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Chicago Cubs: The 2010s All-Decade Team

By Bill Felber

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 20: A detail view of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Champions flag during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field on August 20, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 20: A detail view of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series Champions flag during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Wrigley Field on August 20, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Cubs All-Decade Infield

Javier Baez, Shortstop

  • Years: 2014-2019
  • HRs: 110
  • OPS+: 106
  • All-Star 2018-19
  • Silver Slugger 2018

The only question with Baez is whether to slot him in at second or short. He’s made more appearances at shortstop. That plus the fact that the Cubs All-Decade team is stronger with Zobrist at second than it would be moving Baez there and installing either Addison Russell or Starlin Castro at shortstop fixes the question.

Baez is also a player on the rise. He has improved his career average annually since breaking in as a swing-and-miss rookie in 2014. In 2018 he drove in a league-leading 111 runs thanks in some measure to a personal best 34 home runs.

Kris Bryant, Third base

  • Years: 2015-2019
  • HRs: 138
  • OPS+: 136
  • 2015 Rookie of the Year
  • 2016 Most Valuable Player
  • All-Star: 2015, 2016, 2019.

Bryant is the perfect complement to Rizzo, giving the Cubs a predictable corner infield presence through the second half of the decade.

He topped out at 39 home runs in 2016, adding 102 RBIs on his way to the MVP. Only an injury-riddled 2018 (he missed 60 games) marred his production. Other than that stretch, Bryant has averaged 154 games per season.

As with Rizzo at first, there simply is no alternative selection.

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