by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

AP photo: Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreas jumps into the arms of reliever Aroldis Chapman celebrating the NLCS game six victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers as 71 years of waiting comes to end to win the National League pennant for the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday night

This 2016 World Series marks the first time in history that the Chicago Cubs face the Cleveland Indians in the Fall Classic. The Chicago Cubs opened the 2016 regular season back in April against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, it was a brief interleague series of 2 games, which I broadcast, and the Cubs won both games right out of Spring Training into Anaheim. I remember telling my broadcast partner and color commentator Jose Mota, that even though it was only two games, this Cubs team was as good as advertised. Right out of Spring Training, before the first pitch of the 2016 season was thrown, I wrote here that the Chicago Cubs were the 4 to 1 favorites by Las Vegas betting lords to with this 2016 World Series. Vegas might be right!

Giants fans cried this year because they bought-in to the idea of winning a World Series every two years since 2010-12-14. Athletics fans have been crying since they lost the 1990 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. But no fans have suffered more, for generation after generation after generation, in baseball than the Chicago Cubs, and they will face a team that usually doesn’t win much, the Cleveland Indians, although in Cleveland, who all of a sudden has become the center of the sports universe, after the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA title just a few months ago, they also feel this is the Indians year. Coincidentally this next Tuesday, the same day the Indians open the World Series at home, also in Cleveland,the Cleveland Cavaliers will receive their NBA Championship ring for their victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Chicago has suffered in many ways,much more than in baseball, crime in the city is the highest among all large US cities, problems that usually land Chicago in the front pages of negative news, but when the Cubs win and that W flag is raised behind center-field at Wrigley Field, It is all good!

This World Series begins at Progressive Field in Cleveland, on Tuesday October 25, the first two games will take place there, then they travel to Wrigley Field, Chicago for games 3,4 and 5 if necessary, and if games 6 and 7 (if necessary) back to Cleveland. So if it goes seven, the home field advantage is for Cleveland, although in baseball home field advantage is not that important, these days it is more psychological than anything else, since the fans seem to be standing up rooting every pitch every swing since the first inning. They open in Cleveland because the American League won the All Star Game.

Cleveland last World Series was in 1995 when they lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games, and last time the Indians won a Fall Classic was in 1948, when they beat the Braves(when they were the Boston Braves)in six games.

For the Chicago Cubs the wait has been much much longer than anybody else. The Cubs last World Series was 71 years ago, in 1945, when they lost in seven games to the Detroit Tigers, that year no players where inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. World War II ended on August 15, 1945, when Japan surrendered.

And the Cubs last World Series win was in 1908, when they beat the Detroit Tigers in five games. That same year Henry Ford develops the first Model T automobile, which sold for $850.

How do I see this World Series? I  have to pick the Chicago Cubs, seldom the best team(record wise) during a regular season wins a World Series, but this year it might be the exception, there is no weaknesses on this roster, managed by one of the best baseball minds, on and off the field in the biz, Mr Joe Maddon. They have the best rotation in baseball, main reason they finished the regular season 103-59, a closer that can throw between 100-104 mph Aroldis Chapman. They killed the NL West, beating the Giants in the NLDS and the Dodgers in the NLCS. They are as talented young team as anybody else, they can hit for power and average, and the play excellent defense.

The Cleveland Indians have a good rotation and especially if Danny Salazar (who has been hurt) can comeback and be part of that starting staff with Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer,Josh Tomlin, young Ryan Merritt and the most dominant reliever so far this postseason in Andrew Miller (MVP of the ALCS). A good manager like Terry Francona and a team that stole more bases than anybody in the American League. They are not shy when they get on, they should drive Jon Lester crazy when he pitches. The Indians are mostly a young team, with guys like Jose Ramirez (in Cleveland they say he was their MVP during the regular season), Jason Kipnis and underrated catcher Roberto Perez, plus the veteran leadership of Mike Napoli, Coco Crisp, and one of the best players in baseball is young shortstop Francisco Lindor. This Indians can hit the ball out of the park and they can steal a game or two with their speed on the bases.

I think it will go six games, maybe seven but(even though I am an American League guy)I would be crazy not to pick the Chicago Cubs. Plus I like animals and the City of Chicago has the Cubs, the Bears and the Bulls, in the three main professional leagues.

Should be a good one.

Fox Sports will carry the World Series again.