deal or two.
Last season, Chicago ended up finishing the year at 73-89 and fifth place in the NL Central. Young players like Jorge Soler and Javier Baez came up and made their big league debuts, and pitchers Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks both came through to make themselves legitimate starting options for this season.
All of that being said, what can be expected from the Chicago Cubs? Continue reading for an in-depth preview of the 2015 Cubs’ season.
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