5 BOLD Predictions For The 2018 Chicago Cubs

With the 2018 season only one day away, I thought it would be a good time to release my annual "predictions" article for the Chicago Cubs. This year will be the third installment of my prediction series and I feel like it's an important year for me because I'm currently batting .500 with my predictions going into 2018. I hit it on the head in 2016 (Called the World Series win, Lester leading the team in wins, Addison Russell All-Star bid) but completely swung and missed in 2017 (The Cubs definitely did NOT get eight players voted into the All-Star game, Ian Happ didn't get traded, and the team did not repeat as World Series champions). I'll admit, winning the World Series led me to be a TAD bit overconfident in my predictions last season but now that the Cubs have been knocked back to reality, I feel like I have a better sense of clarity going into 2018. As always, I have to put the disclaimer out that what you are about to read is simply my opinions. I don't have the time (nor the desire) to wade through hours of statistics to back up every single one of the following predictions but what I do have, however, is pretty good intuition. Without further ado, here are my five predictions for the 2018 Chicago Cubs. ________________________________________________________________________

5. Ian Happ Breaks Out

[caption id="attachment_88278" align="alignnone" width="706"] Baseball: MLB Season Preview: Portrait of Chicago Cubs Ian Happ (86) posing during spring training photo shoot at Sloan Park.
Mesa, AZ 3/10/2017
CREDIT: Robert Beck (Photo by Robert Beck /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
(Set Number: SI755 TK1 )[/caption] Happ has been the surprise story coming out of Spring Training in 2018. The second-year player has solidified himself as the team's leadoff hitter this season and seemingly nobody saw it coming. Happ tore up Spring Training pitching and slashed .333/.418/.875 which forced Cubs manager Joe Maddon to give Happ his shot at leading off for what could be a very dangerous Cubs lineup. Plugging Happ into the lead off spot has a very different feel than when the team thought it'd be a good idea to put Kyle Schwarber as their leadoff hitter in 2017. Happ has proven himself to be the best option at leadoff and has made it known that he wants a shot to be the everyday player he was drafted to be. He has a high OBP with some thunder in his bat but he also understands the importance of leading off.

They (Leadoff hitters) understand that if they’re going to have a good day and help the team, they’ve got to get on base twice

If Happ can get on base at that rate, expect the hitters behind him to have a field day with opposing pitchers. With more consistent playing time and more at-bats, I see Happ flourishing in the one-hole this season. He understands his role and knows what he has to do to set the table for the hitters behind him. On a team already loaded with stars, I believe we will see the emergence of the next big thing in the Cubs lineup.

4. Kyle Hendricks Will Throw His First No-Hitter

I predicted last year that Kyle Hendricks would win the NL Cy Young and although it didn't happen, Hendricks still had a very productive year. He posted a 3.03 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while battling through a hand injury during the first part of the season. He's been damn near untouchable in Spring Training this season and I don't see any reason why that dominance will not carry over in the regular season. Hendricks flirted a few times with a no-no in 2016 and had flashes of dominance last season which leads me to believe 2018 will be the year he will throw his first no-hitter. Based off his splits, I'll go a step further and say his first no-hitter will be thrown on the road during a night game.

3. Willson Contreras Will Be The Team's MVP

[caption id="attachment_89679" align="alignnone" width="597"] PHOTO: BP WRIGLEYVILLE[/caption] In a lineup that boasts multiple players that can hit 20+ home runs (see below), I really believe this is the year Willson Contreras will post MVP-like numbers. Contreras has enjoyed hitting in the clean up spot behind Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant which has undoubtedly resulted in him seeing better pitches. In only his second full MLB season, he's already arguably one of the most important players on the team due to his ability to tame the opposing team's running game and his ability to handle a loaded pitching staff. Contreras showed MVP type flashes last season before a hamstring injury sidelined him for a month last August. Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chicago notes, "Over the course of nearly two months, Contreras posted a .313/.381/.669 slash line (1.050 OPS) with 16 homers, 10 doubles, 45 RBI and 26 runs in a 45-game stretch from June 16 through Aug. 9.  Per 162 games, those numbers would look like this: 58 HR, 36 2B, 162 RBI and 94 R." I'm definitely not saying Willy will post the numbers listed above but Andracki has an excellent point. Had he not gotten injured last season, it would have been interesting to see how different Contreras' numbers would have been if he didn't miss a month of action. The young catcher already has the confidence to become to best catcher in the National League and this may be the year his numbers will back it up.

2. The Cubs Will Set The NL Record For Most Players With 20+ Home Runs

Last season, the Cubs tied the NL record for most players with at least 20 home runs (Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber, Happ, Baez, and Contreras). The impressive thing about last season was the fact that three of the six weren't even considered every day players (Happ, Baez, Schwarber). Those same three have been penciled into the 2018 lineup and have positions that are theirs to lose. Baez has become the full time second baseman, Happ has turned into the team's lead off hitter and center fielder, and Kyle Schwarber appears the be the team's left fielder. With these three getting more playing time and more at-bats, they should be able to hit the 20 home run mark with ease. So who will be the seventh player to hit 20 in 2018? My guess is Addison Russell. Last year, Russell was dealing with personal issues that clearly impacted his play on the field. Now with those issues behind him, Russell should be poised to return to his 2016 form that saw him belt 21 home runs that season. For what it's worth, I also wouldn't be surprised to see the Cubs tie the record for most players to hit at least 30 home runs (which is 4). Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, and Happ would be my picks.

1. The Cubs Will Win The 2018 World Series

Call me a homer if you want to but I truly believe the Cubs will win their second World Series championship in a three-year window. Almost every player that spoke about last season referenced that the team was feeling worn down after winning it all in 2016 and it was tough to get up for games early in the season. Even after a "down year" of getting eliminated in the NLCS, the Cubs appear to be hungry again to get back to the World Series. Theo and company went out and landed Yu Darvish this off season as well as shoring up their bullpen to support one of the best offensive lineups in Cubs history. Players have raved about the vibe and attitude in camp this season and the core group of players has pretty much stayed in tact. Health will always be a key for any team to have success so if the Cubs can stay relatively healthy this season, I have them beating the Yankees in the 2018 World Series. Who knows, maybe the Cubs will turn into a different version of the San Francisco Giants and only win the World Series in even numbered years. That of course would set up a 2020 World Series showdown with the Chicago White Sox but I supposed we'll cross that bridge when we get there.