Last year's season certainly ended on a sour note. The offseason saw our division get more competitive - even the Reds! One game in, here are five bold predictions for the wild crossfire that the Cubs enter into just to be on top of the NL Central.

1. The Cubs become the first team to have two perfect games on the same team in the same year. Even bolder? They will be thrown by Yu Darvish and Kyle Hendricks. The last perfect game was thrown on 8/15/2012 by King Felix. That season there were 3 perfect games - the most in a single year. The Cubs' starters, who might be deemed "old" by analysts, will shock the world by ending the perfect game drought and make us forget about last year.
2. Javy for MVP? No. KB for MVP? Close. This will be a year of reckoning for Rizzo who has received MVP votes for the past 5 seasons. He will be the Cubs main MVP contender this year. Moreover, he will end the year with an extension that will allow him to end his career with the Cubs (and gracefully transition to either a coaching or front office job when he retires). His 2019 Stat line: 102 R 35 HR 120 RBI .305BA while collecting over 100BB for the first time in his career. Most importantly, his career ERA will stay at a pristine 0.00.
3. Joe Maddon follows up "Dress Like Strop" day with "Dress Like Maddon" for a road trip against the Angels. This time, the diaspora Cubs fans catch on and join in the party. The broadcast highlights how the crowd is filled with people who don Cubbie blue, dyed their hair Maddon gray, and put on thick-framed glasses. Disney Pixar catch on and make graphics that retroactively put Maddon into the film "Up".
4. Not all news is good new as MiMo demands a trade in order to pursue being a starter. Sadly, MiMo is dealt along with Russell for international pool money and a low prospect. However, with the return of Brandon Morrow and resurgence of Tyler Chatwood in the pen, the Cubs are able to do this and give Adbert Alzolay his first look in the majors.
5. Lastly, in an ironic turn of events, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves in the NL Wildcard Game against the Braves. Even though their team isn't playing, the Cubs don't play in the game, they buy out half of Miller Park and become braves fans for a day.