Left Behind?

So far not much action from the Cubs this winter, much to the consternation of many fans who expected big moves toward Harper or Machado or both.  I've got to say that I am not of that number for reasons already explained in earlier posts.

I'm pretty certain the Cubs thinking goes along these lines, viz., we were good enough to win 95 games last year despite injuries to Darvish, Chatwood's complete meltdown, Morrow's and Bryant's injuries, Contreras's second half slump and Russell's suspension.  Just assuming Bryant is back, Contreras gets some regular time off and Darvish is able to join the rotation, the team is in pretty good shape.  Two out of three of these things happening wins five more games for sure.

Balanced against this is the fact the Cardinals and Reds have made big moves in the off-season.  Probably not enough for the Reds to make a run, but the Cards are going to be serious contenders.  Oddly enough, the Brewers have not made much of a splash.  Personally, I always thought the Brewers were not as good a team as they proved last season and that they will likely regress.

Epstein and Hoyer have said they need to shed salary in order to make a big play.  I take them at their word.  The question is who gets shed to break some logjams.  They have fourteen pitchers on the 40-man roster who are virtual locks to make the team including Morrow who will open the season on the DL.  It doesn't include any prospects.  It does include at least three pieces of deadwood, viz., Chatwood, Duensing, and Kintzler.  My guess is they will retain Chatwood largely because nobody wants him and they need to rebuild some of his value.  Also, he gives them some insurance against injury to any of the starters and he might come back.  So Duensing and Kintzler are sure to be marketed.  I would expect for low-level minor leaguers.  Still, that doesn't save you much.

Most of the rest of the roster is set in stone right now with the exception of Russell who is suspended and not counted on the 40-man tally.  The Cubs might decide to move players like Schwarber or Almora or Happ or Bote, but the real question is what they need and what they get in return that is better than their current holdings.  I expect the answer to that is negative.  Plus it doesn't save much money.

The one guy who would save substantial cash is Heyward.  Heyward is ultimately completely expendable despite his relative youth and defensive prowess.  The problem is his contract, which, aside from overpaying him, is full of loopholes and opt-outs so that any team taking him on is likely to be saddled with him for a long time if he flops or lose him almost immediately if he succeeds.  The Cubs would need to subsidize any deal or take a similarly bad contract or virtually nothing in return.

Personally, I think the Cubs need a dominant left-handed reliever more than a Harper or Machado who will burden them with a ten year commitment that will entirely skew their salary structure and limit their flexibility for a long time to come.  I was disappointed they were unable to reel in Miller, though, in the long run, he might be a big risk especially in a three-year deal.  I'd like to see them make a run at Britton.

Not Much Activity

I still hold to the opinion the Cubs are going to stand pat through this off-season without any blockbuster moves.

So far, the team has not made a major roster move.  They tendered pretty much everyone who was expected to be retained.  One surprise was trading LaStella, but, again, LaStella was basically a pinch-hitter who occasionally played second or third base.

The Cubs did tender Addison Russell.  It now appears they are more or less committed to his rehabilitation.  This is pretty much confirmed by the various manipulations in picking up Torreyes, dumping him, then picking up Descalso.  They are obviously looking for a utility infielder who can back up at shortstop until Russell comes off suspension.  I suppose Descalso is as good an option as any.  One guy I thought they might go after is Marwin Gonzalez, who is a kind of poor man's Ben Zobrist and has a history as a Cubs farmhand.  I expect there it would involve too much of a commitment or too much money.

The last piece to fall is likely to be the acquisition of a solid left-handed reliever.  I thought that might be Andrew Miller.  Maybe it still is him.

All through the off-season, there have been rumblings about payroll and having to dump salary in order to make a big move or even a series of smaller moves that increase payroll.  My own suspicion is the salary dump is Heyward and they just cannot get takers.  Think about it.  The Cubs have got virtually nothing in the way of consistent production from Heyward other than his defense and they are paying him big bucks.  I'd sure like to see him traded.  It opens up a lot of possibilities.

Post Season Developments

The Cubs more or less did the expected with their free agents.  Notably, they exercised their options on Strop and Hamels.  They declined their option on Kintzler, though, by some sort of odd contract arrangement, he got to stay on anyway by exercising his player option at half-price.  I rather think the Cubs will decide to eat a sizable portion of that money just to get rid of him in a trade.

In the Hamels deal, they decided to unload Smyly to the Rangers.  In a way, this was a clever trick on the Cubs part, as they managed to recover most of the cash they would have obtained from the Rangers had they bought out Hamels contract.  Smyly was never going to fit into an already crowded rotation had the Cubs held on.  He will help Texas if he is fully recovered.

Among other developments, it is reported the Cubs are not inclined to extend Joe Maddon in the off-season, though they have not closed the door on a renewal at the close of the 2019 season.  You wonder whether Epstein's comments about evaluating performance as opposed to promise applied as well to Maddon.  Maddon has been quite successful in his stint with the Cubs, losing twice in the NLCS and winning a championship.  2018, though, was a letdown, however, of major proportions.  Personally, I am OK with Maddon, though his in-game management and bullpen decisions have cost the team wins and his relentless self-promotion is wearing a bit thin.

Another sphinx-like Epstein statement is also taking shape with respect to Addison Russell as it now appears they are having second thoughts about just dumping the guy if they ever had first thoughts on the matter.  The Cubs, and most major league franchises, have never had a lot of qualms about employing bad actors and off the field jerks in general.  With respect to the Cubs in the Epstein era, witness Chapman and Murphy, as well as their hushing up whatever bad things Castro was up to while with the team,

I've always liked Russell as a player, though it seems he has turned out to be a jerk off the field.  Look for the Cubs to offer him a contract laden with rehabilitation incentives and promises on his part to reform.

Free Agents and Options

The Cubs should be pretty busy this week evaluating their current free agents and players with options.  They have until Friday to make decisions.  Most of them are rather obvious.

As to the team options, those eligible are Hamels, Strop, and Kintzler.  The Cubs should jump at getting Hamels even though he will cost $20MM.  Similarly, Strop is an obvious choice as well even at $6.5MM.  Kintzler was a total bust and a rather obvious thumbs down at $10MM.

Free agents might be a little trickier, but I guess fairly predictable as well.  The pitchers are Chavez, De La Rosa, Wilson, and Garcia.  Look for the Cubs to try to retain Chavez for sure and probably De La Rosa.  Look for them to pass on Wilson and more than likely Garcia.

