Cade Horton's Is the Cubs' Postseason X-Factor

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Starting pitcher is one of the most important positions in professional sports. Every five days, skippers like Craig Counsell trust the man toeing the rubber to harness the hopes, dreams, and tangible outcomes of a whole organization. Certainly, there's less pressure and responsibility baked in than there used to be (in the days when starters often pitched the whole game), but it's still the center ring in the daily circus. With the Cubs making a strong playoff push this September, the temperature is ratcheted up even higher. The success of hurlers like Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Matthew Boyd could determine whether the Cubs are a postseason "also-ran" or a serious disruptor, but they've needed something a bit more for what seems like forever. Enter 24-year-old righty Cade Horton, the most important starter in the Cubs' playoff rotation. 

Now on a pitch limit that is frustrating for Cubs fans and baseball fans alike, we are yet unaware of whether or not the squad's braintrust will really let Horton loose in pivotal postseason situations. But, we do know this: With a 9-4 record, a 2.74 ERA, a lethal arsenal of punchout pitches, and dripping with uncommon confidence for a rookie, the Oklahoma City native will be a reason why the North Siders stick around just a little bit longer in baseball's annual fall tournament. To paraphrase an old adage, one must know who they are and what has come before them to better lay out a path for the road that lies before them. Horton, a fellow who frequently speaks wisdom beyond his years, knows that history often provides the best lessons for current success. Modeling his game after the great Kerry Wood both in approach and facial hair, Horton wields maturity and good 'stuff' that hasn't even realized its full potential yet. 

Well, this certainly sounds good on paper, but why does any of this matter as it relates to the North Siders' postseason fortunes? Because he is one of the most coveted assets in baseball come this time of year: an unknown commodity. While here in Chicago we're quickly getting acquainted with Horton's brilliance, other clubs aren't that familiar yet. That's invaluable in playoff baseball. Every pitch matters on a heightened, amplified level where one gaffe can wildly throw the entire game off its axis. Which arguably makes Cade Horton's presence even more paramount in keeping their adversaries off balance. As his stock continues to rise, he's built a reputation on pounding the strike zone, and twirling his way through swift innings. And that's quickly making a serious playoff run seem more plausible.

Even anecdotally, think back to the last Cubs' great playoff run. That rotation was filled with postseason staple Jon Lester, reigning Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta, veteran stalwart John Lackey, and... soft-tossing Kyle Hendricks. Now, Hendricks wasn't quite the baby-faced assassin that Horton is (he literally won the National League ERA title during that 2016 regular season), but in a postseason rotation filled with big names with a history of living up to the biggest moments, it was Hendricks who twirled an all-time gem in Game 7 of the World Series. Like Hendricks, who served as Joe Maddon's No. 3 behind Arrieta and Lester, Horton will be tasked with backing up co-aces Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd this October.

Good teams have good players. But great teams have a "dude". What is a dude? A dude is someone other teams game plan for just a little bit more. Someone who gives you a better chance to win a baseball game. The Cubs know they have a better chance to win when Cade Horton pitches.

I'm not saying that Horton is the best pitcher in baseball. I'm not saying that, like his idol Kerry Wood, he's going to punchout 20 batters in a game. But, what I am saying is that he could do whatever the Cubs need from him on a given night. That's his potential, and that's what he's been doing recently. It's what makes him, and the team he plays for, dangerous.

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