Former Cub Glanville Profiles Cubs-Mets Playoff
Former Chicago Cub Doug Glanville scores in the eighth inning on a Tom Goodwin sacrifice fly to tie the game 3-3 in game two of the National League Division Series at Turner Field in Atlanta Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003 . John Bazemore/AP
The Chicago Cubs have reached the National League Champion Series for the first time in a dozen years. That 2003 team, which fell short in reaching the World Series included utility outfielder Doug Glanville, who also started his career with the Cubs.
He’s better known today as an analyst for ESPN, and a columnist for the New York Times and Newsweek.
Glanville, who also played for the Philedelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers, said he sees a 'new life' in the 2015 Cubs, who begin their best of seven series against the Mets Saturday night at New York's Citi Field.
"It's a different look, and (manager) Joe Maddon is such a key part of that expression, this idea that you can start over, you can be fearless, you can chart your own course," he said. "I feel like that tone creates a feeling that it can be different."
Glanville, who also wrote the book 'The Game From Where I Stand', noted the shift in Major League Baseball, given the age of many of today's star players, including many of those involved in the NLCS, like the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, and Starlin Castro. The Mets' pitching staff includes Jacob DeGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Matt Harvey.
"You have young arms vs. young position players that have played in critical parts in their team's success this year, and now they're going to battle it out,' he said. "It's a really good storyline."