Most MLB experts, and even Cubs fans, agree that the 2022 season is going to be a rebuilding season for the Chicago Cubs. It has felt like this was coming for the last few years, and trades during 2021 further cemented that thought.
In some ways, management never really gave the team a legitimate chance to compete in 2021 either and they certainly waved the white flag with two months to go in the season. Even if the moves weren’t popular with Cubs fans, at least they followed a plan to set the team up for future success.
Even though it does seem as if the Cubs are a long ways away from competing for a World Series in 2022, the new front office should go “all-in” and try to win a title this season. This might be a thought that is laughed at or mocked, but it’s really not the far-fetched as it appears on the surface.
Winning a World Series requires a ton of luck, and the postseason doesn’t always favor the teams that were the most dominant during the regular season. Rarely does the best team in baseball actually win the title, and therefore the Cubs just need to be one of the five best NL teams to make the playoff field.
If the Cubs really do have as much money to spend as it sounds then they should use all of the available resources to acquire as much talent as possible. Sign big name players to short-term deals, but throw some big dollar amounts at them.
A few key pieces could get the Cubs right back in contention next season, and the front office needs to take a swing at landing some of the top free agents.
Follow Others Lead
While the Cubs were busy throwing in the towel in July, other teams decided to make a push for the postseason. The Atlanta Braves were one of those teams, and they are now just two wins away from winning a World Series.
The Cubs don’t need to go out and sign the best player at every position, but they at least need to explore all available options. Instead of simply acknowledging that 2022 could be a long year, the team needs to find ways to improve the situation.
The “Baseball Gods” always seem to reward those franchises that do the competitive thing and do whatever they can to get better.
NL Central is Still Wide Open
Let’s face it, the National League Central Division is clearly one of the worst in baseball. This division continues to come up short in the playoffs, and that’s because the teams aren’t really that dominant.
The Milwaukee Brewers ran away with the Central Division this season, but that was in part because they dominated the Cubs. St. Louis needed an improbable winning streak to make the postseason, but they also will have a new manager.
Chicago has the money to spend to move past the rest of the NL Central teams, and that’s exactly what they should try to do.
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