Position players are Murphy and Bobby Wilson, a journeyman catcher who cannot hit at all and actually never got into a game for the Cubs.  Wilson is likely gone.

There have been rumblings about the Cubs taking a shot at keeping Murphy.  I kind of doubt it and I also think it is a bad move.  The Cubs expected Murphy to be a game-changer offensively when they picked him up in the midst of a general batting slump. However, after a brief stretch of success when he first arrived, he did not provide the kind of kick-start they needed.  He achieved a 0.2 WAR and pretty ordinary stats down the stretch.  Moreover, he was and is a defensive liability.

There's a lot of uncertainty about Russell's future with the team and whether the Cubs are willing to invest in some sort of rehabilitation project, but there are plenty of infield options on the current roster to carry the team through Russell's suspension period and beyond if necessary, viz., Zobrist, Bote, and LaStella.  I rather believe that Murphy's future is as a DH or maybe a stopgap first baseman someplace.

Much as the sportswriters want to whip up enthusiasm on the Machado front, I cannot see the Cubs showing other than a perfunctory interest. If the Cubs go for anyone as a priority in free agency, it will be an impact left-handed reliever.

Congratulations to the Red Sox, far and away the best team in 2018 and worthy champions.

Cubs Speculation

Now the Cubs season has ended, mad speculation begins on what the team will do in the off-season to improve.  Bear in mind, the Cubs, woeful as their second half turned out, especially in September, won 95 games.  Mediocre as their performance was in the second half, they were still 40-30 after the break.

Most of the sportswriters seem to think the Cubs ought to go after big time free agents like Harper and Machado.  I'm not so sure.  For one thing, Machado is not a very good shortstop.  Given the Cubs have two of the best shortstops in the league, it would seem counter-intuitive to switch these guys around or trade them.  Machado is a much better third baseman.  The problem there is that Bryant is a regular at third base.  This would necessitate a move to the outfield for Bryant.  So I just don't see Machado as so much of an impact player as others do.  Witness his performance so far in the playoffs.  OK, sure, but not dramatic unless you count his attempts to maim opposition players.

Harper may be a different story.  Harper is a pretty ordinary outfielder, but a major slugger and a left-handed hitter to boot.  I could see the Cubs making a run there, but I can also see them falling short.  First off, the Nationals will take a big shot at keeping him.  Secondly, granted he is an impact hitter, the kind of contract he is likely to command makes it all the more difficult to retain a number of the Cubs young stars who will demand big contracts to stay on over the next few years.

The other big talk is about the Cubs pitching, which, I think, is really overblown.  The Cubs would have had the best or close to the best starting four through the playoffs.  Assuming they retain Hamels, which, given his performance through the second half, is a near certainty, they will return with this same starting four.  They also have the prospect of a healthy Darvish, a rebuilt Smyly, and Montgomery and Chatwood in the wings.

The bullpen may get some shoring up in the off-season.  They are likely to lose several relievers to free agency, or are at risk of doing so.  Wilson is gone for sure.  Chavez, de la Rosa, and Garcia are free agents.  They ought to sign Chavez.  Kintzler has some sort of complicated option thing going, but the Cubs need to dump him for good.

I rather see the Cubs making a play for a dominant left-hander like Miller or Britton in free agency. This would take a lot of pressure off Morrow and Strop. 

As far as the bullpen holding up, fans ought to come to terms with the idea that so long as Maddon insists on removing his starters in the fifth or sixth inning instead of letting them pitch out of trouble, the bullpen will inevitably break down late in the season no matter who is out there.

NLCS

I was happy to see the Brewers eliminated by the Dodgers.  I confess to a particular disdain for the Milwaukee club, but, honestly, I don't see how they were able to win 96 games with that roster.  I mean, besides Cain and Yelich and Aquilar, they have a bunch of aging veterans, most of whom they picked up at the trade deadline and several platoon players.  Worst of all, they have no starting pitchers worth the name.  In the entire series, a seven game series, their starters pitched something like 20 innings.

Of course, they have a great bullpen, and I suppose you have to credit Counsel full marks for getting as far as he did with this team.  However, Counsel did come a cropper in the NLCS, doing his best to channel his inner Joe Maddon on steroids in the process.  You can only go so far when you routinely go to the bullpen in the third or fourth inning.  Sooner or later, they are going to run out of gas.

I expect Boston to make short work of LA in the World Series.  I really thought the ALCS would go longer, as Houston is a quality team, but the fact that the Red Sox eliminated them in five games, three on the road, speaks volumes about their approach and talent.

Playoffs

Geez.  Watching the Dodgers is like watching the Cubs.  Thirty strikeouts in two games.  Two runs in 22 innings.  At least they won.  I've been rooting for them to beat the Brewers anyway, mostly because I cannot stand the Brewers and also because one can never root for a red state team in the playoffs.

For those fans who yearn for the Cubs to pursue Machado in free agency, it may pay to watch him closely during the post-season.  Machado is a good hitter to be sure.  So far he reminds me a lot of Baez, which, of course is good and bad.  The real deal is that he seems to be a head case.  He has so far tried to maim Brewers middle infielders on two occasions as well as going out of his way to kick the Brewers first baseman in he ankle on a close play at first base.  Also, on the winning hit moments ago, it looked like he paused for a bit before running hard to home plate.  He made it, but you have to wonder.  Two outs, solid hit, you're on second base.  You run like crazy, don't you?

As to the AL series, I like the Red Sox. both because of the red state/blue state formula, but also because I rather think they are the best team right now.  The Astros are good, though.  Either one is likely to be the champion.

Chili Davis Out

One cannot blame the Cubs for dismissing Davis based on the team's performance.  They really had only a few streaks where they were clicking on all cylinders.  Maybe not his fault, but it was pretty brutal watching the team play, especially in September.  Bryant's injury and missing Russell and Heyward and Zobrist for longish stretches undoubtedly had a lot to do with it, but still, they were a mess.

The Chicago Tribune gives a list of potential replacements.  I'd prefer Magadan myself.

A Disappointing End

Actually, disgusting is a better description.  The final two games were pretty depressing.  Once again, no offense.  The pitching was terrific over 13 innings; the hitting non-existent.

I cannot carp too much about Maddon's game management in this one.  One might question leaving Hendricks in when he got in trouble with two outs in the 13th, but you have to figure he can retire a .170 hitter.  Similarly, removing Lester for a pinch hitter to begin the 7th was a questionable move.

