Outfield

I cannot figure out why the Cubs would want to sign Shane Victorino even though it is only a minor league deal.  Some say the deal was in place before the unexpected Fowler signing.  But Victorino?  I mean he has been washed up for two years and has worse numbers lately than Matt Szczur.

A Bit of a Shocker

I had supposed there would be few surprises in spring training, but the Cubs announced today that they had re-signed Dexter Fowler to a one-year deal with a mutual option for a second year.  The money with the team buyout thrown in, is actually a little shy of the money Fowler turned down when he opted for free agency instead of accepting the team's qualifying offer. This decision turned out to be a big mistake for him in the short run.  Who knew, as everyone had assumed he had agreed to a three-year deal with Baltimore?

As an aside, the Cubs traded off the presumed fourth outfielder Chris Coghlan to Oakland for a young right-handed pitcher named Brooks who was fairly dominant in AAA in 2014, but has thus far showed next to nothing in the big leagues.  My guess is that Brooks has no chance to make the ML roster and was acquired simply for depth at AAA.

Most people are thinking that Fowler will resume his regular spot in center field, but, especially knowing Maddon's tendencies, I kind of see him more as the fourth outfielder in what becomes essentially a four outfielder rotation.  This is more likely the case as the Fowler deal looks like a temporary solution for the Cubs, basically a one year trial.  The report is that the Baltimore deal fell apart because Fowler wanted an opt-out after 2016 that the Orioles did not want to provide.  The free agent market will likely be kinder to Fowler in 2017 and he will not have to contend with the burden of the qualifying offer which is bad news for players who are a cut below star status.

This arrangement probably means that Heyward will play almost every day in center or right field with the remaining group - Fowler, Schwarber, and Soler - sharing the remaining load.  It is not a bad idea on the face of it.  Heyward can ease into center field and Soler can continue his development.  I have to think this is the thinking here as the Cubs would likely have offered bigger money and a longer deal if either party thought on a more permanent, longer-term basis.

Spring Training Begins

Wow, it's been a long time since baseball ended, and quite a while since my last post.

Looking back at the off-season, one has to think it has been productive for the Cubs.  With the departure of Dexter Fowler through free agency, they had to get a center fielder, which they seem to have solidified with the acquisition of Jason Heyward.  I think they may have over-payed, especially with all the opt-outs and whatnot, but he is a solid player.  Also, after the Castro trade, which I also think was necessary, picking up Zobrist was a smart move.  Granted he is getting a little older, but the Cubs have so many talented middle infielders coming through the minor league system that buying some time at second base is not a bad idea.

The Cubs needed to add a starting pitcher, which they did with John Lackey.  Again, Lackey is definitely no youngster, but it seems the Cubs are content to add someone to the mix on a shorter term than the aces who were available long term at much greater cost.

I read recently that Hammel has been trying to remade himself, which is a good idea because he was pretty awful in the second half, which seems to be the norm with him most seasons.  Personally, I think he is going to be on a short leash with the Cubs and that he might really be expendable at the deadline should Hendricks progress and Adam Warren demonstrate that he can handle a fifth starter role or better.

The Cubs look as if, barring injury, they have a really solid roster.  About the only competition I would see, outside the bullpen, is for the reserve and bench roles, and here they have some solid options in house.  Assuming they carry twelve pitchers and two catchers, that leaves four slots, three if they carry an extra reliever.  Baez and Coghlan look like locks for two of the slots, and LaStella looks pretty strong as an additional reserve infielder, so that means the real competition is for a right-handed hitting outfielder.  Szczur possibly has the upper hand because of his defensive skills.  I could see the Cubs making a run at Austin Jackson if the price is right, but the last time I looked people were projecting him to sign at around $10MM, which is a lot to pay for a guy who is not going to get consistent playing time and is coming off a couple of disappointing seasons.

Should be interesting, but certainly not as exciting as last spring training, which is to be expected when you are coming off a 97 win season.