Chicago Cubs: Spring Training position battles

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Competition – it brings out the best in everyone. And this Cubs team has several positions that will benefit from competition. Second base is open for several players to take a hold of. Left field is waiting for several players to step up and claim it. The pitching staff from spots 3 to 5 could go to several pitchers. These battles aren’t because of a lack of options – it’s very much the opposite. There are many players who can step up and claim their roles on this Chicago Cubs team.

Remember a few years ago, the Cubs had second base open. A young player who was in the minors had his invitation to spring training and said from day one he would win that spot. That player was Darwin Barney, who would later win a gold glove for his play at second base. This needs to happen again with some of these young players.

While some of the players may not be your marquee names, not every position can be filled with all-stars. Role players are essential for any successful team. In this slide show, I’m going to point out a few players I’d like to see step up and the position battles they are in and who they have as competition in those roles.

Next: Who's at second?

Second base: Javier Baez vs Arismendy Alcantara vs Tommy La Stella

This battle could be easily won – but that all depends on Javier Baez. If Baez can come into spring training with a better approach at the plate and cut down on his strike outs, the job will be his. But after what we saw and read about Baez in winter ball, it doesn’t seem like that is in the cards quite yet. More than likely, Arismendy Alcantara or Tommy La Stella will be keeping second base warm until Baez proves he’s ready. But that doesn’t mean that Alcantara or La Stella can’t make it difficult for Baez to earn that spot.

Alcantara will be involved in a few battles with the Cubs. That’s a great thing for Joe Maddon and the Cubs. Having a player that plays all over the field is something all teams need. Alcantara coming up to the big leagues last year as a second baseman originally showed his versatility with moving all over the diamond. While starting off hot, he cooled down considerably as the season wore down. Alcantara like Baez, needs to cut down on his strike outs and show a lot more patients at the plate.

Alcantara needs to get his bat on the ball and try to leg out grounders or draw more walks. He has good speed and has shown the Cubs in the minors he can steal his fair share of bases. His glove isn’t an issue, so he has that in his favor. He’s going to be on the Cubs in one form or another, but will it be a utility off the bench or an everyday starter, those we can’t predict just yet.

Tony La Stella was brought in to battle for a couple of positions as well. While he will be in competition for third base with Mike Olt and Kris Bryant – his best chance might be second base. While he may not be as defensively sound as Alcantara and maybe even Baez, he does have something on his side – a consistent contact hitter. La Stella can put the ball in play, showing good bat control with putting the ball in play into the outfield gaps. That is huge – and could find himself as a real option for batting second in the line up to move along Dexter Folwer.

This battle, while should be Baez’s to win, I don’t think will be. I predict this job will go to La Stella. While the Cubs may lose a little with the defense, he will provide a more consistent bat in the line up. He will be a solid fill in for now until Baez learns his plate discipline.

Next: If not Bryant, than who?

Third base: Kris Bryant vs Mike Olt vs Tommy La Stella

So, we all want Kris Bryant up with the Cubs as soon as possible. Will it happen though? I’m not sure, I think the front office will keep Bryant down to keep the extra year of control. So who then will be at the hot corner on opening day? The Cubs have a few options they can go with – but it all depends on Kris Bryant and what management feels is the best plan.

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The first option in my opinion is Mike Olt. Last year, Olt showed a lot of power and a lot of strikeouts. Was that the Mike Olt we can expect this year and beyond? I don’t think so. Mike Olt was a big time prospect with the Texas Rangers. They were adamant they would not trade him unless they hit the right offer. Olt has the tools to be a starting third baseman, he just needs to catch his break. Olt now is going to play his second season after his Lasik eye surgery – I’d expect that to help.

Olt may not be as smooth defensively at third as one would want, but he’s better than what the average third baseman is. He has decent range and a strong enough arm that he probably is the better option over La Stella. Again, like most position battles – who wants it more and who’s willing to put in the extra work to get it?

This all may be a moot point if Bryant does what he’s been doing all along since the Cubs drafted him. But I still expect Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to look more down the road and keep Bryant in the minors long enough to keep the service time in the Cubs favor. If that holds true, I see Olt running away with this battle. I see a very solid year from Mike Olt. He showed the willingness to work and do what is asked of him last year. Making himself more valuable to the Cubs by playing first and the outfield. Olt has a role with this team and to start the year, I see that role being the starting third baseman until Bryant comes up and takes it over.

Next: Who's left?

Left field: Chris Coghlan vs Matt Szczur vs Junior Lake vs Mike Olt vs Chris Denorfia

Personally, I like Chris Coghlan. I liked the move when the Cubs signed him last year – the former National League Rookie of the Year just needed a new home and a new vote of confidence. He got both with the Chicago Cubs. He played very well last year and really caught on when he was the lead-off hitter for the Cubs. I think he’s right now the lead favorite to take the job. He does have a few options sitting behind him waiting to take his spot if he lets up.

