The Chicago Cubs formally introduced new manager Joe Maddon on Monday. In doing so, team president Theo Epstein sent a message to Cubs fans and the rest of baseball: The Cubs intend to win, and they intend to win now.

Five consecutive losing seasons on the North Side have led to an embarrassment of riches in a Cubs minor league system that is poised to break through. Now, it appears that Epstein is ready to accelerate the process further by hiring Maddon.

At the conclusion of the 2014 season, Epstein said the Cubs’ goal in 2015 would be to win the NL Central. I believe they can do it, and even if they don’t, they’ll be in strong contention for a Wild Card spot.

The Cubs’ record in 2014 was 73-89, good for last place in the NL Central. Much of the losing occurred during a 13-27 start and a seven-game slide in July following the trade of ace Jeff Samardzija to the A’s. But no sport can be accurately broken down to its core quite like baseball. Thanks to advanced analytics, we can take a look at how the Cubs truly performed last season.

In an August 2014 article for Foxsports.com, Dave Cameron called attention to a FanGraphs formula called BaseRuns, which analyzes the performance of a given MLB team by removing randomness and “luck” from the equation. According to the BaseRuns formula, the Cubs’ expected record in 2014 was 79-83, meaning they essentially played like a .500 team last year despite being 17 games under .500. The Royals, who were two runs away from a World Series title, had a BaseRuns record of 81-81. The Cubs could very well be 2015’s version of the Royals (albeit built on power rather than defense) if they perform better with runners on base — the “luck” factor in the equation. 

The Cubs roster was in turmoil last season due to trades and injuries, and it didn’t truly take shape until their highly-touted prospects began to see major league action. Jorge Soler only played the final month of the season, but showed Rookie of the Year potential in right field and will be a major factor in 2015. Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez both showed flashes of promise and could be very nice pieces next year if they’re able to cut down on strikeouts. National Minor League Player of the Year Kris Bryant should be at Wrigley Field by May 2015, and figures to be an imposing presence in the middle of the Cubs lineup.

Maddon is known for developing young talent with the Rays and will look to build his roster of prospects around All-Stars Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo. With a solid bullpen and a nearly complete positional lineup already in place, the Cubs must add starting pitching in free agency in order to make a postseason run next year.

Maddon is unique in that he can improve the Cubs before he ever manages a game. In firing incumbent manager Rick Renteria and hiring Maddon, the Cubs immediately become a more attractive option for free agent pitching targets like Max Scherzer and Jon Lester. I believe they’ll land at least one major free agent pitcher to add to their rotation. With Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks already in the mix, they would have a staff that should compete in the ultra-competitive NL Central.

The secret’s out in baseball. The Cubs are coming, and they’re on track for a Cardinal-esque run in the next decade.

In my eyes, the Cubs were poised for a Wild Card run with Renteria at the helm. Maddon makes their postseason prospects in 2015 even brighter.

Alex is a junior in AHS. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aroux94.