I did not have the same opinion, however, on his use of the bench.  Batting Heyward with the bases loaded was, although defensible, an awkward move.  Pinch running for Rizzo with Gore was also defensible.  It's hard to take out your best player, but it was obvious that Maddon had no confidence in scoring that run unless he did something unusual.  In the end, they tied the score.  What puzzled me, though was leaving Gore in the game.  I mean, Caratini was available to play first base.

Gore batted twice in the ensuing innings.  It is plain that Gore is not a real baseball player, just a pinch runner.  He seemed to be thinking about bunting both times, but he clearly cannot bunt.  A guy with that kind of speed ought to learn how to bunt.  The last at-bat in the 13th was a joke.  Couldn't he at least have pretended to be grazed by that inside pitch instead of just standing around looking bewildered before running down to first base?

Maddon does a lot of magical thinking in his game management.  This was a really bizarre move and I am kind of surprised there has not been more criticism.

More tomorrow about personnel and the future.

Tense Loss

Some observations on the tiebreaker loss.

The Cubs are just so inconsistent on offense.  On Monday, they were in full swing mode.  Granted Chacin was throwing strikes, but there are other ways to raise the pitch count, like spoiling pitches and fouling balls off.  When the Cubs are in swing mode they never score unless they hit a home run.  Should they survive the Wild Card Game vs. Colorado, they are not going to advance unless they straighten out their heads.

I probably would not have removed Quintana with such a low pitch count even though there were some hard hits.  Pitching to Yelich with a runner at third was dumb and cost them a run. Removing Quintana unnecesssriky worked out well because Chavez was able to go two scoreless innings, but, still, Maddon has a tendency to pull his pitchers too early and given the almost complete meltdown of the relief corps since the Strop injury, this is a luxury he cannot afford.

Maddon was out-managed throughout the game by Counsel.  Granted the Brewers have a superior bullpen, using the combination of Wilson and Cishek in the eighth inning was a big blunder.  These two, along with Edwards and Kintzler, have been largely ineffective all through September.  They ought to be better, but they are not.  If you wanted a lefty to start that inning, the better options were Rosario or De La Rosa or Garcia.  Why you would want a lefty in that spot is a bit of a puzzle.  Presumably to keep Shaw on the bench.

Bottom line, the Cubs hitting approach is just completely messed up right now, but Maddon has to stop the micro-managing or at least do a better job of it.  I like their chances against the Rockies tonight.  Lester is a big game pitcher.  Freeland is pitching on short rest.  Should they survive, they have every chance to beat the Brewers who are bound to cool off sometime.  The Cubs have superior starting pitchers, though that is balanced out by the Brewers bullpen strength.  Position for position the Cubs are a superior team with the exception of Cain and Yelich.  Of course, they have not played like that for a month.

Tied

The picture is of the last out of an agonizing game that has become more the norm than the exception for Cubs baseball this year.  Anyway, they won on a really damp, chilly. and uncomfortable afternoon.

Not the last out of the regular season, though, as they must face the Brewers Monday afternoon to determine who is the division winner and who must play in the Wild Card game.  Colorado and Los Angeles must play a similar tiebreaker later in the afternoon.  I feel pretty good about the Cubs chances. Quintana will get the start for the Cubs against probably Chacin for the Brewers.  I saw a game earlier this month with the same matchup.  Quintana for some reason dominates the Brewers, as he did that night.

Go Cubs!

Brain Cramps

I have to say that Joe Maddon has done a remarkable job keeping his team on track despite notable injuries to a number of key players in the course of the season.  Over the year, he has lost two of his starters, Darvish and Chatwood, the one to injury, the other to incompetence.  He has also lost his closer Morrow for most of the season.  Plus significant DL stints for Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, Russell, and Heyward.

That having been said, his performance as a game manager leaves a lot to be desired.  I recollect Theo Epstein having said they never really considered game management skills in selecting the manager.  In this respect, he was being unusually frank.

Not since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series have I seen a worse managed game and there were some honest excuses for that performance.  The worst of all decisions was allowing Pedro Strop to hit with the bases loaded and one out in a one run game.  I know he wanted to keep Strop in the game to pitch the bottom of the 10th.  But Strop has never pitched three innings in his life.  So with this decision, you might have told Strop to just stand there and take a strikeout.  After all, Rizzo was on deck.  Or you might have had him bunt.  Worst case scenario, Strop hits into a double play.  Even worse, he gets hurt.  Bingo.  Incidentally, the guy who is warming up who is obviously such a risk that his appearance is worth all this drama, Rosario, breezes through bottom of the inning to gain the save.

That was the most egregious blunder, but not the only one.  Top of the fifth, Mongomery is breezing along with a 2-1 lead.  He gives up a single.  Captain Hook emerges from the dugout, takes him out after 62 pitches, and promptly watches the lead disappear.  Six more relievers follow, all but Edwards holding the Nationals in check.

Next questionable decision: hitting Contreras for Caratini with the bases loaded.  Caratini is the hottest hitter in the lineup over the past week next to Bryant.  Contreras strikes out.

Next odd decision: Zobrist bats for Bote with the bases loaded, an odd choice in itself, strikes out.  Zobrist does not remain in the game.  He is replaced by Gore, who, I think, has one hit in his whole career.  Sure enough, Gore comes up later in the top of the ninth with a man on base, bunts into a double play.  You would think that a guy whose only asset is speed would have figured out how to bunt, wouldn't you? Perhaps that explains why he has only one hit.

Anyway, they survived what I thought was an absolute must win game.  Back to Chicago now to face the Reds.

Terrific Game

The Cubs moved back to a two game lead with a 3-0 win over the Brewers Tuesday night.  It was a tense and exciting game despite the low offensive production of both teams.  Just as Monday's game was decided by a mistake, this one was as well.  Monday it was a wild pitch and failure to cover home by Edwards.  Tuesday it was Chacin's wild throw attempting to pick Baez off second base.  Baez continues to influence the game and force errors.  Not to be forgotten is Quintana's masterful performance.  Nor should Caratini's two grinding at-bats, both of which resulted in key RBI hits.  Caratini continues to impress as a player who definitely belongs in the majors.

I was at the game Tuesday.  I sat in the nosebleed section of the upper deck.  Hadn't sat there in a while.  It does give one a pretty panoramic view of the defenses.  I thought the Brewers seemed to deploy an exaggerated shift against the Cubs left-handed batters where the second baseman played fully sixty feet behind the infield dirt, or so it seemed from my vantage point.  At first I thought it was just for Murphy, but it seemed they used the same deployment for virtually every left-handed Cubs hitter.  The defense took away two or three hits from the Cubs.  I rather think that setup has been working against the Cubs both here and in Milwaukee because the Cubs are in a stretch where they are not using the entire field.

