Cubs lineup in ESPN's Top 3 |
The Cubs won their first World Series in over 100 years and some of it could be attributed to the hitting ability of their youthful stars that are the center pieces of the team.
ESPN senior writer Buster Olney ranked the top lineups in major league baseball and had the Cubs at #3 overall behind only the Red Sox and the Rockies. "Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, who are the David Ortiz and the Manny Ramirez of their era," Olney said. "They could haunt pitchers for many years to come, and last season they combined for 346 hits, 78 doubles, seven triples, 71 homers, 149 walks, 215 runs and 211 RBIs. On a daily basis, the relentlessly competitive at-bats of Bryant, Rizzo, Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber will crush opposing starters." The Cubs should be back near the top in offensive output with the addition of Kyle Schwarber in the everyday lineup and a bounce back year from outfielder Jason Heyward.
