The postseason is upon us and once again a “superteam” looks as if they are going to win it all. What is it that makes this year’s Cubs team draw similarities to the 2009 Yankees?
In 2009, the New York Yankees won their first World Series title in nine years when they beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the I-95 series.
They were considered the favorite to win it all prior to the season due to the addition of key free agents, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A.J. Burnett. Just like the 2016 Cubs, they were the team to beat in baseball and had been very active in free agency in the offseason prior to their successful seasons.
With the Cubs not winning a World Series championship since 1908, could there be multiple similarities connected to the 2009 Yankees that could mean this will be the year they win it all?
Today, ESNY answers that question.
Key Similarity Number One: The Deadly First Base/Third Base Combo
2009 Yankees:
The 2009 Yankees had one of the most fearsome first base/third base combos in all of baseball. Teixeira took the ship at first while Alex Rodriguez manned the hot corner. Not only did the duo play on the field opposite of each other, but they also batted right next to each other in the three and four spots in the lineup.
Not only did the duo play on the field opposite of each other, but they also batted right next to each other in the three and four spots in the lineup.
Teixeira put up an MVP-caliber season where he batted .292/.383/.565 with 39 dingers and 122 RBI’s, not much more you can ask for from your first baseman.
The switch-hitter would also go on to win the gold glove award as well as finishing second in American League MVP voting. Tex provided that spark at first base that the Yankees were looking for when they signed him in the offseason to replace Jason Giambi.
A-Rod, Tex’s partner in crime, ended the season batting .286/.402/.532 with precisely 30 home runs and 100 RBI’s. As the cleanup hitter in the Yankee lineup, Rodriguez got his job of cleaning up the bases done by driving in those 100 RBI’s.
Given the fact that he only played in 122 games, that is truly an amazing feat as his RBI total would be 130 when translated to a 162-game scale.
This dynamic duo the Yankees had on the field in 2009 helped them win a world series, but how does this year’s Cubs 1B/3B combo compare to this historic tandem?
2016 Cubs:
The combination of Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant do not have definitive roles in the lineup like Tex and A-Rod did, but they still produced outstandingly with those big bats of theirs.
The Cubs’ first baseman (Rizzo), put up yet another outstanding campaign which is a good reflection of his 2015 season, a great sign of consistency.
Like Teixeira, Rizzo was a key source of runs and power for Chicago as he slashed .292/.385/.544 with 32 home runs and 109 RBI’s.
He almost mirrors the way Teixeira plays the game by producing with bot his bat and glove. Both are fearsome hitters in their respective lineups who are responsible for driving in runs and do that greatly, but with the glove is another area where they shine.
This season, Anthony Rizzo sported a .996 fielding percentage with only six errors, which compares amazingly to Teixeira’s .997 percentage in 2009.
Much like Rodriguez, Kris Bryant showed his power from the hot corner as most third basemen do. This year, Bryant slashed .292/.385/.544 with 39 home runs and 109 RBI’s, numbers that many believe will win him the NL MVP award.
When looking at A-Rod’s stats from 2009 according to a 162 game schedule, Rodriguez has the same amount of home runs as Bryant, 39. Both of these power hitting third basemen were sparks in their respective team lineups and were able to launch almost 40 home runs.
Does the Cubs corner combo have the same amount of spark in them as the Yankees did to live up to the hype and win the world series title? Only time will tell.
Key Similarity Number Two: The Lights Out Closer
2009 Yankees
There aren’t any words to describe the man the Yankees had to close out their games in 2009. The only few words that are worthy to use to describe him are “The Greatest Of All Time.” Yes, the Yankees had Mariano Rivera to close out their ball games seven years ago.
That year, the all-time leader in saves sported a 1.76 ERA with 44 saves in 46 save opportunities. Rivera finished the season third in all of baseball in the saves category and would go on to have himself a dominant postseason as well.
In 12 games, he would post a 0.56 ERA with five saves, leaving him perfect in save opportunities.
It is almost impossible to be compared to the dominance of Mariano Rivera, but if there is any active closer that could be, it is Aroldis Chapman.
2016 Cubs
In the back end of the Chicago bullpen, they have the ability to use the Cuban flamethrower, Aroldis Chapman, to close out their ballgames. It is almost impossible to compare Chapman to Rivera but in 2016, the southpaw actually had a better season than Rivera did in 2009.
In 59 appearances, Chapman maintained an ERA of 1.55 with 36 saves and 90 strikeouts which is incredible given that he missed the first 30 games of the year due to suspension.
Like Rivera, Chapman also has an amazing postseason track record that the Cubs are dependent on going deep into the playoffs.
In 11 appearances, he has a 2.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10 games pitched, which already includes three saves in this year’s playoffs.
Many teams in baseball do not have that lights out closer in the back of the bullpen, but like the last Yankees’ team to hoist the commissioner’s trophy, the 2016 Cubs do and it could be beneficial to them is they go deeper into October baseball.
Key Similarity Number Three: The Outstanding Amount Of Depth Waiting In The Wings On The Bench
2009 Yankees
New York entered the postseason with a ridiculous amount of depth on the bench that included a perfect blend of youngsters and veterans.
Some of the veterans included were role players Jose Molina, Jerry Hairston Jr., and Eric Hinske. Teams do not always realize how important it is to have veterans on their postseason roster, as they are the ones with the experience and have been in clutch situations before.
Two of the players who made up the rookie presence on this bench was speedy outfielder Brett Gardner and catcher Francisco Cervelli. Gardner proved to be a vital piece of the team in the ALCS against the Angels where he batted .667 and earned himself two runs on the base paths.
2016 Cubs
Much like the Yankees, the Cubs went into the postseason keeping the fact in mind that they needed a good mixture of rookies and veterans.
A comparison between the Cubs bench and the Bombers’ bench is that both include the presence of a veteran catcher. The Cubs filled the Yankees use of Jose Molina with their own backstop, David Ross.
Both of these players have a vast amount of knowledge for the game, which makes them able to pass it on to their teammates while they are waiting for their time to play on the bench.
Another comparison between the two benches is the presence of the rookie catcher, who is getting useful experiences to eventually get ready to take over the starting role.
The Cubs filled the Yankees hole of Francisco Cervelli with their own rookie backstop, Willson Contreras. Contreras was called up on June 17, 2016, and slashed .282/.357/.488 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI’s. So far in the postseason, Contreras is two-for-three resulting in a .667 average which includes a walk.
The similarity in depth coming off the bench is surely something fans should look at when trying to examine how well rounded this Cubs team actually is. When your bench is being compared to that of the 2009 Yankees, you are in a pretty good class.
Based on all of the examples provided, it is important to note that the two clubs have their fair share of similarities. Now the only thing to wait and see is if the Cubs can end their magical season the same way the Yankees did: with a World Series trophy.