Anthony Rizzo expects the Cubs to win the division in 2015.
Anthony Rizzo expects the Cubs to win the division in 2015. (USATSI)

The Cubs have had a very busy and productive offseason, first adding manager Joe Maddon and then bringing in ace Jon Lester and catcher Miguel Montero. They also have the best collection of position player prospects in baseball and are clearly a team on the rise.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo doesn't think the club is just close to contending, however. He thinks they're ready to contend right now. Here's what he told reporters on Thursday:

Oh, don't worry Anthony, I'm sure more than a few people will be happy to quote you on that. Multiple times too. A quote like that will be thrown around every time the Cubbies lose two or three in a row.

Personally, I have a hard time seeing the Cubs as any better than the third best team in the division right now. The Cardinals are excellent and they replaced the disaster they had in right field last season with Jason Heyward. The Pirates brought A.J. Burnett back and have another wave of young players on the way. You could also argue the Brewers are better positioned to contend as well.

For the Cubs to contend in 2015, they're going to need about four of their highly touted position player prospects to click all at once, and that seems so very unlikely. MLB is hard. Elite prospects -- I'm talking top two or three in the game -- like Xander Bogaerts, Gregory Polanco and the late Oscar Taveras all struggled in their first taste of the show last year. Heck, you can include Cubs infielder Javier Baez in that mix.

Maybe Chicago will be the exception. Maybe Baez will learn some plate discipline, Kris Bryant won't need an adjustment period, and Jorge Soler will hit like he did in those 24 games last year over a full season. It could happen. I'm going to bet against it though. The transition from Triple-A to MLB is tougher right now than ever before because of all the information teams have. Those guys will need some time to find themselves in the show.

The Cubs are headed in the right direction and I think Lester was an excellent addition. He's not just a top notch pitcher, but he's also a great clubhouse guy and leader. Soon Chicago will be a powerhouse and a World Series contender. For now, I would consider 2015 a success if the Cubbies win more games than they lose for the first time since 2009.