Chicago Cubs

The 2015 Chicago Cubs are the first team since the 2011 Seattle Mariners to account for three of MLB's major end-of-season awards, per MLB Stat of the Day on Twitter.

Joe Maddon entered a den full of untested Cubbies. Now, after his first season at the helm, they're all grown up.

No, Chicago didn't bust its legendary World Series drought. But the Cubs engineered a significant turnaround, snapping a string of five consecutive losing seasons with a 97-win campaign and a return to the postseason.

After winning Manager of the Year two times with the Tampa Bay Rays, Joe Maddon brought his magic to the Chicago Cubs and was named 2015 National League Manager of the Year. 

MLB Network provided the news:

The shame of the 2015 National League Cy Young race is that only one pitcher can win it. Really, the award wouldn't be misplaced on any of the three finalists' mantelpieces. 

If there is an odds-on favorite for the award, though, it's probably Jake Arrieta.

Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs was announced as the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year on Monday as chosen by the Baseball Writers' Association of America:  

ESPN Stats & Info noted Bryant is the sixth Cubs player to win the award.

The Rookie of the Year is about performance, not potential.

When the Chicago Cubs hired Joe Maddon last winter, Theo Epstein called it a "unique opportunity" the team just couldn't pass up.

For the second consecutive offseason, the Chicago Cubs could land the hottest left-hander on the market.

Nothing is official until the ink's dry, obviously, but right now, fans on the North Side can allow themselves to dream of David Price in a Cubbies uniform.

The 2015 Cubs season was an appetizer of sorts. It didn’t necessarily represent accomplishment but rather possibilities for a young core that will remain in Chicago for several more years.

No one walks into any restaurant because of its tasty appetizers. But certainly they can excite you about what else the chef has to offer. If anything, they increase your appetite. They leave you wanting more.

Major League Baseball saw more than just the Chicago Cubs' season end on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. It also signaled the end of pitcher Dan Haren's career, who announced his retirement early Thursday morning. 

Here is how he told the baseball world: