Cubs' Hype-Filled Roster Still at Least a Year Away from MLB Success

It's possible, likely even, that in the long and storied history of Major League Baseball, there has never been a team coming off five consecutive losing seasons with more hype surrounding it than the Chicago Cubs have right now.

All the hope and expectations are justified to an extent. It's been a busy offseason already, kicked off by the surprising hiring of manager Joe Maddon, furthered by the return of right-hander Jason Hammel and the trade for veteran backstop Miguel Montero and capped (at least so far) by the $155 million splurge on ace left-hander Jon Lester during the winter meetings.

No doubt: There's a lot to be excited about on the North Side. Like, a lot a lot, and we'll get even more into that in a moment.

"People ask if we're all in for '15," Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said, according to Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, "and the best response is—we're all in for the future, and the future starts in '15."

While Epstein may not be banking on 2015 at the expense of "and beyond," some folks in and around the sport, in fact, seem to be hoping—even expecting—that the Cubs are ready to rock as contenders right now. As in, next season.

M. Spencer Green/Associated Press/Associated Press

"The waiting is over. The Cubs are back. Wrigley Field is alive," Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports wrote after the Lester signing. "Lester, manager Joe Maddon and Co. are not simply going to aim for 2017 and wait for some of the game’s top offensive prospects to develop. No, the Cubs are going for it, and they’re going for it now."

Heck, even new skipper Maddon, who joined along for $25 million after opting out of his final year with a Tampa Bay Rays club he had guided from laughingstock to a 2008 World Series appearance, had grand thoughts his first day on the job.

"For me, I'm going to be talking playoffs next year. I'm going to tell you that right now," Maddon said at his introductory press conference in early November. "We're going to set our mark high, and I'm going to talk playoffs and World Series this year, and I'm going to believe it."

And, of course, there's the whole Back to the Future II life-imitating-art timeline that seemingly—and perhaps somewhat presciently—calls for added excitement:

For now, though, maybe let's pump the brakes a little bit, mmmkay? Because for all the optimism, there's also this thing called reality, and in the Cubs' case that can put a damper on things.

"Besides not winning a World Series in 100-plus years," as Muskat writes, "[the Cubs] haven't had a winning season since 2009 and have finished fifth in the National League Central the last five years. The roster is stocked with young talent but there will be growing pains."

Sure, the organization has built a promising and potentially very productive core group of young players under the careful construction of Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer.

There are some with more MLB time and success under their belt, like slugging first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Starlin Castro and breakout starter Jake Arrieta, as well as those still transitioning to their first real taste of the majors, like Javier Baez, Jorge Soler and Arismendy Alcantara, who are pegged to start at second base, right field and center field, respectively, in 2015.

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Then there are the elite prospects who have yet to debut but should do so as soon as this season, primarily third baseman Kris Bryant, who hit .325/.438/.661 in his first full pro campaign and smashed more home runs (43) than any player in the minors or majors, and shortstop Addison Russell, who triple-slashed .295/.350/.508 as a 20-year-old at Double-A.

All of the above, which started when Epstein took over in October 2011, has served as a slow burn that has taken years to bring a light at the end of a tunnel that has been dark with five sub-.500 seasons in a row—and even darker with 106 championshipless years.

Now, however, the flames have been fanned by what has been a busy, potentially franchise-altering offseason, which has pushed the Cubs from long-time-coming rebuilders toward hopeful and potential contenders.

Here's how Epstein characterized the state of the Cubs' union after the Lester deal, per Muskat:

"

This signing really marks a transition of sorts for the Cubs, the start of a period where we are clearly very serious about bringing a World Series to the Cubs and the people of Chicago. It's a great day for our fans. They've been so patient with us, incredibly patient, over the last few years, and they truly deserve a pitcher and a person of this caliber to call their own.

"

"You see a lot of things going on right now," Hammel said after signing on to return to Chicago, via Muskat. "It's not just shtick. It's not just flash. They're making a commitment to winning here."

But only so often does winning happen overnight, especially in baseball.

There are examples, of course: The champion Boston Red Sox in 2013, after a last-place finish in 2012, come to mind, as do those Maddon-helmed '08 Rays, who lost an MLB-worst 97 games the year prior.

"

So I still think #Cubs are looking at 2016 and beyond more than 2015, even with #jonlester: http://t.co/nXeLEIGj98

— robneyer (@robneyer) December 10, 2014"

Because of their youth and relative inexperience throughout the roster, though, these Cubs almost certainly will have to deal with failures—perhaps for the first time in their baseball-playing careers for many of them—before they can get to the success.

Just look at how much Baez (.169 average and a 41 percent strikeout rate in 229 plate appearances) and Alcantara (.205/.254/.367 in 300 trips to the dish) struggled in their time in Chicago after dominating the high minors.

In other words, as much as Cubs fans and some baseball folks would like to make it sound like 2015 will be the Lovable Losers' year to return not only to relevance but also contention, there's still a long—looooong—way to go.

"We were very honest," Epstein said he told Lester during negotiations, per Muskat. "We sat down and said, 'As far as 2015, here are the good things about the Cubs, here are some of the good things you're going to enjoy, and here are some of the things that are challenges for 2015. We want you but we want you to come here with eyes wide open.'" 

And not for nothing, but the NL Central has been arguably the most competitive division in baseball, what with the St. Louis Cardinals making the playoffs four straight years, reaching the World Series in 2013 and winning it in 2011; the Pittsburgh Pirates going from 20 losing seasons to back-to-back Octobers; the Cincinnati Reds reaching 90 wins and the postseason three of the past five years; and the Milwaukee Brewers, who spent a division-high 159 days in first place last summer.

For the Cubs, just getting out of last place for the first time since 2009 would represent a noteworthy achievement.

That said, for the first time in a long time, it's clear this is an organization headed in the right direction.

"There's a lot to sell players on—great city, great fan base, historic ballpark," Epstein said via Muskat, "but most importantly, the single greatest pursuit left in sports. It kind of sells itself."

Selling is one thing. But while the Cubs undoubtedly will be more exciting and better next year, buying that they're ready to contend in 2015? That's another.

Now, about 2016...

Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Information about 2015-16 free agents comes from MLB Trade Rumors.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter:@JayCat11.