Look, you don’t need me to tell you the Cubs are worth watching. The Cubs have always been inherently worth watching, because of Wrigley Field, with or without Harry Caray. And now they’re qualitatively worth watching, with Jon Lester and that big collection of exciting younger players. Even if they’re not quite ready to challenge the Cardinals and Pirates for primacy in the National League Central. Still, on the off-chance that you’re not already attracted to these Cubs, let me see if I can come up with three really good reasons to watch them in 2015...
1. Joe Maddon + National League
What will he do next? Bat his pitchers eighth? Pull a bunch of Waxahachie Swaps? Play five infielders every time Jake Arrieta’s facing a ground-ball hitter? Maddon’s Rays deployed radical infield shifts 824 times last season, while Rick Renteria’s Cubs dropped from 508 shifts in 2013 to just 316 in 2014. Will Maddon convince his bosses they were wrong last year, or vice versa? And, okay, not that we’ll ever get a definitive answer for this question, but how much difference can a manager really make? Anyway, it’ll be great to see The World’s Smartest Manager in the league that supposedly has greater rewards for the greater intellects. Supposedly.
2. Third base!
I don’t know who is going to play third base. But according to the depth chart, Mike Olt’s first in line, backed up by Kris Bryant. Of course, you already know what that really means: Olt’s just keeping the position warm until Bryant’s been in the minors long enough so the Cubs don’t have to worry about him a) becoming a free agent until November of 2021, or b) gaining Super 2 status (assuming that sort of thing even exists after the next labor agreement).
Still, even if Bryant’s stuck in Iowa for a month or two, merely because of baseball’s strange rules, Olt’s pretty interesting himself. For one thing, just two years ago he was widely regarded as one of the best hitting prospects in the game, having just come off an excellent Double-A season in the Rangers’ system. For another, last year with the major-league Cubs he batted .160 in 89 games. Individually, both of those things would make Olt interesting. But together, you’ve got ... Mike Olt! If he hits, he’ll take some pressure off the Cubs, before serving as great trade bait when Bryant is officially ready. If he hits .160 again, he’ll be one of the great busts in recent history.
3. Second base!
What? It’s true. Olt was hardly the only culprit in the Cubs’ last-place season. With him, Javier Baez (.169) and Nate Schierholtz (.195), the Cubs were the first team with three sub-.200 hitters with at least 200 plate appearances since ... Well, I can’t figure out how to check (quickly). But the Padres have never done it! Neither have the Mets!
Schierholtz is long gone, but Baez isn’t just still a Cub; he’s still slated to start at second base on Opening Day! And (again) according to the depth chart, his understudy is Arismendy Alcantara ... who batted .205 last season.
Of course it’s all about the strikeouts, as Baez and Alcantara combined for 188 strikeouts in only 529 plate appearances. Baez, in particular, seemed to have some sort of record in mind. Given a full season, could he strike out 250 times? Yeah, he could. Although before that happens, he would probably lose his job to Alcantara or maybe Tommy La Stella.
Last year the Cubs had exactly one truly good player (Non-Pitcher Division): Anthony Rizzo. If they’re going to actually win this year, they’ll need a few good players. Javier Baez certainly doesn’t have to be one of them. But it sure would help. So let’s keep an eye on those strikeouts. You can bet Tommy La Stella will be doing the same.
Chicago Cubs
2014 record: 73-89
Projected 2015 record: 84-78
Key additions: P Jon Lester, OF Dexter Fowler, C Miguel Montero
Key subtractions: none
