Apparently, keeping a window of contention open is a lot more difficult than any of us thought it would be and multiple championships were just a bit too much to ask for. After winning it all in 2016, and even after the Cubs were eliminated by the Dodgers in 2017, it still felt like there was something significant to build upon. Where did it all go wrong?
Let’s start with the rotation, and specifically, the organization’s failure to develop starters in the minor leagues..
- Rob Zastryzny was the first and only homegrown starter to take the bump during that championship season, starting the team’s September 29 game against the Pirates after the Cubs had clinched the NL Central.