KNOW YOUR PLACE

Identifying proximity to contention key to building winner

THE CUBS and Indians gave us an all-time World Series last fall, and maybe they provided a couple of lessons for other aspiring champions, as well.

The pair of historically plagued franchises fought to extra innings of Game 7 (I won’t give away the ending if you haven’t seen it yet), and what qualities did they share? Two stand out in the context of attempting to assess this offseason’s winners and losers: A. Self-awareness B. Roster depth

The Cubs tore down and rebuilt methodically upon Theo Epstein’s arrival in the fall of 2011, suffering for three years and then ramping up to the point where they committed $184 million over eight years to Jason Heyward after the 2015 season. Then they covered for Heyward’s 2016 ineptitude with reacquired role player Chris Coghlan, international signing Jorge Soler and $ 56 million free agent Ben Zobrist.

The Indians bounced between full contention and life on the bubble since Terry Francona’s 2013 arrival. Yet faith in their 2016 pitching staff led to a small-market shopping spree — with Marlon Byrd, Rajai Davis, Mike Napoli and Juan Uribe all signed to oneyear contracts. After Byrd failed a drug test and Uribe ran out of gas, the Indians traded for Tampa Bay’s Brandon Guyer and put the versatile Jose Ramirez at third base more often.

Which teams followed the Fall Classic by similarly understanding their place in the team-building cycle and creating margins for error? Which didn’t? With 26 of The Post’s Top 30 free agents signed — only Joe Blanton, Jason Hammel, Mike Napoli and Matt Wieters remain unemployed — here are your winners and losers.