This is the Cubs’ year.
That is not to be confused with “the Cubs are going to win the World Series.” Though they might. Which is kind of why this is a Cubs year.
A few franchises in all four of North America’s major sports leagues never have won a championship. But none has gone as long as the Cubs, which last captured a title on Oct. 14, 1908 — or 17 days after Henry Ford produced his first Model T.
Enter baseball’s Winston Wolf (“Pulp Fiction” reference). Theo Epstein solves historic problems. He was the architect who put The Curse and Bill Buckner into the past in Boston. If he does the same for The Goat and Steve Bartman in Chicago, well, the waiting period for Cooperstown should just be waived.
The Cubs’ president of baseball operations assembled the game’s best stable of position prospects to revive a lifeless franchise. Epstein was pointing toward 2016 for the beginning of extended contention. But Joe Maddon and Jon Lester became available last offseason, and Epstein was not going to have greater comfort giving big money to a manager and a top-of-the-rotation piece. That led to 97 wins, an NLCS date and the decision to throw a brick on the gas pedal this offseason and go for it full-throttle with Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and John Lackey.
They are a big-market monster again. They will do what they have to in July. They are the story of the season, so to represent the organization — Maddon and Heyward, Jake Arrieta and Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Lester — Epstein is Hardball’s Most Interesting Person in Baseball heading into 2016. Here is the rest of the Top 50 (last year’s ranking in parentheses):
2. David Ortiz (46) — He already has announced his retirement. Beloved in Boston, not so much elsewhere (especially New York), how will he be received on a farewell tour? Also intriguing: Does he still have it at age 40? Can the Red Sox give Ortiz — a star in their last three titles — a goodbye championship?
3. Tony Clark (37) — He is about to embark on his first collective bargaining agreement negotiation as head of the union. Life generally is good for the players. But he will be scrutinized in his debut if he can, for example, modify or get rid of the qualifying offer.
4. Rob Manfred (1) — He is a veteran of CBA talks, having been Bud Selig’s main lieutenant. But the commissioner has more than these negotiations on his docket. He has to decide how to wield new powers in the area of domestic abuse with players such as Aroldis Chapman and Jose Reyes while continuing to emphasize speeding up the game and making the sport more appealing to a younger demographic.
5. Yoenis Cespedes (unranked) — He wanted New York and got New York. Can he play center field full time? Can he be the big bat for a champion? Can he play well enough in 2016 that he can either pressure the Mets to extend his current three-year deal or opt out and go into a more favorable free-agent environment next offseason?
6. Mike Trout (17) — He is the best player in the game. But in Trout’s first four full seasons — while he dominated the sport — the Angels made the playoffs once and did not win a game. Are the Angels wasting a great player’s prime and — if that continues — does the franchise at some point have to think about making its Herschel Walker trade and addressing what Baseball America ranks as the worst farm system in the sport?
7. Vin Scully (unranked) — The best ever also is on his farewell tour. Even now no one weaves stories, information and the game like Scully. Really, find a way to enjoy it one last time.
8. Bryce Harper (38) — He just won the MVP and has played 510 games, yet somehow is still the fourth-youngest player on the Nationals’ whole 40-man roster. But he also is a polarizing figure. There are just a lot of folks who don’t like him — though they like his choker, Jonathan Papelbon, less. Does he continue to thrive and stay on a trajectory to being the first $400 million free agent, after the 2018 season — perhaps with the Yankees waiting with open arms. Heck, is $500 million possible?
9. Barry Bonds (unranked) — Mark McGwire made the transition from steroid-stained home run king to relatively under-the-radar hitting coach. But he was not as demonized as Bonds, who is going into his first year as Marlins hitting coach. His baseball IQ is known to be substantial. How is his patience? How is his ability to be a worker at the beck and call of young players?
10. Alex Rodriguez (2) — A year ago he was a pariah with uncertainty he still could play. Today he is America’s guest — on social media this guy is everywhere. OK, he hardly is beloved and we will wonder again — at age 40 — if A-Rod can sustain offensive excellence. But think about what a change there is around this guy in 365 days.
11. Stephen Strasburg (unranked) — After a star-studded class this offseason, next year’s free agent group projects as poor. Strasburg stands out. But can he do enough this season to eliminate concerns about health and fortitude to soar to $200 million — and beyond?
