Baseball

There might not be another celebration quite like what we are expecting out of the Chicago Cubs and their fans after 108 years of waiting.

The Cubs won their first World Series title since 1908 Wednesday night. Two days later, they will take part in a parade that will likely only be a continuation of a full week of parties.

Longtime fan Bill Murray is certainly looking forward to it, per MLB Network:

The day Mike Hargrove was traded to the Cleveland Indians, the team was 8.5 games out of first place and the drought was 31 years old. It was 1979, and while no one thought of the Indians as winners, there were many other cities and organizations that had waited much longer since last winning a World Series.

The offseason has arrived. For the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, that means taking a moment to reflect on an epic seven-game World Series. For the Cubs in particular, it means getting used to the moniker "world champion" for the first time in 108 years.

For 28 other teams, it's time to get to work.

If MLB locked 1,000 screenwriters with 1,000 typewriters in a room for 1,000 days, they couldn't have conjured a better storyline for the 2016 World Series.

The game's two longest suffering franchises. A galaxy of young stars on both sides. Montages of weathered knuckles and weary eyes and vintage Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians gear wistfully narrated by Bryan Cranston. 

The Detroit Tigers have picked up their $6 million contract option on pitcher Francisco Rodriguez, the team announced Thursday.

The Seattle Mariners announced they picked up outfielder Seth Smith's $7 million club option for 2017 on Thursday.

The Texas Rangers have officially picked u p the $5.25 million contract option for Jonathan Lucroy, according to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball. 

Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegraph confirmed the report. 

For the first time in 108 years, the city of Chicago will be able to bask in the glow of a World Series celebration with the Cubs when the team holds its victory parade on Friday.

Shortstop Alcides Escobar reportedly will return to the Kansas City Royals for a seventh season as the team is reportedly set to pick up his 2017 team option.  

Wade Davis has been one of the better closers in baseball over the past two seasons, and the Kansas City Royals are expected to make a prudent move to keep the 31-year-old in tow Thursday by picking up his $10 million club option for 2017.