TOKYO – The Tokyo Dome video board lit up Sunday night time with the phrases “CUBS WIN,” flashing between English and Japanese. Clark, the crew mascot, waved a “W” flag in middle subject. And “Go Cubs Go” performed over the loudspeakers, celebrating the crew’s first exhibition game win.
“If we may hear it two extra instances, that might be incredible,” shortstop Dansby Swanson stated after the sport. “By no means thought I’d hear it [in Japan]. It’s a gorgeous music and a gorgeous nation to play in.”
To play the music twice extra within the Tokyo Dome this week, the Cubs must sweep the Tokyo Collection in opposition to the Dodgers. The 2 groups open the common season Tuesday. For the Cubs, it’s basically playoffs-or-bust. And straight away, they go up in opposition to the defending World Collection champions, who weren’t happy with that title and continued so as to add this offseason.
“It’s take a look at, for positive,” right-hander Jameson Taillon stated. “It’s all the time good to play a crew like that and simply see the place you’re at. And for us, getting to return over right here is an effective way to begin the 12 months, to bond as a crew and get to spend time collectively. We’ve been round one another so much with the 14-hour flight and all of the events and occasions and stuff over right here, so it’s been actually cool.”
Due to the group’s offseason exercise, the Cubs have loads of new gamers to combine. They’re essentially the most concentrated within the bullpen, however the Cubs additionally introduced in starter Matt Boyd, veteran clubhouse chief Justin Turner and a celebrity Kyle Tucker.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer wasn’t sitting on his laurels with a four-year playoff drought to interrupt. However he was additionally operating within a budget that had the Cubs ranked No. 13 in payroll as of Monday, regardless of being a large-market crew.
In the meantime, the Dodgers continued to flex their monetary would possibly.
“They’ve been constantly dominant for 10 years now, actually,” supervisor Craig Counsell stated. “As a result of they haven’t gained the World Collection I don’t assume detracts from their dominance, frankly. They’ve been the very best crew within the common season, basically, for the final 10 years; there’s an enormous argument about that. And meaning you’ve obtained to maintain getting higher, and that’s what that’s what they’ve finished. After which they’ve finished it once more this 12 months.”
Along with the star energy on the Dodgers’ roster, they reportedly agreed to a four-year, $32.4 million extension with supervisor Dave Roberts final week, making him the highest-paid supervisor by common annual worth, surpassing Counsell’s five-year, $40 million contract with the Cubs.
“They’re the defending world champions, they’ve obtained an ideal group,” Swanson stated. “However we really feel like we’ve a extremely robust group over right here as nicely. We have now a extremely good mix of men who’ve been there and finished that, obtained a extremely good mix of those younger up-and-coming children which have plenty of expertise, and [players] within the center as nicely. I really feel like we’ve plenty of depth. We will play any sport that we have to play.”
The 2 video games between the Cubs and Dodgers in Tokyo gained’t dictate the remainder of the season. Final 12 months, the Cubs gained the season collection in opposition to the Dodgers 4 video games to 2, after which completed 10 video games behind the Brewers within the division.
“It issues the way you play in September the identical as you do in March and April,” Taillon stated. “Nevertheless it’ll be take a look at for positive.”
Whereas the Cubs have the benefit of enjoying in a wannabe division – and are definitely the NL Central favorites going into the season – merely sneaking into the playoffs shouldn’t be the aim for a franchise with their historical past and model recognition.
After opening the season in a marquee occasion in opposition to the Dodgers, they need to be aiming to face them once more within the NL Championship Collection, the place the competition isn’t a measuring stick however the distinction between advancing or going residence.