12. Yasiel Puig (24) — Just 25. Just in his fourth season. Yet, enough questions about health and makeup that this already feels like a make-or-break year — at least in Los Angeles.
13. Matt Harvey (3) — Heat-seeking fastball, attention-seeking attitude. Put it together and you have the biggest star in New York baseball — for good and bad.
14. Mark Shapiro (unranked) — Toronto ended the majors’ longest playoff drought (since 1993) and had its popular, Canada-born GM, Alex Anthopoulos, depart because he did not want to lose authority working under Shapiro, newly hired as team president. That puts a bull’s-eye on Shapiro. It will be fascinating how much Shapiro pivots from his small-market sensibilities in Cleveland with the win-now Blue Jays.
15. Carlos Correa (unranked) — The young A-Rod — in all the good ways — enters his first full season in The Show.
16. Aroldis Chapman (unranked) — He begins his walk year with a new team, facing a suspension and as the closer for perhaps the best end-game threesome ever.
17. Andrew Friedman (unranked) — He leads the highest-paid front office ever with the Dodgers. He is coming off a year with a near $300 million payroll, the largest ever. He will have the largest payroll again in 2016. But there is still no title since 1988, Zack Greinke escaped to the Diamondbacks and the criticism is cresting in Los Angeles.
18. Yulieski Gourriel (unranked) — He was the best hitter left in Cuba when he defected. He is still months away from being certified as a free agent. But if he is available in, say, June or July, you might have a bidding war for a guy who plays second and third and whose bat might impact a pennant race.
19. Shohei Otani (unranked) — Scouts and executives recently flocked to Peoria, Ariz., where the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters were doing some of their spring training. The attraction was a 6-foot-4 righty sometimes outfielder who also happens to be the best pitcher in Japan and has done little to hide his ambitions to play in the States. Whether it is next offseason or sometime afterward, the 21-year-old has MLB’s full attention.
20. Sandy Alderson (unranked) — His combination rebuild (particularly of the rotation) and July trade scorecard delivered the Mets an NL title. His patience led to the re-signing of Cespedes at a dollar figure that Mets ownership could tolerate. Can he push the organization to the finish line as he deals with cancer treatment?
21. Chase Utley (unranked) — The slide rule may be changed, in part, because of his takeout of Ruben Tejada. There is no doubt he will be treated like public enemy No. 1 when his Dodgers come to New York on May 27-29.
22. Jonathan Papelbon (unranked) — What is lost due to Papelbon’s prickly personality is just what an elite reliever he has been. Through his age-34 season, Mariano Rivera had 336 saves and a 2.43 ERA. Papelbon 349 saves and 2.35 ERA. Yet the Nats could not find a trade partner this offseason. Papelbon is in his walk year. Can he do enough on and off the field to create a free-agent market?
23. Dusty Baker (unranked) — He has to manage Harper and Papelbon, and the expectations and recent failures. Baker’s strength is as a handler of human beings. He successfully managed teams with Bonds and Sammy Sosa.
24. David Price (36) — He received the largest pitching contract ever — $217 million. He is being asked to lead the rotation in the crucible that is Boston.
25. Tony La Russa (unranked) — This could have been Arizona owner Ken Kendrick or GM Dave Stewart or La Russa, the Diamondbacks’ chief baseball officer. For Arizona has spent the past 12 months — this offseason in particular — going into overdrive, which has included signing Greinke for six years at $206.5 million and gutting its farm system, notably trading last year’s No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson. Are the Diamondbacks contenders or this year’s Padres?
26. Ryan Howard (unranked) — He is owed $35 million this year — $25 million in 2016 salary and $10 million on a 2017 buyout. And the question really feels like not “if” but “when” will the Phillies release him — considering they have been pondering that for more than a year. And, at that point, is there a landing spot for a guy who really should be just a DH against righty pitching?
27. Joe Girardi (unranked) — Joe Torre made the playoffs 13 times in 13 years and won four titles, and it seemed like George Steinbrenner was poised to fire him every year. Girardi has missed the playoffs three times in eight years and his 2015 Yankees were one-and-done wild-card casualties. It is a different era for both the game (where many teams have money to spend, not just the Yanks) and for the Yanks (not as financially bold as in Steinbrenner’s day as they try to rebuild). Still, what if the Yanks ever bottom out and win seventy-something and are non-contenders come September?
