Griffith: Patience is a virtue, Cubs fans

If you are a Cubs fan, congratulations, you are one of the most virtuous people to ever walk the face of this earth.

But fear not, you lovable loser loyal, good times are on the way. Over the course of the Ricketts, good things have started to happen. Soon you will be basking in the glow of the World Series trophy.

We all know it won't be this year, but soon you will taste the nectar of the baseball gods.

Even I, the eternal pessimist when it comes to the Cubs, can see what lies ahead for the North Siders. With young stars like Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, Travis Wood, and Welington Castillo already getting invaluable exposure at the major league level, coupled with future stars like Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters, and newly drafted slugger Kris Benson, the Cubs are starting to imitate what the Cardinals have done so well for the last decade, which is to win from within.

All that being said, the question isn't whether the Cubs will compete, it's whether they will be better than the other teams in the NL Central. There is a lot to be said for what the Cubs organization has started to build under the management of Theo Epstein and Tom Ricketts, but have the Cubs already missed their chance?

While the Cubs are starting to develop extremely talented players, other clubs have a year or two — or in the case of the Cardinals — a 10-year head start on them. The Cubs are starting to resemble a team that wants to win, but so are the Reds, Pirates, Cardinals, and even the Brewers to some extent.

Two things are certain: 1. The Cubs are going to be damn good in the next few years, and 2., so will the rest of the NL Central.

No matter what happens over the next few calendars, Cubs fans should return to the ballpark because your team is finally trying to win. Remember that good things come to those who wait, and to those who hire Theo Epstein!

About the Author

Steve spends his time here at The Peorian analyzing data and networking to develop solutions to bridge the gap between…no wait, that’s what he does as a career. He’s here at The Peorian to write about other things. And in order to facilitate these efforts, we have banned him from using any forms of the words “data”, “engineering” and “antidisestablishmentarianism”. The latter should be for obvious reasons. I mean, really, how could anyone be FOR the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in 19th-century Britain?