Tuesday night, the Chicago Cubs did something even more impressive than defy their anguished history. They stared down the St. Louis Cardinals and wrested control of the mighty National League Central.
The Cubs won 97 games in the regular season, which rated them third in their own division. The Cardinals won 100, and the Pittsburgh Pirates 98. The Cubs beat the Pirates in a wild-card game and toppled the Cardinals in the Division Series. They advanced to the NLCS and also planted their flag as the survivor of the best division in baseball.
"This is one of the best divisions in the history of baseball," Cubs President Theo Epstein said. "I'm not saying that. The numbers say that. To go through the heart of it to get the NLCS makes it even more meaningful. It resonates even more for us."
The Cardinals were making their 12th playoff appearance in 16 years. They have won the division three consecutive seasons. They have been to the World Series 11 times since the Cubs' last trip in 1945 and have won it six times.
"These are like the older brothers who have kicking sand in our face for 100 years," Epstein said.
The Cubs put a stop to it Tuesday night, beating the Cardinals for the third consecutive game.
The Cubs were supposed to arrive next season, but their cadre of young sluggers coalesced earlier than even the Cubs' front office expected. They have assembled the best young group of position players in baseball. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant Starlin Castro, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler, all vital contributors in the NLDS, are 26 or younger.
"They're the team to beat," Cubs ace Jake Arrieta said. "They have been for however many years. To go through the Pirates in the wild-card game and now the Cardinals, we feel like we can beat anybody. We're a tough team to play, no matter who it is."
