I agree about the decline of Starlin Castro but also would add that Junior Lake was a nice surprise for the Cubs. I don't think he was on anybody's radar...
Cubs fan because everyone is my town where I grew up (outside of Chicago) were either a Cubs fan or Sox fan. My mother, who came from Japan, became a huge Cubs fan back when Jack Brickhouse (Hey! Hey!) was the announcer. We'd watch the afternoon games together after school. Mom wouldn't watch...