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No coincidence Cubs, Giants, Nats upgraded
- Updated: August 3, 2016
Headed toward a potentially epic October, the best teams in the National League don’t just march on. They get better.
The Cubs, Giants and Nationals all improved at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, and it’s no coincidence. They’re on pace to win 94-99 games each, and all three are confident they’re going to reach the postseason and have a crack to reach the World Series. But to win the NL pennant, they’re going to have to survive one — and maybe two — short series against each other.
Now let’s say Clayton Kershaw’s back gets healthy and he heads into October on a late roll, with newcomer Rich Hill working behind him. Or the Cardinals, with their long history of outplaying expectations in the postseason, wind up reaching the NL Division Series. Maybe the Mets or Pirates hit their stride in September.
Now — with apologies to the Rangers, Indians and everyone else in the American League — the Cubs, Giants and Nationals will face major threats to their survival in every round of competition between the game’s best teams.
We’re heading toward the most delicious set of postseason series in one league since, well, forever. These teams are loaded, well managed and certain to be prepared. Don’t be surprised if both series in the NLDS go to a decisive fifth game and the NL Championship Series goes seven.
That’s why the strongest teams in the game viewed it as critical to improve. The Rangers and Indians may have upgraded the most at the Deadline, as most analysts concluded when the dust cleared on Monday, but it was fascinating to watch the best teams in the NL prepare to face each other.
Theo Epstein was speaking only for himself, but he voiced some universal sentiments in explaining why he paid heavily to upgrade the Cubs.
“It shows a lot of faith in our big league club,” Epstein said after trading for closer Aroldis Chapman. “We said when we first got here that every chance to win is sacred, and we believe that. You can’t take for granted the position we’re in right now. … [Players] have worked their tail off to build up this nice lead heading into the stretch. We believe in these guys. We believe …
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