3 Reasons the Cubs Will Be Better in 2020

The Chicago Cubs finished 2019 in third place in the NL Central, disappointing fans everywhere. They were a shell of the team that won the 2016 World Series.

With a brand new campaign on the way and some serious changes in the team's structure, the Cubs could be on their way back to some divisional dominance. Here's three reasons why:

3. David Ross

New Chicago Cubs Manager David Ross. / Jamie Squire/Getty Images

It's never fun when you have to say goodbye to a good manager. Especially when Joe Maddon won you your first World Series in over 100 years. He'll be a legend forever in Chicago, but it was time to move on. The club seemed stagnant towards the end of Maddon's time in charge. Enter David Ross. Grandpa Rossy has stepped in as the new manager, and there's zero worry about him winning over the clubhouse. Ross was on that recent World Series winning team and knows the ins and outs of how things work. With him now getting set for his first season as a manager, he'll do everything he can to turn things around with Chicago, while sharing everything he knows about the game with all the players. Keep in mind, this includes guys who were his former teammates. He's injected some excitement into the team, which can't be overlooked.

2. Craig Kimbrel Will Be Ready to Rock

Chicago Cubs pitcher Craig Kimbrel / Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

Craig Kimbrel joined the Cubs in June of last season. With limited time to get adjusted, he floundered a bit. He only pitched in 20.2 innings, and had to get comfortable in a limited amount of time. With an entire offseason to prepare, he should be able to make huge strides in 2020. His 6.53 ERA last year was an extreme aberration compared to his 2.74 ERA in 2018. While things didn't go as planned for him last spring, summer and fall, the expectation is he'll get back to his outstanding form.

1. The Real Kris Bryant Will Stand Up

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant / Christian Petersen/Getty Images

In 2019, Kris Bryant not only had to deal with a nagging shoulder, but also a lengthy arbitration with the Cubs. He filed a grievance over the team's handling of his service time, and had to deal with the process that entails. As a result of all the added distractions and pressures, he struggled, hitting .272, with 31 homers and recording 77 RBI. However, with both of those issues dissipating in 2020, he has every opportunity to improve. After all, he didn't win the National League MVP in 2016 for no reason. He'll be a valuable asset again this year.