Next year is essentially 2015 all over for us. That year the Cubs got Hammel and Lester, well before we had started winning. To say they won't spend just shows a lack of understanding of where the Cubs are now. The more holes we fill now the less pressure we put on the farm to move up.
IDK about that.
Lets see:
Ortega: .297 Hit a GS today.
Schwindel 0 for but hitting .312.
Happ 1-4. But hitting better of late. Over .200
Wisdom. Smacking the white sox pitching again. His pace is 1 HR per 10 PA this year. Let that sink in.
Duffy 'Gone' Mad is already added.
Heyward Stuck with him. But 2-4. Something is working now.
Hermosillo His glove is solid in CF. Legit HR power. I'm not sure if he is anything more than a 4th OF though.
Chirinos Pretty solid back up. He might be a strong resigning.
Alcantara replaced by Hoerner
Now I would love to see Seager signed. Now we don't know if the DH will be implemented but lets say for argument sake it is.
Line up I'll let David make those choices. Too much issue with it going in raw.
LF: Today they went Ortega with Hermosillo in CF. The D justifies it. The BA not sure yet. I don't see a need to add here with the system depth pending. Add to it Happ is still under control.
CF Davis pending. Can move over. Yet again no need to invest.
RF As above.
3B Wisdom jacks them at a insane rate. Even in the minors he had 2 31 HR seasons in under 500 PA each. So his power is legit and is not fake. When you have a plus tool like that you create playing time.
SS Hoerner is a plus hitter and plus defender. Cubs need more of this.
2B Mad. Best contact hitter in baseball. Glove meh. So having Nico move off a GG spot for a D degrade was a bit questionable. But Jed IMO viewed the team need as a contact hitter over a plus glove.
So up the middle I see Jed going with stability over flash with both being plus contact hitters.
1B Schwindel. Going by his minors info. .285/.320/.478 hitter. He has 25 HR power over 500 PA. If there was a clear cut upgrade to him at 1B I personally would jump up and down. This year there is no single guy that stands out.
So I see the adds happening at SS and 2B. Both are being filled by non starting quality players. The replacements are both .300 hitters.
That is 2 internal upgrades in hand.
Rotation. Yet again Mills miffs me. When he is on he looks like Hendricks. Swear he is confusing as shit. I would stay status quo for now.
So over all this is not 2015. It is 2014. They have a Bryant pending. They made a big trade for a 2nd player that might break the top 100. The have a Soler type in A+. So the tools are there and they need a year to get Davis up.
The way I look at it is 2023.
LF Canario AAA
CF Crow-Armstrong AA-AAA
RF Davis MLB
3B Triantos/Preciado A+. Wisdom under control.
SS Howard AA-AAA Nico still under control.
2B Mad under control.
1B Nothing in the pipe.
So over all yes I could see a add if you feel uncomfortable with 1B/3B and Triantos and Preciado being in Rookie ball now. That is a long time to depend on Wisdom and Schwindel.
2022-2023 FA list
First Basemen
Jose Abreu (36)
Jesus Aguilar (33)
Josh Bell (30)
Phil Gosselin (34)
Eric Hosmer (33) – can opt out of remaining three years, $39MM
Trey Mancini (31)
Max Muncy (32) – $13MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Miguel Sano (30) – $14MM club option with a $2.75MM buyout
Carlos Santana (37)
Third Basemen
Hanser Alberto (30)
Aledmys Diaz (32)
Brandon Drury (30)
Evan Longoria (37) – $13MM club option with a $5MM buyout
Justin Turner (38) – $16MM club option with a $2MM buyout
My opinion at least. Sit on it this year. 2022 get Davis up and remove Heyward. Rotation should be set with 1-2 guys pending. Marquez IMO push into closing and let Heuer set him up.
Rotation:
Hendricks
Alzolay
Mills
Steel
Thompson
Kilian
So again I see the main investment being BP to close the door after the starter leaves. Get Davis up. Shot gun Marquez. Make him close in Tenn and Iowa next year and bump up with Davis.
That provides needed power in the OF and the 9th inning.
After that is settled they have CF and LF close. Bell will be on the market and Jed should make a push towards him. Give a 2nd power hitter to go along with Wisdom. Take pressure off Davis to produce power in his rookie season.
Rotation. Next year I would do a flip. Following year
Jose Berrios (29)
Matthew Boyd (32)
Sean Manaea (31)
Mike Clevinger (32)