MLB Preview 2015: Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs 2014 Record: 73-89

Team Overview:

What do you call a baby cub? Whatever it is you can tie that name to the 2015 Chicago Cubs because most of the team lineup is filled out with youngsters. Many of these young Cubs have big prospect pedigree, which lead to awfully high expectations this year. The development and growth will determine how far the Cubs can go this year but the bottom line is the Cubs are here to compete for the next 5-10 years.

Teams like the Astros and Braves can look into the hype the Cubs have and see it as a way for them to climb out of the holes they are in. While the Braves core of Simmons and Freeman, and the Astros of Springer and Alutve wait for the rosters to fill out around them, the Cubs are filling around Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo in a very exciting way. Both are at age 25 and are hitting their prime right now, and with a few years of success behind them they are core reliable players to build around, and build they did. When looking at the lineup it stands out that the team had to sign a 29-year-old Dexter Fowler and a 31-year-old Miguel Montero just to get the average age of the lineup to 26. Fowler provides veteran presence at the top of the order and in the outfield and Montero is a good vet in the middle of the order and behind the plate.

With a decent core of the big two and the two vets you can now begin to look into where the ceiling is with guys who are either rookies or will be looking close to the start of their prime. Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Mike Olt, Tommy La Stella, Arismendy Alcantara, and the eventual emergance of Kris Bryant give this team a big time youth movement. What is nice about the core is most of them can all change positions which gives the Cubs flexibility when it comes to an everyday lineup and finding out whom fits where. Soler is the day one guy who should start everyday in the outfield. He has probably the second most upside of the crew mentioned and will hit in the middle of the order for the Cubs in 2015. Baez, La Stella, Alcantara, Bryant and Olt bring the big flexibility and all can play 3rd base. Baez and La Stella, and Alcantara can play second, and both can also back up Castro at short. I would assume for the most part it would be Bryant and Olt battling for third, Baez and La Stella at second and Alcantara a utility man who can also play the outfield as there is a hole beside Fowler, and Soler. Bench vets Chris Coughlan and Chris Denorfia can also handle outfield time but I think Alcantara will have plenty of chances to earn an everyday role. Junior Lake also only has one full season of playing time under his belt and will look to fight for an outfield spot all summer. While you can’t point to many names and say you absolutely know what you will get, the competition and position flexibility makes the lineup exciting and the upside makes them potential contenders.

While they have a few vets in the lineup I see the heart and leader of the team being established ace Jon Lester. Lester has the best ERA in World Series history and has two more rings than the Cubs organization does in their past 100 years. When a guy like Lester signs with you he is doing it because he believes he can help win a World Series. The fans may love the youth, but the 31 year old will really be the piece that should have Cubs fans thinking big. The crew behind him isn’t the brightest or toughest top to bottom but I personally like rotation as a whole. With a top punch in Lester, I think it is all eyes on Jake Arrieta to make it a 1-2. Arrieta had a big time break out in 2014 and was the Cubs most relied on pitcher. I like his progression and arsenal of pitches and honestly I wouldn’t doubt more improvement and the top of the rotation becoming a problem. The resigning of Jason Hammel could also be an underrated move that keeps the rotation strong. Hammel was having a great 2014 in Chicago and then was sent to Oakland. Whether it was the extra batter, the style of pitching Oakland demanded or just the scenery things went bad from the minute he left Chicago. I don’t think you can say he is back in Chi town and that makes everything fine, but as a number 3 pitcher he can bring reliability. The bottom of the rotation will have sorting out to do, but a theme from other teams I like is depth in the rotation and I think as a whole they can find some. Travis Wood, Kyle Hendricks, Edwin Jackson and Tsuyoshi Wada just need to fill two slots, and there is upside in guys like Hendricks and Wood. I also tend to like the bullpen and would expect the depth of a long reliever like Wood or Jackson can make it a strong one for sure. It certainly isn’t the flashiest rotation and doesn’t compare hype wise to the lineup but this is where the Cubs need to win games I honestly think as a whole they have a good chance.

What To Watch For?

SportsCenter and the media have blown up my what to watch for and now he is under the microscope but how don’t you want to watch for Kris Bryant? The 23-year-old Bryant has hit consistently in the minor leagues since being drafted in 2013 and his 2014 consisted of 40 home runs in AA and AAA. That doesn’t directly translate but I think the rookie can come in and hit 20+ homers with a strong average. That makes him a big time leader on the team in terms of production. With Mike Olt slated to start at third the question really is how long until he wins a job? The Cubs will look to start him in the minors to earn another year of arbitration and while I don’t think Olt torches in those couple of weeks, it will be interesting to see how they adjust him into the MLB. He also can be that the left fielder if needed, and if he started every day Alcantara being a full utility man is not a bad idea. No matter how you slice it will be a change in the field and in the lineup, which makes it extremely important to follow.

A team with so many position battles can be in the running for so many trades. This is all without mention that the Cubs still have a nice farm system and a few more names ready to take over. The middle of the infield especially seems to be filled, and there is a prized short stop in the farm system. While I mentioned that Castro is basically a leader on the team it doesn’t seem his future in Chicago is guaranteed. It would depend on the need but I would assume they would look to fill a stating pitching spot to really put it over the top. A name like Baez may also get value with his youth and upside, as well as the prospect Addison Russell. After acquiring for La Stella this off-season I think they can see him getting a lot of time in the MLB and it also opened the ability to move either of the three and still have depth and a future in those positions. If the Cubs think they are a big pitcher like Cole Hamels away they shouldn’t have a problem filling out a package to send over and put the 2015 team in World Series contention.

Where Do They Rank?

The Cubs are much improved on paper, mainly due to the progression of what they had in the system. The additons of manager Joe Maddon and leader Lester put them in serious contention right out the gates. I think the league sees the Cubs a lot differently than they have in recent times and they will certainly be improved. I think the next 5 years the Cubs will make multiple playoff runs but it may take time to find the right lineup and positions. They will spend this year seeing what they have and what they need, and while they will win games, I see them finishing third in a strong division.

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