CHICAGO -- Renovation work has continued at Wrigley Field since the season ended. What about the Cubs themselves? With the World Series wrapped up following a Royals' victory over the Mets on Sunday, it's time for the Hot Stove season to take center stage.
Winning 97 games, then posting emotional victories over the Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game and the Cardinals in the NL Division Series helped the Cubs feel good about the 2015 season. But getting swept by the Mets in the NL Championship Series stung, and it's up to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer to figure out how the Cubs can take that next big step.