Feldman

Looks like the Cubs search for genuine mediocrity has hit the jackpot once again.  The Cubs announced this morning they had signed Scott Feldman, formerly a kind of glorified swing man with the Texas Rangers, to a one-year deal, presumably to be their fifth starter.

Statistics guys (see Fangraphs) think he is a sleeper, but you've got to wonder.  Sure, some of his stats look good or comparable to Brandon McCarthy's, but come on, this guy gives up a lot of runs and his LOB percentage is next to last in baseball.

So, lets see, last year the Cubs started out with a rotation of Dempster, Samardzija, Maholm, Garza, Volstad, with Wood and Wells in reserve.  They were on a pace to lose around 90 games before the trade deadline.  After disposing of Dempster and Maholm and losing Garza to injury, they were able to hit the 100 loss plateau.

This year right now they go into the season with a rotation of Samardzija, Wood, Baker, Garza, and Feldman.  Do the math.  This is a 90 loss rotation and 100 assuming the Cubs trade Baker and Feldman at the break and maybe Garza as well.

Really, though, the problem with this team is not just pitching, it is hitting.  These guys do not get on base and they do not score runs and they strike out all the time.  Nothing so far in the off-season improves the offense.  The Cubs are set at catcher, first base, second base, and shortstop.  You can even argue for a little improvement as Rizzo enters his first full season and Castillo is a significant improvement over Soto.

But after that, this team has a weak bullpen, no bench and glaring holes at third base and center field.  Not to mention sub-par production in left and right field.  Some people think Soriano and DeJesus had productive seasons in 2012.  They did not and they are not championship players.  I have to eat a little crow on my assessment of Soriano as I expected him to be finished, but this guy is an out 70% of the time and a strikeout a quarter of the time.

So the truth is that next year right now looks as bleak as last year.  Sorry to have become a nay-sayer this soon, but if there is a master plan, I don't see it.