The Cubs are no punchline

The Back to the Future 2 joke is over. The Cubs aren't a punchline anymore. They are a really good baseball team. I'm a rabid Cardinals fan, and today, the Cubs eliminated the Cardinals- the team with the best record in baseball- in four games.

Honestly, the Cardinals weren't at their best. They were injured all year, and especially at the end. Their pitching was worn out. Stars Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday were clearly not right. But the Cubs dominated. And maybe this isn't the Cubs year, despite the prophecy delivered to Marty McFly. The Mets, Dodgers, and the four remaining AL teams are all serious threats. But it's unlikely the Cubs faithful will have to wait another 107 years for a ring.

The Cubs are built on their young position players. 2B (former SS) Starlin Castro has been around for years and is still improving. The team has three other young shortstops of the future: Addison Russel, Javier Baez, and Gleyber Torres (who has not reached the majors yet). It looks like Baez will move to second base, while Russel may go to the outfield. Some of them may be traded for pitching, further improving the stunningly talented Chicago team.

The Cubs offense is downright scary. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Jorge Soler round off the electric offense. But the worst part about it is that the oldest player is Rizzo. He's 26. That's right, he's not even at his peak. Catcher Miguel Montero is 32, but will soon be replaced by another young stud Kyle Schwarber.

It's easy to go on and on about their offense, but I've kept it short. They're great. They have power. They have depth. They have speed. And their offense isn't even their most talked about feature.

Jake Arietta has gone on an unreal tear, which likely will net him the Cy Young. Personally, I think it's just a tear, and he'll fall back to earth next year, if not during the playoff run. Regardless, he'll be a solid starter for years to come. Jon Lester, their big off-season acquisition, has performed as expected: he's an ace. The rest of their starters are solid: Veterans Jason Hammel and Dan Haren have been solid, although not great. Their bullpen has been a weak spot, although they delivered against the Cardinals.

What makes the Cubs truly scary is that they're in such a great position to improve. They have many pieces they could trade. They have money to throw at free agents like David Price and Zach Greinke. And they have the best manager in baseball.

Joe Maddon is a bastard. He orders players to be hit. He's a salty and arrogant, which makes him one of the best managers in the game. He plays hard, and makes tough calls without flinching. In today's Game 4 victory, he almost took out his starter after 2 innings. The situation didn't work out, and Jason Hammel stayed in, and even got an RBI single that at bat. But Maddon didn't hesitate.

Theo Epstein, who guided the Red Sox as they broke their curse, seems to have worked his magic again. They are aided by great draft picks and smart signings, and just generally great management. Between Epstien and Maddon, they have the experience to build a dynasty. The Cardinals and Pirates days of dominating the central are over.

However, anything can happen in Baseball. You could have written this article about the 2006 Mets, or even the 2003 Cubs, teams that fizzled and sent their franchises into years of mediocrity. The Cubs have all the marks of a special team, both in the 2015 Playoffs and for the future.