A decade of delight for the Cubs

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo combined for 355 home runs in the 2010s. | Getty Images

From 2010 to 2019, the Cubs had their best decade since 1930-1939

The Cubs finished in fifth place each season from 2010 to 2014. Over the second half of the decade, they finished in first place twice, in second place once and in third place twice. They made the postseason in four seasons. And while the Cubs were 817-803 (.504) overall and finished under .500 in five seasons, the one event that will define the decade was the world championship of 2016, their first banner since 1908.

• The Cubs scored 7,062 runs and allowed 6,899, a run differential of +163.
• 2016: most wins; 2012: most losses.

Player of the decade

Bryzzo — OK, I’ll admit I couldn’t decide between Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo as the Cubs’ player of the decade, and that was because their combined contributions were what defined the decade. Rizzo led with a 33.0 WAR, followed by Bryant’s 25.1, but Rizzo played eight seasons to Bryant’s five. Bryant hit .284, Rizzo .277. Rizzo hit 177 homers, Bryant 138. Rizzo had an OPS of .872, Bryant .901. Rizzo drove in 720 runs, Bryant 403. You still can’t be complaining that I chose the combo, can you? Combined they hit .280, had an OBP of .379, slugged .504 and had an OPS of .883. They had 809 extra-base hits, including 355 homers. And between them, they played every position except catcher.

Jake Arrieta pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers Game 4 of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 18, 2017.

Pitcher of the decade

Jake Arrieta — In his 803 innings pitched for the Cubs in the decade, ­Arrieta had a sparkling 2.73 ERA, an equally impressive 1.03 WHIP and a .202 BAA. At Wrigley Field, his ERA was 2.31 and his WHIP was 0.96, meaning that when Arrieta was on the mound, it really didn’t ­matter which way the wind was blowing. He walked 233 and struck out 793 while allowing just 61 homers (a rate of 0.7 homers per nine innings). Runners-up: Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester.

Honors of the decade

• The 2015 National League Cy Young Award went to Jake Arrieta.
• The 2015 NL wins leader was Jake Arrieta.
• The 2016 NL MVP was Kris Bryant.
• The 2016 NL ERA leader was Kyle Hendricks.
• The 2016 World Series MVP was Ben Zobrist.
• In 2018, Jon Lester tied for NL lead in wins.

Players who wore a Cubs uniform and were inducted into the Hall of Fame:

• 2019 — Lee Smith
• 2014 — Greg Maddux, Tony La Russa
• 2013 — Hank O’Day, Deacon White
• 2012 — Ron Santo
• 2010 — Andre Dawson

Game of the decade

Really? Do I really have to write that on Nov. 2, 2016, the Cubs beat the Indians 8-7 in 10 innings in Game 7 of the World Series? It has been a long time since a decade in review included the sentence: The Cubs won the World Series.

Number of the decade

108, as in, “Maybe after 108 years, you get some divine intervention.” — Jed Hoyer