Bottom line what I am getting at is the Brewers have contained the Cubs defensively at times more from their scouting and positioning rather than their being any good in the field.  That's the way Tuesday's game played out anyway.  In addition to the Chacin throw, Shoop continued to bollix up pretty easy chances.  The Cubs, on the other hand, are a superior defensive team.  Witness the two astonishing plays Russell made in the ninth to help preserve the win.

Daniel Murphy

A bit of a shock getting Murphy, but in a way one can see the logic. Murphy can certainly hit although his fielding and range are questionable. After the Pirates series especially, this offense, unaccountably, has serious issues. I mean, four runs, all home runs, 33 left on base.

Obviously, they miss Bryant. Perhaps this indicates Bryant is not returning to the lineup until mid-September. My guess is that Russell goes to the DL to make room. He is obviously hurting.

In many ways this is a curious addition in that it provides the club with a sixth capable second baseman to go along with Baez, Zobrist, Happ, Bote, and LaStella. Murphy is best suited on the Cubs to the DH role, which makes it all the more curious in that the team has only four more DH opportunities left, the upcomong Detroit series and the road half of the White Sox series in late September. The World Series, should they make it, would be the big payoff for this acquisition.

On the putching front, the news on Darvish was disappointing. I’m not sure losing Darvish is that much of a disaster. Montgomery, who has taken most of his starts since May, has arguably been their best starter until they picked up Hamels. If Montgomery can return to the rotation Saturday, this setback is not that significant for the team even short term.

Solid Game

Glad to see Rizzo drop down to cleanup. Big difference. Hitting fourth again tonight. Cubs were around break even throughout this experiment. As we pointed out before, no matter how often he is on base, it is meaningless if no one drives him in. Also shift was killing him.

Hendricks is rounding back to form. The Cubs need to get Lester going again. I wonder if they should skip a turn. His peripherals have been tending down now for a while.

Quick Hits

Just some thoughts about the team, not all of them good.

For a team that has the best record in the NL, they sure make heavy weather of things.   Back in 2016, the trademark was getting out to an early lead and coasting home. Nowadays the Cubs start out 3 runs down and have to come back nearly every day to get back in the game.

Not scoring early means your starters have to pitch under a lot more pressure. It also kind of leads one to the impression the Cubs offense may not be quite as formidable as it seems. Right now, these guys don’t score against respectable starting pitchers until the third time through the order or until they get into the opposing team’s bullpen.

The other great puzzle is the inability of the starters to get out of the first inning cleanly. Don’t they warm up properly?  Are they tipping pitches?  Are their sequences too predictable?  Is tgeir game preparation lacking?  Who knows?

These trends do not bode well for the playoffs.

It’s All About the Matchups?

So the Cubs play 4 against the Padres and 3 against the Royals before the Nationals series.  These are 7 automatic wins, but they are already down 1. What happened last night is kind of illustrative of the frustrations that have characterized this season. First off, Montgomery enters the 6th at about the 70 pitch mark. After a routine out, he walks the next guy. Maddon pulls him for his new favorite Jesse Chavez. Chavez gives up a bloop single and then a 3 run homer. Later on we see Duensing enter and put the game out of reach.

So my point is you complain about starters not going deep and having to use up the bullpen, but you routinely pull your starters in the 5th or 6th inning unnecessarily. Am I missing something?  It’s not like it’s the 7th game of the World Series.

The other observation is that without Bryant, the Cubs don’t score runs against lefties. And I cannot tell you how much I hate that lineup and Rizzo leading off. I don’t care how often Rizzo gets on base, it’s no use if he doesn’t score snd the team plays meciocre .500 ball.  Not to mention Heyward batting  third. Your 3 hitter is your best hitter.  Tell me in what alternative universe Heyward is the best hitter on this team.

There, I got this off my chest.

Pitching Log Jam

I generally think the Cubs addressed most of their problems at the trade deadline. Inadvertently, however, they seem to have created a new set. The Cubs have three players due to come off the DL in August. Obviously Bote will spend a couple of weeks at AAA when Bryant is healed.  What to do about Morrow and Darvish?  Only Duensing is pitching badly enough to get cut and he is signed through 2019. It will be interesting to see how Theo and Jed manage this one.

A Tough Loss

Lester didn't have his best stuff, but I really think it is fair to say the Cubs were robbed by the review process in the 9th inning when Russell was ruled out at third base on an apparent RBI triple with no one out.  It is possible that he lost contact with the base for a nanosecond, although how that might constitute the clear proof required by the review process I fail to see.  Moreover, this entire interpretation of whether a runner is safe or out is pretty much against the spirit of the game.  In this case, the whole inning changed from having a runner at third and no outs to one out and nobody on base.  It also gave the Pirates pitcher, who was clearly on the ropes, a chance to regroup.

I'm not a big fan of the review process even when it goes in the Cubs favor.  I've got nothing against the review of close calls at first base or boundary calls, but these are pretty easy to determine.  At first base the runner has no problem going all out mainly because he is usually standing up and he just has to beat the throw.  Things get a lot more iffy when the runner leaves his feet and a tag is involved.  I'd also argue that these microscopic reviews rob the game of excitement and often force teams to play more conservatively.  Plays like the one tonight are rarer now and less exciting because of the interpretation of the current rule and also because the review process interrupts the flow of the game as well as introducing a delay.  You more or less know that a close play is going to result in a five or ten minute examination.  Sounds like sour grapes and maybe it is, but the game is being changed by some of these interpretations and not necessarily for the better.

On a more mundane matter, I more or less approve of the Cubs acquisitions.  I think Hamel is a big plus and Chavez has already had an impact.  Kintzler may not be a household word, but he is a solid reliever.  I'm kind of curious as to who is sent down to Iowa or released to make room for Kintzler.  Rosario has options remaining, but he has pitched pretty well.  Duensing is obviously the worst pitcher in the bullpen, but, of course, he is a veteran with a year left on his contract. Perhaps he will be released anyway or DFAed unless he develops a sudden ailment.  He's actually pitching right now like a guy who is hurt.

