Internally, the Cubs ran all the numbers and projected between 84 and 86 wins this year. A critical mass of young talent created a bigger variance than normal in those preseason simulations. But the organization gladly would have signed up for meaningful September games when pitchers and catchers reported. No questions asked.
Near the end of spring training, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein stood in the middle of the team’s Arizona complex, turning his head between fields, watching no-name prospects and listening to a question about how he would have to take ownership of this team — and take heat on the major-league level — in Year 4.