It is obvious to Chicago Cubs fans that their biggest need this offseason is pitching: starting and relief. The Cubs are ranked seventh in the MLB in both opponent OPS and staff ERA, as well as K\9. They are also dead last in K\BB ratio. Luckily for the Cubs and their fans, GM Jed Hoyer knows where the club needs the most improvement. “We certainly have to be aggressive with starting pitching over the winter,” Hoyer said. “I think that hardly makes us unique among major league teams. We will certainly have competition to find starting pitching but we certainly ...
As the MLB playoffs follow their usual exhilarating, unpredictable path fans of those teams not in the tournament slowly begin to turn their eyes toward the pending free agency period. Who will their team sign or trade for? Who will be brought back or allowed to sign elsewhere? As for the Chicago Cubs, their fans will be more inclined to ask the question posed in the former as opposed to the latter. This offseason the Chicago Cubs have a nominal number of traditional free agents at a current total of four—Shawn Camp, Randy Wells, Blake DeWitt, and Alex Hinshaw. They ...
After watching the Chicago Cubs in 2012, it's evident that they were playing for the future. They gave ample playing time to prospects Brett Jackson, Dave Sappelt and Josh Vitters—as well as young relief and starting pitchers—and were met with mixed results. But most of the Cubs’ best young talent spent 2012 at the lower levels of minor league baseball; many not making it above High-A ball. And they are young…really young. Five of the top 10 are under 20 years old. While the present for the Cubs may be dark or hazy, the future looks bright. A handful of ...
The list of free agents the Cubs should pursue this offseason are the players they should pursue and necessarily not the ones they will. Therefore, there are names left off the list for that very reason. Last month I wrote an article predicting the Cubs’ Opening Day 25-man roster. Purposefully, that list did not include many high-priced, highly coveted free agents. It was more so comprised of players I believed the Cubs could sign to the club. This is not that list, however. Some of the players on the predicted roster will be on this list and some may not. ...
As insufferable as the 2012 season has been, one could argue that this past season has not been a total washout. In a season where the organization was transitioning not only in front office management, but also strategy, team philosophy and playing style, the Cubs have done as well as expected. The new front office was able to get a full view of where the organization stands in regards to the immediate and long-term futures of the club, and those players pertinent to those futures received some much needed MLB playing time. If the “P” in MVP stood for “person” ...
There are many reasons, I believe, as to why the Cubs have a strong foundation to build their future upon. The most important of these has to do with the club’s baseball operations personnel. Jose Serra, Tim Wilken, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are those responsible for the Cubs’ bright future. Despite his pennant-less reign in Chicago as scouting director and then general manager, Jim Hendry did play a role in drafting many of the club’s top minor league prospects and young talent on the MLB roster. As scouting director from 1996-2002, Jim Hendry did an at best mediocre job ...
When Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters were called up to Chicago last month, the Cubs could not have imagined they would struggle as much as they have. To a lesser extent, Brett Jackson has not been as much of a disappointment as Josh Vitters. Even though Jackson's batting average is a paltry .191, his OBP is .309 and SLG is .404, with a BABIP of .333. But while his speed has helped with his OBP and he's grounded into a mere one double play, he has attempted only two stolen bases in 31 games and in both cases was thrown ...
Entering the 2013 season, the Chicago Cubs’ 25-man roster will look much the same as it did this year and will likely follow the same construction. The roster will be split between veterans and young talent, with more call-ups coming throughout the season. Fans should also not expect the Cubs to spend a lot of money this offseason. They will spend, of course; a very large bill will come from covering the majority of Alfonso Soriano’s contract in dealing him away, if not in September then during the offseason. Except at third base, the incumbent starters in the infield should ...
With Saturday's trade (via latimes.com) between the Red Sox and Dodgers, the Cubs lost a possible suitor for Alfonso Soriano. But with the month Soriano has had thus far, the list of possible teams seeking to procure the services of the rejuvenated left fielder may have expanded. In the month of August, Soriano has belted four home runs, knocked in 16 RBI and stolen three bases, though his batting average for the month is only .221.After clearing waivers on August 15, Soriano is sure to again be the target of trade speculation as the MLB season enters the stretch run. What held ...
The Cubs’ top prospects are good, but not yet to point that would make you say “this guy could definitely impact the team right now.” There are a few who, after a little more time, could play a role with the club in 2013. Some still need a little seasoning before next season—whether that means a late-season call-up, playing winter ball, extended spring training or a combination of all or some of these. Unfortunately for the Cubs, most of their best prospects are still at the A, A+ or Double-A level leaving their chances for a promotion to the North ...
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