Chicago Cubs: Five players the team ‘should’ pursue this offseason

4. Darwin Barney

The Chicago Cubs’ infield ineptitude stems from a lack of experience. Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Ian Happ are simply too young. If the team wants to get serious and end their miserable one-year championship drought, they need to add a veteran infielder into the mix. Enter Darwin Barney.

Barney is one of the few players in baseball history who can play both shortstop and second base. He currently plays for the Toronto Blue Jays of the Canadian Baseball League (CBL). I don’t know if trading across different leagues is permitted, but the Cubs should definitely try regardless.

Russell’s .240 career batting average is actually less than average. Barney’s .304 batting average in 23 at-bats in 2015 is very good. Had the Cubs traded for Barney earlier, they’d most likely be in the World Series right now. Instead it’s the Dodgers. And Barney used to play for the Dodgers before bolting for the CBL. Coincidence?

Ian Happ? More like Ian not Happ-ening, am I right? Barney played in 14 more games than Happ in 2017, so he has the necessary endurance to put the team on his back. He possesses superior power as well. Barney has 31 career home runs, while Ian Happ has just 24. This isn’t a difficult choice, you guys.

If the Cubs can get away with giving up just Russell and Happ for Barney, they’d be fools not to go through with it. The Blue Jays will likely want more, but the Cubs can probably afford to swing it.