World Series Preview: Cubs vs. Indians

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The 2016 World Series is as historically significant as a postseason series could possibly be. Decades of accursed heartache, frustration, and apathy culminate in a clash of Midwestern institutions with a combined 176 years of championship-less futility between them.

The Cleveland Indians last won the World Series in 1948, one year after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier (and Cleveland's own Larry Doby did the same in the American League). The Chicago Cubs have not reigned as champions since 1908. Between failures and jinxes, goats and black cats, heartbreak and miraculous calamities, these two baseball towns have finally put themselves in a position to shed long-awaited tears of joy.

To reach the World Series, the Indians have sprung from borderline apathy. After winning six division titles in a seven-year stretch (including five in a row) from 1995 to 2001, Cleveland had made the playoffs only twice in the 14 years since then.

An 81-80 record last year only compounded the relative normality of a moribund franchise with the dubious distinction of having a popular fictional film in their honor (Major League), celebrating the team's depravity, to alleviate some of the disappointment fans have had to live with along the way. The last time the Indians made it to the World Series, they faced off against a Florida Marlins franchise that was in its mere fifth year of existence. The talented youngsters of that squad managed a walk-off hit by Edgar Renteria to clinch Florida's first title and Cleveland's return to irrelevance.

This season was a complete turnabout from those circumstances. A 14-game consecutive wins streak capped a June month that saw Cleveland go 22-6, raising their record from a respectable 35-30 to a remarkable 49-30. Reigning Cy Young winner Cory Kluber led the pitching staff with another stellar year, finishing with a 18-9 record and 3.14 ERA.

Trevor Bauer, the youngest pitcher on the entire staff to throw over 60 innings, proved his worth as he went 12-8 with a 4.26 ERA. Cleveland's offense provided plenty of support, plating the 5th-highest run total in the league even though their home run totals were low.

The Cubs have been working towards this outcome ever since team president Theo Epstein took over the reigns five years ago. Their history of ineptitude has enough detail to fill volumes, so long versions of that information will be spared here. Quick rundown: No title since 1908; no pennant since 1945; six outs from the 2003 World Series before the super villain known as Bartman burst onto the scene. This team, and season, has skewed differently, however.

For starters, this was the first Cubs team to get as many as 103 wins since 1910. Only two Cubs teams have been younger than this one in the last 40 years, and those have come in the last two years. The movement is lead by Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, Wilson Contreras, and Jorge Soler. All of their ages range from 22 to 26, so don't be surprised if they stick around for a while.

The matchups for the first four games are as follows:

Game 1, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m: Jon Lester (Cubs) vs. Corey Kluber (Indians)
Game 2, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m: Jake Arrieta (Cubs) vs. Trevor Bauer (Indians)
Game 3, Friday, Oct. 28, 5 p.m: Josh Tomlin (Indians) vs. Kyle Hendricks (Cubs)
Game 4, Saturday, Oct. 30: TBD (Indians) vs. John Lackey (Cubs)

No matter the outcome of the Series, a great baseball mind will receive credit for two of the greatest accomplishments in sports history. If Chicago wins, Theo Epstein will have put together a championship Boston Red Sox team, which had not happened since 1918, and this Cubs team. If the Indians win, Terry Francona will have managed that 2004 Boston team in addition to this version of the Indians. Regardless, both men should be celebrated as saints and saviors by the cities they have cultivated impossible success from.

Prediction: The Chicago Cubs, on the strength of a fantastic starting pitching rotation, an impossible closer, and the joyful exuberance of their young players giving all they have while enjoying the game they love, will take the World Series by a 4-1 margin.