MLB: ***Official 2021 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***
- Thread starter Cyched
- Start date
Wisdom was hitting some impressive dingers last year but I hope he can do it and keep his batting average above .220 After the trade deadline and he started to get more regular playing time teams started to figure him out and his batting average and strike outs went up. Last 3 months of the season:
July: 77 AB 5 HR 10 RBI 30 K's .247 BA
August: 93 AB 9 HR 21 RBI 45 K's .226 BA
September: 80 AB 3 HR 11 RBI 40 K's .150 BA
He was basically striking out in about 50% of his AB the last 2 months of the season which is not good. All last year he struck out in over 45% of his AB
July: 77 AB 5 HR 10 RBI 30 K's .247 BA
August: 93 AB 9 HR 21 RBI 45 K's .226 BA
September: 80 AB 3 HR 11 RBI 40 K's .150 BA
He was basically striking out in about 50% of his AB the last 2 months of the season which is not good. All last year he struck out in over 45% of his AB
Probably will take him some time to adjust to MLB pitching and this expediated spring training season is not going to help that.
He's not the only one struggling at the plate for the Cubs who could be an every day player:
2022 Batting Preseason Chicago Cubs ESPN
I think it is becoming clear the Cubs are done with any big moves for now unless someone that fills a need surprisingly gets cut from another team after spring training. Conforto is still out there but I doubt the Cubs sign him being he is a Boras client and probably looking to go to a contender probably. Assumptions here on most of the opening day roster:
C: Contreras, bench: Gomes
1B: Schwindel
2B: Madrigal
3B: Wisdom
SS: Simmons (if he is healthy enough to start by then) bench: Hoerner
Infield bench: probably Villar and Rivas?
OF: Happ, Suzkuki, and probably Heyward are locks although I'd be fine if they cut Heyward at this point but he's been playing a lot of CF when Happ and Suzki are in the lineup so far which is telling. I can't imagine they will keep 3 bench OF in Frazier, Hermosillo, and Ortega and I think Ortega and Hermosillo are out of minor league options so either 1 has to go through waivers, a trade, or they send Frazier down to Iowa to start the season which I don't see happening.
Rotation will be Hendricks, Stroman, Miley, Mills, and Smyly with Alzolay maybe in the mix when he is healthy and sounds like Steele could be too instead of Mills or as a 6th starter
Bullpen I have not followed too closely but I would guess that Chavez is going to make the team out of camp, Wick, Robertson, Effross, and Martin will be part of the mix for sure? I don't really know who all has options or not on the 40 man at this point. Guessing Keegan Thompson starts the season in Iowa as a starter as they will inevitably need some depth when the injury bug hits.
He's not the only one struggling at the plate for the Cubs who could be an every day player:
2022 Batting Preseason Chicago Cubs ESPN
I think it is becoming clear the Cubs are done with any big moves for now unless someone that fills a need surprisingly gets cut from another team after spring training. Conforto is still out there but I doubt the Cubs sign him being he is a Boras client and probably looking to go to a contender probably. Assumptions here on most of the opening day roster:
C: Contreras, bench: Gomes
1B: Schwindel
2B: Madrigal
3B: Wisdom
SS: Simmons (if he is healthy enough to start by then) bench: Hoerner
Infield bench: probably Villar and Rivas?
OF: Happ, Suzkuki, and probably Heyward are locks although I'd be fine if they cut Heyward at this point but he's been playing a lot of CF when Happ and Suzki are in the lineup so far which is telling. I can't imagine they will keep 3 bench OF in Frazier, Hermosillo, and Ortega and I think Ortega and Hermosillo are out of minor league options so either 1 has to go through waivers, a trade, or they send Frazier down to Iowa to start the season which I don't see happening.
Rotation will be Hendricks, Stroman, Miley, Mills, and Smyly with Alzolay maybe in the mix when he is healthy and sounds like Steele could be too instead of Mills or as a 6th starter
Bullpen I have not followed too closely but I would guess that Chavez is going to make the team out of camp, Wick, Robertson, Effross, and Martin will be part of the mix for sure? I don't really know who all has options or not on the 40 man at this point. Guessing Keegan Thompson starts the season in Iowa as a starter as they will inevitably need some depth when the injury bug hits.
Just no room, hopefully they can find a trade to open space. Personally I'd like to see Heyward and $40 million for a bucket of BP balls.
I'd have to think the Cubs are also giving up the bucket of BP balls in that scenario.
I still think the Cubs should have bought a prospect from the Padres by taking on Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer’s contracts.
I don’t think Happ, Hendricks, Contreras, or Bote fit into the long term plans of the team and will gone before the year is up.
I don’t think Happ, Hendricks, Contreras, or Bote fit into the long term plans of the team and will gone before the year is up.
I'd like to see them front load these last two years basically everything except the league minimum for next year. Then if he breaks out he has some trade value. We have the cap space this year so we might as well get him off the books ASAP.
Did not realize this until I heard it on the morning rush the morning but apparently Contreras is not part of any promotional with the Cubs so far for this season which makes you wonder... They need to make a decision on his future soon. If he is going to be traded it should be early this season while he is still healthy because seems like he sometimes gets a nagging injury that slows him down halfway through the season after he gets off to a hot start then just loses his power because of whatever funk he gets into.
I'm torn, I guess I would rather just rip off the band aid now and trade him if that is the goal instead of waiting till mid season otherwise just sign him to an extension now. The problem is his successor is supposed to be Amaya and he keeps getting hurt that he can't ever advance up enough to see what they have in him. After that there is no catcher close to ready in the system that I know of.
I'm fine with Davis starting in Iowa. Let the OF situation sort itself out in Chicago and hope the kid rakes AAA pitching then bring him up when you are certain you have an everyday spot to play him in.
I'm torn, I guess I would rather just rip off the band aid now and trade him if that is the goal instead of waiting till mid season otherwise just sign him to an extension now. The problem is his successor is supposed to be Amaya and he keeps getting hurt that he can't ever advance up enough to see what they have in him. After that there is no catcher close to ready in the system that I know of.
I'm fine with Davis starting in Iowa. Let the OF situation sort itself out in Chicago and hope the kid rakes AAA pitching then bring him up when you are certain you have an everyday spot to play him in.
Trade him.
I'm not sure he really wants to be there and he's getting to the point where the bat doesn't make up for the framing and baserunning and that's only going to get worse.
Gomes is more than serviceable to get you through the next couple of years to either get a free agent or hope Amaya figures it out.
I'm under the assumption they will trade him at this point too. If they viewed him as a piece of the longer term future with this current group they would have signed him to an extension by now instead of playing games with arbitration. I love how he plays the game but of all the guys they have traded away in the past year he probably could bring back the biggest return of them all.
This guy should get a legit shot to prove himself this year but I'm sure they will stick with Heyward playing instead:
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
The good news is I won't be able to watch it thanks to the Marquee Network and blackout rules.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Yup. I definitely won't be looking for ways to see games this year.
Same. I’ll still listen to the day games at work but this roster stinks.
I’ll save some money on a VPN and MLB.tv at least. Especially after MLB.tv raised their prices
