For Cubs and fans, ultimate prize arrives

CHICAGO — The World Series trophy is on tour, Cubs players are back from vacation and hometown parades and renovation work is underway at Wrigley Field. The 2016 season was a wild ride for the Cubs and their fans as the team won a Major League-best 103 games and its first championship since 1908.

Kyle Schwarber sustained a season-ending knee injury in the third game of the regular season only to come back in the World Series and help rally the team against the Indians. Willson Contreras and Albert Almora Jr. made big splashes in their Major League debuts, with Contreras hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw on June 19. Kyle Hendricks won a spot in the rotation and then finished as the Major League’s ERA leader. The Cubs’ starters boasted a big league-best 2.96 ERA. Javier Baez and Addison Russell provided stellar glove work up the middle. Jason Heyward won his fourth Rawlings Gold Glove Award, while Anthony Rizzo was awarded his first and also his first Silver Slugger Award. And Aroldis Chapman’s 100-plus mph fastballs kept the video scoreboard operators busy.

2016 Year in Review Final 2016 MLB stats Final 2016 MLB standings Hot Stove Tracker Select a team ¬–AL East ¬BaltimoreBostonNew YorkTampa BayToronto–AL Central ¬ChicagoClevelandDetroitKansas CityMinnesota–AL West ¬HoustonLos AngelesOaklandSeattleTexas–NL East ¬AtlantaMiamiNew YorkPhiladelphiaWashington–NL Central ¬ChicagoCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburghSt. Louis–NL West ¬ArizonaColoradoLos AngelesSan DiegoSan FranciscoFull coverage ¬–PostseasonAll-Star GameDraftStatcastOpening DayHall of Fame inductionsJackie Robinson DayRoberto Clemente DayFort Bragg GameTrade DeadlineWinter MeetingsAwardsFeats, tributes ¬–Ichiro reaches 3,000 hitsArrieta’s second career no-hitterScherzer strikes out 20Scully retires after legendary careerBig Papi calls it a careerJose Fernandez: 1992-2016Monte Irvin: 1919-2016Ralph Branca: 1926-2016

Since the last out was made on Nov. 2 at Progressive Field to clinch the seven-game World Series with an 8-7, 10-inning win over the Indians, the Cubs’ players have celebrated and been honored, including Kris Bryant, who was named the National League Most Valuable Player. But before saying goodbye to 2016, let’s take a look back at five games that highlighted the Cubs’ championship season.

5. Red-letter day for Bryant

On June 27 at Great American Ball Park, Bryant had a field day. He posted his first career five-hit game, his first three-homer game, and became the first player in modern Major League history to hit three homers and two doubles in one game. And he also drove in six runs in the Cubs’ 11-8 win over the Reds.

“I hope to never see it again,” Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said.

Bryant also set a Cubs franchise record with 16 total bases, and he was the …

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