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World Series 2016: 5 reasons the Cubs win it

By Joshua Sadlock

Oct 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; The Chicago Cubs celebrate defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game six of the 2016 NLCS playoff baseball series at Wrigley Field. Cubs win 5-0 to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; The Chicago Cubs celebrate defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game six of the 2016 NLCS playoff baseball series at Wrigley Field. Cubs win 5-0 to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are the five biggest reasons the Chicago Cubs break the Curse of the Billy Goat and win their first World Series in 108 years.

Have ya heard? The Chicago Cubs are back in the World Series for the first time since Harry S. Truman was President of these fine United States of America. The Cubbies are going for their first World Series title since 1908.

It’s been a long time coming for the North Siders.

The Cubs have their most talented team in history, a 103-game winner during the regular season with no fewer than three starting pitchers who should receive Cy Young votes, and the one who may end up winning the award, Kyle Hendricks, didn’t even make the NL All-Star team. Speaking of All-Stars, the Cubs had five starters, and each of them was deserving of the honor.

With the game’s best manager in Joe Maddon, the game’s best baseball mind in Theo Epstein, the game’s best young infield core, and a closer who throws 105 miles per hour, the Cubs have a wealth of resources. They’ve reached the point where losing this series would actually represent a colossal failure.

So, without further ado, here are the five biggest reasons the decades-old Curse of the Billy Coat is finally put to rest in 2016. The Cubs will be your 2016 World Series champions.

Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians designated hitter Mike Napoli (26) hits an RBI double during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians designated hitter Mike Napoli (26) hits an RBI double during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Cleveland’s offense will miss Napoli or Santana in Chicago

With year-round inter-league play in baseball, the loss of the DH for the American League team in the World Series is not as much of a blow as it used to be. For Cleveland, however, losing Mike Napoli or Carlos Santana when the series shifts back to Wrigley after the first two games in Cleveland will be a tough pill to swallow.

The Tribe struggled to score runs in the ALCS, getting by on the backs of their starting pitchers and Andrew Miller. The Indians did just enough on offense to win the series and get to the World Series, but they will face an interesting dynamic without Santana or Napoli. The switch-hitting Santana would get the nod over Napoli based on his ability to hit from both sides of the plate and his superior on-base skills, but he is worse defensively.

Santana made 62 starts at first base this season, and rated negative defensively based on all advanced metrics. He has gradually shifted from catcher, to first base, to nearly full-time DH over the past few seasons. Santana has played only one career game in left field, and the World Series hardly seems like a good time to revisit the outfield, especially considering Kyle Schwarber’s misadventures in the NLCS last year.

When the Indians travel to Chicago, they will have to leave one of their biggest hitters on the bench. Santana is the obvious play given his more diverse offensive skillset and ability to make contact, but Napoli has been a clutch playoff hitter throughout his career. For an offense that went cold with the exception of Francisco Lindor in the ALCS, losing one hitter could make for a difficult time on the road.

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