First option may be Matt Szczur for the Cubs after Coghlan. Szczur is a great athlete with the speed you want in an outfielder. Szczur still hasn’t shown the bat that scouts had thought he’d bring to the big leagues but that could come around. His athletic ability is an advantage that he does have but it’s probably not enough to win him the job over Coghlan. Szczur could find himself as a valuable option to fill in for Dexter Fowler to give him a break.

The same probably can be said about Chris Denorfia as Szczur. While Denorfia hasn’t had a lot of consistent playing time over the past few years, his value will be as a fill-in and also a veteran leader on the bench. Olt has an outside chance at sneaking in because of his bat. If Olt plays well in spring training and Kris Bryant forces the front office to call him up to start the season, Olt could be the wild card in this battle.

The player I’d like to see step up and take the job is Junior Lake. Two years ago, Lake showed signs of being a future outfield star for the Cubs. Good power, great speed, a good throwing arm – Lake seemed to be destined for a future all-star. Last year, Lake showed very little of what we liked in 2013. Too many strikeouts really cut down the amount of playing time Lake could have had – thus giving other players a chance to step up and claim his spot. It’s time for Lake to take his spot back.

Winter ball reports showed that Lake had improved on his patience. He increased his walk rate and cut down on the strikeouts. Lake was also stealing bases with consistency. Two things that if Lake goes into spring training continuing to do, he can take that job back. Lake is who I am cheering for but I’m still expecting Coghlan to claim his job in left field.

Next: So many arms - so few spots

Starting rotation spots 3, 4, 5: Kyle Hendricks, Jason Hammel, Edwin Jackson, Travis Wood, Jacob Turner, Tsuyoshi Wada, Dallas Beeler

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of depth with their starting pitching staff. The first and second spots are set with Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta holding down the top. Most will say Jason Hammel will be the teams third pitcher, but Kyle Hendricks with a good spring could move himself up into the third spot. Hammel while with the Cubs last year pitched very well – well enough that Oakland payed a nice price for him. But with Oakland Hammel’s did struggle and wasn’t the same pitcher as he was in Chicago.

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Hendricks doesn’t have over-powering stuff but he has a nice arsenal of pitches with good accuracy. Hendricks uses his fastball in appropriate places to keep the hitter’s guessing. His change-up and ability to paint the corners have given him a good amount of success. Even if Hendricks doesn’t win the third spot in the rotation, he’s as solid as a number four as there will be.

Really the fifth spot is going to be up to who ever steps up and shows the best amount of command and gets hitters out. Edwin Jackson has the pressure off of him with the expectations of being a top of the order pitcher. Could that and having Joe Maddon back as his manager get the old Jackson back? Maybe, but I’m sure Epstein and Hoyer will still be making calls to see if there will be any takers for Jackson.

Beeler is another pitcher who won’t over power anyone and looks to get the ball over the plate and get the hitters to get themselves out with grounders and pop-ups. With Hendricks already in the rotation with a similar style as Beeler, it probably doesn’t bode well for Beeler. Beeler may take over the spot that Carlos Villanueva had – a fill in starter and long reliever for the Cubs. Those roles seem to be custom fit for Beeler and where he may best serve the Cubs.

If Travis Wood could come back to his 2013 form, this debate wouldn’t even be happening. Wood was solid in 2013 and was expected to do the same if not better in 2014. But unfortunately for Wood and the Cubs he took a big step backwards. With a better team around him and a better rotation to help, Wood may find himself in a much better position to get wins. Wood would be going against the other clubs lower end rotation starters – if the Cubs bats can go off against those pitchers and give Wood three or more runs of support early, that may let Wood settle in and just pitch. When Wood had to pitch from behind early, he found himself in trouble.

Wada last year filled in nicely at the end of the season for the Cubs. Wada was consistent, something you want out of the back-end of the rotation. But he doesn’t have anything that stands out. Wada does have an odd delivery that helps him against batters. Problem with Wada is that while nothing is he does throw a lot of bad pitches that end up in the stands for a home run. I don’t see him being the threat to take over in the rotation.

Jacob Turner is the one who intrigues me. Turner is young still and has potential – but no one has been able to tap that potential. Here enter’s Chris Bosio to do his magic to another pitcher. This may be a good reason for Turner to be the fifth option. Bosio has done wonders with other pitchers who have lost their confidence or touch with other teams. Paul Maholm and Jason Hammel are two great examples of what Bosio can do to a pitchers career. Turner being a big strong pitcher, hasn’t been able to get the velocity you’d expect from him with his fastball. That could be a mechanical issue that can be fixed.

I’d love to see Turner come in and take the fifth spot, right behind Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, and Hammel. That would be an interesting rotation. It would also mean that the Cubs would have a couple of veteran pitchers to move to another team in the need of veteran arms.

Next: Final look

There are only a few spots open with a lot of names able to fill in multiple places. Guys like Olt, Alcantara, and La Stella will be valuable no matter where they end up playing because of their versatility. While players like Bryant and Baez hold the future of the Cubs and these other players in their hands, these guys can make things difficult for the Cubs to decided who to play where. I’m sure Maddon won’t mind a few sleepless nights worry about where to play and who to play if it means that the Cubs are winning.

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