28. Corey Seager (unranked) — We saw a cameo in 2015 of the consensus No. 1 prospect in the game for 2016. For the Dodgers to win, their young shortstop must be special.
29. Buster Posey (unranked) — He represents the Giants — who added Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Denard Span in attempts for another even-year title and their fourth in seven years.
30. Don Mattingly (12) — He left the Dodgers because he did not like the day-to-day uncertainty of his job and all the second-guessing to have the most manager-firing owner above him (Jeffrey Loria), Bonds beside him and a roster top heavy in stars, but not pitching.
31. Zack Greinke (unranked) — The highest-paid player on an annual basis in history. That will garner some attention.
32. Robinson Cano (33) — He was brutal in the first half last year, terrific in the second (with the Mariners out of the race) then had core muscle surgery in the offseason. Seattle retooled this offseason around him, Felix Hernandez and Nelson Cruz. Is he still a force? This Mariners season and his Hall of Fame legitimacy can be at stake.
33. Hanley Ramirez (26) — The Red Sox invested $183 million in Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval last offseason and both were duds in 2016. Both are said to have trimmed down, but the pressure particularly is on Ramirez to prove he can play first base.
34. Marcus Stroman (unranked) — He made a phenomenal return from a torn ACL last year. Now, he must rise to be Toronto’s ace with David Price gone.
35. Giancarlo Stanton (4) — He still owns the largest contract ($325 million) in history. Can he stay healthy and, if he does, what might he do with moved-in fences in Miami? But if the Marlins cannot get their act together, then how long before we start hearing Stanton trade rumors?
36. Clayton Kershaw (18) — The last five years: three Cy Young firsts, one second, one third, an 88-33 record with a 2.11 ERA. There are still postseason questions.
37. John Farrell (unranked) — The Red Sox skipper’s job was in jeopardy as he was headed to a second straight last-place finish after a championship when he had to take a leave of absence to battle cancer of the lymphatic system. He is in remission, back on the job and, yes, back on the hot seat.
38. Yu Darvish (unranked) — He missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery and is due back in May or June, at which time the Rangers hope he will form a dynamic rotation 1-2 with Cole Hamels.
39. CC Sabathia (27) — He used a new knee brace to pitch as well as he had in a few years in his final five starts, then shockingly announced he was going into a rehab clinic for alcohol addiction before the wild-card game. Who is he now, and can he still help a Yankees rotation beset by questions about its sturdiness?
40. Brad Ausmus (unranked) — Detroit was weighing firing its manager following a last-place showing. But Ausmus is back and so is the pressure after the Tigers shunned rebuilding to just reload with Jordan Zimmermann, Justin Upton and Francisco Rodriguez.
41. Carlos Gonzalez (unranked) — If you were starting a pool on most likely star to be traded in July, the Rockies’ right fielder would be a pretty good favorite.
42. Wade Davis (unranked) — It just feels like there has to be a Royal on this list, as the two-time defending AL champs and defending World Series champs strive for dynasty before their talented core — including Davis — begins to hit free agency over the next 2-3 years.
43. James Andrews (unranked) — Let’s hope this is the last time we see his name. Or that of Neal ElAttrache.
44. Albert Pujols (unranked) — There are still six years remaining on his $240 million contract. He is coming off foot surgery. Can he be ready by the start of the season and still protect Trout?
45. Noah Syndergaard (30) — Raise your hand if you want to see what he can do over a full season.
46. Todd Frazier (unranked)— Can the longtime Reds slugger help the White Sox climb toward the top of the division?
47. Terry Collins (unranked) — He made his first playoff appearance as a manager and was rewarded with a contract extension. Yet, how much security does he actually have?
48. Adam Wainwright (unranked) — With Lackey gone and Lance Lynn lost for the season following Tommy John surgery, the Cardinals need their longtime ace in full after a season nearly fully lost following an Achilles tendon tear.
49. Miguel Sano (unranked) — He is trying a new position — right field. Can he become comfortable there for the Twins so we can see the full extent of what is in his bat?
50. Brian Cashman (unranked) — He is trying to keep the Yankees contenders, run out bad contracts, not do new long-term deals and get the roster younger and more athletic. Does ownership have tolerance for this transition?