Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and more: 3 takeaways from Chicago Cubs spring training

Chicago Cubs spring training: End of 2022 setting stage for 2023 success

Chicago finished the 2022 regular season with a 39-31 flourish after the All-Star break. While the overall record of 74-88 may not look as appealing at first glance, plenty of people within the Cubs organization are pointing to that finish to the campaign as a set of important building blocks for Chicago’s young foundation this season.

“I think confidence is key whenever you get a chance to get on some stretches and identify things that you want to improve on. Those guys worked hard to improve on those and that translated to winning,” Ross said. “I thought getting some of those guys healthy and playing some really good competition at times in that stretch, playing well in New York (sweeping the Mets in a three-game September series at Citi Field) and against Philly (a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field), was important.

“Just looking back on that, I think it also helps with some of the free agents that look at our record at the back half. There are some positives definitely in that. I think winning always helps. It cures a lot of the things that you look at when things are going wrong and you’re not winning.”

Hoerner agreed, adding that combining last year’s wins with this year’s fresh group of faces in the lineup will likely provide a solid foundation moving forward.

“Given how many new players we’ve added, last year does feel like the past, but I think there are things from last season that do matter,” Hoerner said. “It’s about the success the younger players had and how that impacts them personally moving forward, myself included.”