The Rizzo Experiment

So, first off, the Cubs have split the first 12 games after the All-Star break.  They have played tough opponents who are fighting for playoff survival, so that's not too bad.  Of concern has been the starting pitching which, to a certain extent, the Cubs have tried to remedy with the Hamels trade.  On this topic, I think it was a good deal.  They traded off a Class A minor leaguer of some promise and Eddie Butler, a guy the Cubs had pretty much determined to have a low ceiling.  Hamels is not a bad bet.  His peripherals look good.  He was completely unsuited to pitching in Texas.  I kind of doubt they are going to make a big splash on a reliever.  The big guns are gone and they are unlikely to overpay for a lesser arm.

I'm not really all that worried about the pitching.  Hendricks was superb Sunday night and I think Quintana will bounce back.  Lester is the ace.  Montgomery is a pretty good #5, which leaves Hamels as the wild card.  Getting a good Darvish back and a healthy Morrow would be icing on the cake.

My real concern is the offense.  It has been inconsistent even though they lead the league in runs scored.  Which brings up the whole Rizzo thing and kind of illustrates a reason for concern in a roundabout way.

Rizzo has played 16 games at leadoff.  I think the Cubs are 9-7 in that stretch.  He has 60 ABs and 72 plate appearances.  His 24 hits make him a .400 hitter in that spot.  He has been on base 40 times, which is nothing short of spectacular.  However, he has scored only 9 runs, 4 of them on home runs he has hit.  That means that players batting below him in the lineup have driven him in only 5 times.

Now there is no doubt that the Cubs miss Bryant a lot and the nagging injury to Russell also hurts.  However, Baez has been hot as a pistol during this stretch, so the problem must be with Maddon's batting order.  I think it is really the placement of Heyward and Almora, who have been batting 3rd and 2nd respectively.  I've got no problem with Heyward hitting second or even leading off, even though in an ideal world he would hit lower down, but Almora is just not a guy who has the experience and poise to bat second.  When Zobrist plays and bats second, good things happen.

One cannot argue with success in Rizzo's case, but in my mind batting him first really serves to take away some of the RBI pressure he feels.  So it has allowed him to straighten himself out in terms of his approach.  Also, he seems to see the most exaggerated shifts a bit less leading off.  The shifts have really hurt him offensively this year.  I still think of him as a power-hitter RBI player with good plate discipline.  Maybe I am a traditionalist, but a player with these skills bats third or fourth.

Strange Game

It looked as if the Cubs and Madden had conceded this one from the start. First off, Luke Farrell is at best a mediocre journeyman middle reliever, not a starter. So 5 runs in the 1st not unexpected. The oddest thing was not really using real pitchers but position players to finish off the game, although that was weird. The oddest thing was the lineup which featured all right-handed hitters with the exception of Rizzo leading off. Corbin has reverse splits with lefties enjoying nearly a 100 point BA advantage as opposed to righties. Go figure.

Trade Talk

Some of the bigger trade chips are finding a home. I was glad to see that Machado and Hand were involved in trades thatvdid not includevthe Cubs. Machado because the Cubs obviously didn’t need him, Hand because he would have cost the Cubs an everyday player.

Instead the Cubs have picked up Jesse Chavez from the Rangers. Nothing special here. Chavez is a journeyman reliever who will likely pitch in middle innings long relief. Given the propensity of Cubs starters to pitch only into the 5th inning, this is a need.  Chavez is a preferred alternative to some of the AAA shuttles currently filling that role.

I look for the Cubs to add a left-handed reliever, either Conley from the Marlins or possibly Britton from the Orioles if the talent cost is not too high. Unlikely they are going to disturb the big league roster or even trade away Bote.

Below is a link to possible scenarios:

https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/20/17593838/cubs-trade-rumors-scenarios-part-2-lefthanded-relievers

All-Star Assessment

No matter the outcome of today’s game, the Cubs will be in first place in the division. They will likely also have the best percentage in the NL. They have accomplished this behind inconsistent starting pitching excepting Lester, several bullpen injuries, and a notable lack of reliable production from their two biggest stars, Rizzo and Bryant. Their major off-season acquisitions, Darvish and Chatwood, have been complete busts. 

On the other hand, one always expected improvement from the younger players. In this respect, Baez has been an absolute revelation. Play of this caliber from him was unexpected. Russell and Contreras have been really good, as have Almora and Scwarber and Happ. Totally unexpected has been the resurgence of Zobrist and Heyward , who looked ready for the scrapheap in spring training.

So the deal is this team is really good and likely to remain so for quite a while. I can see where they are unwilling to spend any chips from the current roster at the  deadline.  They will likely try to strengthen the putching staff, either with a spot starter rental or an additional bullpen arm. Most likely the latter. They have been lucky so far to have their relievers hold up and perform creditably. Long run they cannot sustain that level when asked to get 10 or 12 outs a game. Hendricks and Quintana look like they are going to provide longer starts through the second half, but some reinforcements may be needed to carry the team through August. 

Look for the Cubs to make some modest move along these lines after the break.  They probably don’t have the farm system to get a stopper like Hand, but there are relievers above the journeyman class that can help. 

Rain

The Cubs were rained out Monday night and will play a double-header Tuesday.  This was one of those weird games where it was not raining at game time but rain was in the forecast.  The rain actually did not arrive until after 8, but when it let up, half the stadium was unlit owing to a power failure, so the game was rescheduled.  By virtue of the rainout and a Brewers loss, the Cubs moved into first place by 6 percentage points.

There was some controversy and second-guessing respecting Maddon's managing in Sunday night's loss to the Cards.  For what it is worth, I have to agree with the critics.  Most people are saying Maddon should have gone to Cishek instead of Bass when he removed Quintana in the top of the sixth with two men on base.  My thinking is why did he feel the need to make a move in the first place.

Quintana had thrown around 80 pitches at that point and had been in complete control, pitching a two-hitter until the top of the inning.  I have always thought that modern managers manipulate their bullpens and over-manage their starters in a fundamentally flawed fashion.  Starting pitchers are supposed to pitch out of trouble.  That's why they are starters.  They have at least three plus pitches, etc., etc.  Relievers are all failed starters.  They have one plus pitch if that and one middling pitch by and large.  In this case, Bass, Maddon's choice, is pretty much a failed reliever.

I know all the statistics suggest the third time through the order results in a greater chance of being hit hard, but lets not forget that this insight is based on all starting pitchers.  Good starting pitchers tend to fare a lot better.  Maddon really seems to have confidence only in Lester among his starters, which is bound to affect these guys in the long run.  In this case, Maddon chose to go with a journeyman reliever over one of the better starting pitchers in the division.  That's certainly a head-scratcher.  If Maddon had been managing St. Louis, Flaherty, who was in and out of trouble all night and had a high pitch count to boot, would have been out of the game in the fourth inning.

