For just the second time in Major League Baseball history, two historic organizations in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs are squaring off in a postseason series. In their lone previous meeting, the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the 2008 National League Division Series.
There are many similarities between the two clubs, and it starts at the top with the front offices. The Dodgers are headlined by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who ironically hired current Cubs manager Joe Maddon for the same position during their nine-year tenure together in Tampa Bay (2006-2014).
Maddon’s bench coach, Dave Martinez, also held the same position with the Rays for the majority of Friedman’s time in the organization (2008-2014).
The comparisons don’t stop there. Cubs first base coach Eric Hinske was a member of the 2008 American League Champion Rays, and so too was Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler as he spent two seasons with the organization.
Both front offices are widely considered the top two in all of baseball and share similar philosophies in constructing a roster. For one, sustaining a strong farm system and filling out weaknesses with Major League talent are main priorities for both groups.
As a result of this mindset, the Dodgers and Cubs boast a plethora of young talent uniquely acquired via the draft, free agency and trades.
With the exception of 35-year-old Ben Zobrist, Chicago’s primary second baseman, the rest of their infield looks to be set for many seasons to come.
At third base is NL MVP frontrunner Kris Bryant, who has established himself as one of the game’s best players since entering the league last season. In two seasons, he’s accumulated 13.6 Wins Above Replacement with 65 home runs, 201 runs batted in and a .900 on-base plus slugging percentage in 1,349 plate appearances.
What’s unique about Bryant is his ability to play all over the field. In 2016 alone, he appeared at six different positions. The Cubs and Dodgers heavily value positional versatility, so don’t be surprised to see both teams utilize their respective players in such fashion throughout the NLCS.
At shortstop is Addison Russell, who was acquired in 2014 when the Cubs sent pitchers Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija to the Oakland Athletics.
Just 22 years old, Russell already possesses one of the best gloves at his position and is roughly a league-average hitter despite tallying 95 RBIs this season (97 wRC+).
Rivaling him is Dodgers superstar Corey Seager, also 22 years old, who is expected to finish in the top-3 for NL MVP voting, in addition to running away with Rookie of the Year honors.
Seager was worth 6.1 wins for Los Angeles this season and posted an .877 OPS with 40 doubles and 26 home runs in 687 plate appearances. Despite his large frame at shortstop, Seager’s defense is more than passable, which makes him one of the best two-way players in the league.
On the right side of the diamond, Chicago boasts an additional pair of sluggers in Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo.
Baez, in particular, had a huge series against the San Francisco Giants during the NLDS. In Game 1, he hit a game-winning round tripper, and in Game 4, his go-ahead single in the ninth inning cemented a series victory for the Cubs.
Rizzo, meanwhile, was acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Andrew Cashner in 2012 after previously being dealt from the Boston Red Sox for current Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
Since his breakout year in 2014, Rizzo has totaled 95 home runs with a .386 OBP — good for 17.1 WAR during the span.
Behind the plate, both clubs appear to be set at catcher for the long-term. Los Angeles acquired their backstop Yasmani Grandal in a 2014 trade from the rival Padres for outfielder Matt Kemp.
Since the deal went down, Grandal has become an offensive force while consistently ranking among the league’s top pitch framers.
For Chicago, when Kyle Schwarber suffered a season-ending ACL injury and Miguel Montero seemingly declined offensively, the club infused its roster with top prospect Willson Contreras, who has enjoyed a solid rookie campaign.
In the outfield, the Dodgers and Cubs aren’t short on young stars either. The two organizations made splashy international signings out of Cuba in 2012, inking Yasiel Puig and Jorge Soler, respectively.
Puig has enjoyed the better career so far, but Soler has proven to be a reliable power bat against left-handed pitchers in a platoon role.
Additionally, the Cubs signed Jason Heyward last offseason, who is still just 27 years old. Prior to this season, Heyward was regarded as an elite defender with untapped offensive potential, but his struggles in 2016 have tempered those expectations.
Drafted by the Dodgers in the 11th round during the 2010 amateur draft, Joc Pederson has developed into one of the best center fielders in baseball. He draws walks at a high clip and can mash home runs with the best of them, in addition to possessing an elite glove at his position.
Two solid bench pieces in Albert Almora Jr. and Trayce Thompson round out the young talent for Chicago and Los Angeles in the outfield.
With so many likenesses among the two teams, the NLCS appears to be a dream matchup for any baseball fan.
