5 reasons Cubs-Indians was the best World Series ever

3. The managerial maneuverings

Joe Maddon and Terry Francona will go down as two of the most creative managers in the history of baseball. Francona’s use of Andrew Miller in a throwback to relievers of years past like Goose Gossage and Rollie Fingers may be the one thing that allowed Cleveland to make it all the way to the World Series. Strategy played a major role in this World Series, and second-guessing the moves will continue for years.

Maddon nearly cost his team the series in Game 7. Removing Kyle Hendricks with two outs in the fifth inning with a 5-1 lead backfired. Jon Lester was brought in during the middle of the inning even though Maddon had previously stated that he would only bring Lester in at the start of an inning. Aroldis Chapman was pushed for nearly two innings with a seven-run lead in Game 6. In Game 7, Chapman was gassed, and gave up the lead in the eighth inning. Inexplicably, Javy Baez attempted to bunt with two strikes and the go-ahead run on third in the ninth. No matter, the Cubs bailed their manager out.

Francona and his bullpen management will change the way managers make pitching changes in the playoffs in the future. This was the first World Series ever in which neither team had a starting pitcher throw more than six innings. By the end of Game 7, both teams’ relievers were running on fumes. Without his full starting rotation, Francona had little choice, but his example prompted Maddon and other managers to try the same thing.

Whether or not reliever management in the postseason continues following the trends laid out in the 2016 World Series continues remains to be seen, but the ball is rolling.