The Cubs were pretty much lost at the plate most of the game, so it is hard to say whether they might have won.  However, this is not the first time Maddon's eccentric style has cost the Cubs a chance to win.

A Disappointing Series

All in all the Cubs were disappointing to say the least in the Milwaukee series.  Sure, they came back to win big in the 14 inning opener, but, when you look at it, they scored only two runs in regulation through the entire series.  Not very impressive when you consider they got excellent pitching from Quintana and Montgomery, as well as the bullpen, and a not awful start from Chatwood.

I had kind of attributed the lack of run production even on the prior homestand to the cold weather.  In retrospect, something deeper is at work here.  These guys are very streaky and when they are not on their game, they are suckers for the high fastball and for changeups out of the zone.  I would not say the current stretch of games vs. the Brewers, Cardinals, and Dodgers are in any sense a make-or-break moment, but the Cubs need to get it together and at least hold their own.

A couple of peaves with Maddon's style.  The first and worst is pulling pitchers who are doing well too soon.  Maddon is obsessed with managing his bullpen and the Cubs, as usual, are keeping the Iowa shuttle going with constant reinforcements.  The thing is this, if you keep taking Hendricks and Quintana out in the fifth inning when they are pitching well, you are creating the problem you are moaning and complaining about.

The other thing is the lineups.  I don't mind seeing players get a day off or even the lineup shuffles, but their are some decisions that make little sense.  If you are playing an afternoon game after a night game with a day off coming, do you have to sit both Bryant and Contreras?  And it is OK to start Gimenez, but in a 1-0 game in the 9th inning, do you have to let Gimenez hit for himself with Bryant on the bench?

Actually, I'm kind of confused why Gimenez is even on the team right now.  The Cubs picked him up mainly, I suppose, because of his history of catching Darvish.  Darvish, however, is on the DL and is unlikely to pitch this month.  That's another question, I guess.

Well, on to St. Louis.  The Cubs need to start scoring runs, and they really need to win both the Cards series and the LA series back in Chicago to prove they are the team they think they are.

On a Roll

The Cubs are on quite a streak lately despite injuries to Darvish and Edwards and the underperformance of Chatwood.  They are 7-1 in June and have won 12 of their last 15.  The odd thing is that for a team that is built to score runs in abundance, they have been winning lately with pitching and defense.

I have to say that right now I cannot see any real weaknesses on this team, much as was the case in 2016.  Assuming Darvish returns to form and they figure out a way to keep Montgomery in the rotation, things can only get better.

The Cubs are poised right now to go into a crucial week that features road series with Milwaukee and St. Louis either half a game ahead or behind the Brewers.  The Cubs thus far have dominated the Brewers, winning 7 of 8.  Winning those series could put them in the catbird seat in the division though they have to play the Dodgers 7 times in the final two weeks of June.

Hitting Stride

After the recent road trip, I am actually pretty optimistic about the Cubs play recently.  Granted they struck out 24 times in the Saturday night marathon, but they did win the game with a 6 run explosion in the 14th inning. 

Looking at the bright side, though, they won 6 of 7 on the road, and the Brewers are coming down to earth, even losing 2 of 3 to the White Sox.  Moreover, the Cubs have performed well despite some serious injuries, namely, Edwards and Darvish, as well as some really disappointing starts from Chatwood in particular.

People are all bemoaning the fact the Cubs signed Darvish and let Arrieta slip.  At the time, I strongly supported management's decision to pass on Arrieta, who was never going to sign with the Cubs on the same terms he ultimately accepted in Philadelphia.  Arrieta was always, I think, more of a risk than Darvish even though events so far seem to refute that claim.  Sadly, I also thought Chatwood was a steal.  He may still turn things around.

I've always been a big fan of Mike Montgomery, though, and I thought he deserved a shot at a starting role.  His performance in the two starts replacing Darvish has been outstanding.  If you are going to second-guess Epstein and Hoyer, you can make a case that they gave in too readily to the notion they had to replace Arrieta with another superstar in Darvish, spending big bucks in the process when they had a superior option in house.

Taking Stock

The season is about 1/4 complete.  So far the Cubs have lacked consistency.  They've also had a lot of bad weather and postponements, including Thursday night's match against Atlanta.  You still have to like their chances, though.  If they can avoid stretches where they are in swing mode, such as Wednesday night, they will be in good shape.  In terms of talent, they are way above the level of any of their division rivals.

People, or rather sportswriters, are speculating on future moves.  A particularly weird trade scenario involves Manny Machado of the Orioles.  Word is the Cubs are all in for Machado, whatever that means.  Machado is certainly a terrific young player.  He is, however, a free agent next year, which, of course, makes him a rental.  Signing him in 2019, though not impossible, is going to cost something like $30MM a year and probably a six-year deal with all sorts of opt-outs.

The Orioles apparently want a lot for Machado.  The thing is the Cubs don't have much to give in terms of blue-chip minor league talent, which means, of course, you have to be willing to move a current starting player.  Speculation is that Russell is the minimum.  Russell is no Machado, but he is a really good shortstop and he is young as well.  I cannot see the team giving up on a player of his caliber who is under team control.  Also, the thing is that infielders are not the team's problem.  Offensively and defensively, the Cubs have one of the best infields in baseball, not to mention they have reserve infielders who could play every day on most teams in the league.

So this kind of deal makes very little sense.  Actually, most of the free agent speculation for 2019 for the Cubs is kind of iffy.  If they were to make a splash, it might be to go after Harper.  Even that means mortgaging the future, as they will likely have to spend big money to retain Bryant and Rizzo and Baez and Contreras in a couple of years.

If the Cubs need help around the trade deadline, it is going to be pitching, especially if Darvish doesn't return to form.  The biggest splash at the deadline is always pitching.  Witness Verlander's impact last year, as well as Darvish and Quintana in a smaller way.  Witness Andrew Miller's impact in 2016 as well as the Chapman deal the same year.  Dominant starters and relievers who can pitch more than an inning win in the post-season.  Not to mention that adding offense to a team that averages six runs a game is getting a little greedy.

