After their first World Series title in 108 years, the built-to-last Cubs appeared on the brink of a dynasty. This year it’s been back to black in Wrigleyville
The Cubs are back. After flipping 107 years of history a season ago by winning the organization’s first World Series title since 1908, disappointment and losing have returned to the North Side of Chicago.
Entering this season, the reigning champs had 4-to-1 odds to repeat as champs according to Las Vegas sports books and were consensus favorites to take the National League’s Central Division. They were the reigning champs, young and had their entire core returning. While anything can happen in the postseason – just ask the Nationals – and it may be harder to repeat in baseball than any other sport, it was even more difficult to foresee a scenario in which the Cubs didn’t at least make the postseason. Then the season started and the Cubs went 13-11. Solid, if not quite on the pace of the spectacular 149-77 mark the team posted over the previous season and a half.
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