Jesse Rogers breaks down what the Cubs need to do to improve their roster in the offseason. (2:48)

The first thing that stands out when you peruse our updated MLB Future Power Rankings, released this week, is who's No. 1. It's those lovable Chicago Cubs, and not only are they the top-ranked team, but it's a pretty wide margin to second place.

In fact, the difference between the Cubs and the No. 2 team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, was larger than that between the Dodgers and the ninth-place team (the New York Yankees). The Cubs are in a large market and have a strong fan base, a great farm system and arguably the best front office in baseball, making them a solid bet if you have to pick the best team in baseball over the next five years.

Count on Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo leading the Cubs to great heights in the years to come. AP Photo, Getty Images, Getty Images

I thought about looking ahead and laying out some projections to illustrate the Cubs' bright future, but in a case of extremely good fortune, future Dan Szymborski arrived in his DeLorean and gave me a copy of his column written on Nov. 4, 2020. While I was a little alarmed that future Dan appears to have lost more hair than girth, it's always nice to get a sneak peek into the future:

Pandemonium on the North Side

Written by Dan Szymborski

November 4, 2020

As we approach the end of 2020, it's a good time to reflect on the surprises we've seen this year. We now have self-driving cars, magical weight-loss beer, and perhaps most shockingly, a Chicago Cubs World Series championship.