Cubs Swept

I've got to say the Cubs almost pulled out an extra-innings victory after Baez's home run, but they managed to blow the game on a two-run homer by Dexter Fowler, who was 0 for 11 to that point in the series.  A tip of the hat to Luke Farrrell who has now served up two extra-inning game losing home runs to Cardinals hitters.  Perhaps he has earned a one-way ticket to Iowa.

In all honesty, the Cubs have been playing bad baseball for the past week.  It is not just the hitting.  This team just seems to be sleepwalking through games.  The previous two games of the series were winnable games.  Say what you like about Quintana and Chatwood not having their best stuff, but the Cardinals would not have scored three runs early on against Quintana if the Cubs had not made costly errors.  Nor would they have scored four runs against Chatwood had the Cubs not set them up with two costly misplays.

Finally, the Cubs would not have been in an extra-innings contest Sunday had Heyward not lost a ball in the lights or whatever happened.

Well, that was a devastating defeat.  Lets hope they can right the ship soon.

Same as It Ever Was

The Cubs finished off a pretty successful home stand by losing two straight to the Rockies.  Considering they never scored more than three runs in any of the games, that's doing pretty well.  Obviously, their pitching had a lot to do with the success.  I wasn't too concerned about the lack of offense against Milwaukee.  Those games were played under pretty appalling weather conditions.

The Rockies series, though, was, in my mind, a return to the bad habits that characterized the team early this year and for parts of last year as well.  Swinging for the fences, striking out.  They managed to pull out the first of the Rockies games, then just achieved nothing in the last two despite the wind howling out.

The Hendricks game was a game they should have won.  Hendricks pitched a really good game, especially as he was plagued by the umpiring of Laz Diaz, possibly the worst umpire in all of baseball.  Three solo homers in 7+ innings. The Cubs, though, were in full wind blowing out mode and managed just one.  Sometimes Maddon is just too cute.  His lineup with the wind gusting did not include Schwarber or Contreras or Baez for some reason and was just a jumble with Rizzo leading off and no rhyme or reason thereafter.

Wednesday's game saw more of the same flailing ABs and a pretty rotten performance by Yu Darvish, who has been bafflingly inconsistent to date.

On to St. Louis for an early season showdown with the Cards.

A Great Game

Somehow I just love these 1-0 throwback pitchers duels.  Last nights was a great example.  For the Cubs, Hendricks was terrific, in complete command from the start.  It's kind of a pity these guys aren't allowed or expected to pitch complete games as they were in the days of the Jentkins and Gibson duels.

As for the Cubs, they have won 5 of their last 7.  Beginning with the Cardinals game, the lights seem to have gone on for them.  Maybe Chili Davis had a meeting and/or they figured it out, but they seem like a different team since them.  They are not striking out as much, they are not trying to hit home runs in every at-bat.  All around playing well.

Not So Great

So roughly the first tenth of the season is over.  The Cubs will play their 16th game Thursday, weather permitting.  Thus far, this looks a bit like a rerun of 2017, weak and inconsistent hitting, especially situational hitting, mediocre starting pitching, a struggling leadoff hitter...

Of course, things could turn around pretty quickly and a .500 start is not the end of the world.  Still, I rather think that given the nature of the Cubs early season opponents, one supposes they expected to be more like 10-5 at this point, not 7-8.

One bright light has been the bullpen.  They have turned in solid work on most occasions, especially in view of the extra-inning games and the short starts delivered by the rotation.

A couple of thoughts.  I know Maddon is experimenting with the lineup.  However, is it really necessary to expose another top prospect, Ian Happ, who seems entirely unsuited to batting leadoff, to the same disastrous start endured by yet another young player, Kyle Schwarber, who had the same experience last year?  How stubborn can you be?

The Cubs do not have a traditional leadoff man.  Still, they could do better than Happ.  Why not try Almora in that spot against lefties and Heyward against right-handers?  Why not bat someone like Russell second so that there might be an off-chance someone is on base for Bryant, Rizzo, and Contreras?  Or Schwarber if need be.  As a final thought, think about putting Happ in the ninth spot and batting the pitcher eighth, much as they did with Russell in his first season.

Not as Advertised

I hate to say this but the Cubs are playing crappy baseball right now.  After coasting to an opening day win, the team has gone into hibernation at the plate.  This seems to be the same old story as last year.  No clutch hitting, suckers for the high fastball, no situational hitting, stymied by left-handed pitching, impatient at-bats.  Every now and again they have a good inning or two.  But 58 Ks in five games against teams projected to lose 90-100 games.  Come on.

Russell and Schwarber have been the exceptions as hitters, as have Bryant and Zobrist.  Heyward has achieved a level of mediocrity that makes him look good in comparison to everyone else.  Maddon, of course, suggests they are too good a hitting team to continue like this.  Lets hope things improve quickly, as this team now looks very complacent.

The bullpen and defense have been the two bright spots.  Also Hendricks and Chatwood turned in excellent starts.  Lester and Darvish were disappointing, as was Quintana, although the latter pitched a lot better than the bottom line reflects.  I should confess also that I have been knocking Butler for the better part of a year, but he turned in a stellar performance in relief Friday night only to lose a tough decision.  Mea culpa.

Incidentally, I really hate this batting order.  Happ and Almora have so far not delivered.  Also, have I mentioned how much I hate Bryant batting second with no one ever on base.  They need to move someone up to the two spot, especially as their leadoff hitters are having problems.  Schwarber or Russell might fill the bill.

As Advertised

The Cubs opened the season with an 8-4 win over the Marlins.  Not that the Marlins are likely not to lose t least 90 games this year, but the Cubs dominated from the start.  Ian Happ opened the game with a leadoff first-pitch home run.  They batted around that inning to add two more runs, mostly with patient at-bats resulting in a bunch of walks and hit-batsmen.

Later on the Cubs added home runs by Rizzo and Schwarber as well as some clutch hits by Russell and LaStella.  The latter's pinch hit double clinched the game.

The bullpen looked good in relief of Lester who was pretty awful through three plus innings.  Lester lacked command and seemed to be pitching with zero confidence.  Besides Lester's lackluster performance, the only other glitch on the day was Schwarber's rather adventurous fourth inning in left field where he pretty much played a leadoff double into a triple, nearly killing himself in the process, then overran a routine single.  You really cannot say that those plays cost any runs as the Marlins would have scored anyway, but it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence either.

