Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha grew up a Cub fan, embraces ‘the Cardinal Way’

The Cubs, and the rest of the league, are going to have to deal with these ass-kickers for the foreseeable future. In the Cubs’ case, all those talented position players will have to grow up in the game trying to topple a Cardinals staff led by Wacha, who was reared in Texarkana, Texas, but was born in Iowa City – Cubs country – and, thus, was a fan of the Baby Bears. We were Cubs fans growing up, he says. We were raised Cubs fans: me and my brothers and sisters. We were all Cubs fans growing up down in Texas. Once I got drafted, everyone in my family seemed to change pretty quick. Now, all Wacha – a 6-foot-6 Wainwright lookalike who made his bones with four straight victories and an NLCS MVP award in the 2013 playoffs – wants to do is crush the Cubs, fellow NL Central competitors the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of baseball. He has the heater and changeup to do it, not to mention the curveball and cutter that have been added with Wainwright’s tutelage.