Nearring Final Roster Decisions

The Cubs are nearing the end of spring training as well as finalizing the opening day roster.  Nothing earth-shattering is happening.  They cut Peter Bourjos even though Maddon has professed his profound respect for his talents.  In this matter, I'm not sure what Maddon is looking at.  Bourjos had a couple of decent seasons early in his career with the Angels, but he hasn't been much to write home about since then.  He is a mediocre hitter whose speed and glove work has been in decline for a couple of seasons.

Slightly more surprising was shipping Chris Gimenez to Iowa and retaining Victor Caratini on the big league roster as backup catcher.  Apparently, the search for the next David Ross has been at least temporarily abandoned.  I like this move.  Caratini is a player with a future.  Gimenez really cannot hit a lick.

Strop appeared Saturday in a live game for the first or second time this spring.  I guess he did OK.  Assuming he is ready to go, that leaves only the 13th pitcher spot open.  Butler started against the Mariners on Saturday.  His performance was not disgraceful, but he was the losing pitcher.  I don't honestly see much upside to this guy.  Should the Cubs hold on, it would only be because they don't want to lose him on waivers.  He would in that case be the eighth reliever who is only called in to eat innings in games that are out of reach.

Bass, Ryan, and Hancock have all shown better form this spring, though all of them are non-roster invitees who would cost the Cubs a slot on the 40-man roster should they win the battle.  Presumably that spot would be Butler's.  Bass and Ryan have some major league experience, though each of these guys was terrible last season.  Hancock has bounced around the minors for a few years without earning much success.

None of these contenders, including Butler, looks to add much either way, so you kind of wonder why they feel they need so many relievers to start the season to begin with.  That seems to be baseball these days.

Grimm Released

I cannot say I'm surprised.  Grimm's performance has declined steadily since 2015, when he was actually pretty good.  Last year he was awful and he hasn't exactly turned any heads this spring.  I always thought he was on the bubble anyway as he is out of options.

That leaves the open question of who takes his spot on the 40-man roster and who makes the team as the eighth reliever.  People seem to think it will be Eddie Butler as he is out of options as well.  I hope not.  I actually see very little upside for Butler.

Of course, hardly any of the marginal relievers have turned any heads this spring.  Randy Rosario has put up the best numbers, but he is a non-roster invitee.  The Cubs seem to be high on Maples stuff, but he has been shelled more or less every time he has seen action in spring training. This will be a tough choice for the Cubs, especially as Strop has been hurt all spring and is likely to open the season on the DL.

The immediate speculation is that this opens a spot for Gimenez to be added to the 40-man roster and win the backup catcher spot.  Gimenez is alright and the Cubs in general have preferred veteran backups in the past.  Gimenez is pretty much an automatic out though.  Caratini has a future and has actually earned a trip north even if the Cubs prefer him gaining at-bats and experience in AAA.

Personally, I wouldn't be entirely shocked should the Cubs elect to bring three catchers north, something they have done in the past.  Given Strop's injury, though, they might not think this wise.  Strop is a key setup guy for the Cubs, so if he isn't ready to go, they might well feel adding two inferior relievers is the preferred option.

Of course, they may well be watching the waiver wires to see who gets cut by other teams.

Roster Competition

That's pretty simple.  Barring injuries, there is virtually none.

Among the position players, twelve players are pretty much locks to leave spring training with guaranteed spots, viz., Contreras, Rizzo, Zobrist, Baez, Russell, Bryant, Happ, Schwarber, Almora, Heyward, LaStella, and a reserve catcher. 

The catcher will either be Gimenez or Caratini.  Most people are betting on Gimenez because of his prior success catching Darvish, but I wouln't count necessarily on that.  Caratini is on the 40-man roster; Gimenez is not, so basically someone is going to have to be dropped from that set to make room for Gimenez.  Maybe one of the marginal pitchers, but, still, that could be a reach.

The Cubs could elect to add a thirteenth position player, though, for some reason, they always seem to like having thirteen pitchers.  Should they choose to go with thirteen position players, they might elect to carry three catchers.  That still leaves a 40-man roster problem to accommodate Gimenez, though.  More likely they would choose an outfielder, seeing as they have only two pure outfielders on the roster now.  In that case, they might go out and grab a one-year contract for a Jon Jay type player.  Maybe Jon Jay himself, as he is still unsigned.

As far as pitchers go, again, I don't see a lot of competition.  Lester, Hendricks, Darvish, Quintana, and Chatwood are the five starters.  Montgomery is the swingman.  Morrow seems to be the closer.  That leaves five or six more bullpen slots.  You have to figure Edwards, Strop, Cishek, Duensing, and Wilson are certain to remain.  That leaves one more spot should the Cubs go with thirteen and none should they go with twelve.

Grimm is likely to have quite a battle retaining his roster spot as he, along with Eddie Butler, is among the pitchers on the bubble who are out of options.

Finally!

Frankly I was getting a little tired of all these  Darvish rumors. I am glad the deal is finally done. Apparently six years, $126 MM. less than Lester got and less than I thought he would command.

One guesses the Cubs are done for the Winter unless they add a veteran utility player. One may also surmise that now that Darvish is off the board, the remaining free agent pitchers, Arrieta, Cobb, Lynn, will sign pretty quickly.

Pitchers and catchers report next week

Brian Duensing

The Cubs have signed Brian Duensing to a two-year deal.  I wasn't surprised, and the deal makes a lot of sense.  Duensing was very effective after his early season problems.  He should continue to be a valuable middle reliever, especially as the Cubs were a little light on experienced talent from the left side.

Duensing rejoins holdovers Strop, Edwards, and Wilson from last year's team, as well as Mike Montgomery as the swingman, and new additions Cishek and Morrow.  Justin Grimm will compete for the eighth spot along with a bunch of unproven players like Dillon Maples and some other marginal guys like Randy Rosario.

Personally, I think seven relievers is quite enough for any team with a solid rotation, but Maddon often likes to carry eight relievers.  Should the Cubs not sign a proven starter in free agency, Montgomery would be the logical choice to move up to a starting role, opening up another bullpen slot.

It's looking more and more as if the Cubs are content with the position players they have now and that they are unlikely to make a trade that separates them from any of their younger talent.  I'm sure they would move Heyward and/or Zobrist in a minute, but they are not going to find takers for these players.  Victor Caratini also is looking like the option of choice for backup catcher.

Realistically, there is no reason for the front office not to be happy with the roster of position players.  They may lack a natural leadoff hitter, but, with the exception of Caratini or whoever emerges as the backup catcher, every other position player of the twelve guys who are a lock to make the team could start full time with a contending team and be productive.