Chicago Cubs: Week 1 spring training report

Each week, we will review “the week that was” in Cubs Spring Training. We’ll recap on-field play, off-field news, and the latest projected 40 and 25-man roster. This installment covers the first week of Spring Training, from February 23 to March 1.

Welcome to Spring Training, 2018!!! After a cold – and frustratingly non-newsy – winter, teams have reported to camp and baseball activities have begun. Thank goodness. I was getting tired of reading about how many homers the Yankees might hit and how the Brewers were a team of destiny. Such preseason anointing is the norm in the digital age, but once games start the real stories tend to surface in place of biased opinion pieces.

For his part, manager Joe Maddon is setting his usual tone. He’s introduced artwork to help inspire the team. He’s announced his regular season pitching rotation before a couple of his starters have even thrown a pitch. He’s saying all the right things:

“It’s a refreshed everything. It’s a refreshed approach. It’s a learning experience from last year. No we don’t want to get off to the same kind of start and it’s going to require us to be in a good place.” – Joe Maddon

Well, so far so good. Mostly.

So Far, So Good (Mostly)

Speaking in terms of results, the Cubs have lost only one of their first seven spring contests (winning 4 and tying in 2). This is a good start. But we all know how little spring records matter. In short, don’t pay too much attention to the won-loss record, it isn’t very instructional.

What IS instructional is paying attention to the details and context of those wins. When inspecting the spring to this level of detail, you’ll find a lot of good signs and a few not-so-good.

With runners in scoring position, the Cubs are third in the league in batting average and have the second-best OBA. Maddon has stressed that (new hitting coach) Chili Davis would bring a different approach. Davis emphasizes approach – as this story from The Athletic describes – and this change appears to be paying dividends.

Tough to Get a Read on Pitchers

Regarding pitching, the Cubs are not overwhelmingly impressive. Their ERA is firmly middle of the league, and they are near the bottom in baserunners allowed. All this said it’s one week into Spring Training. I’m not even sure the pitchers are throwing at 100% at this point.

There is some reason for optimism. Once Cubs pitchers get opposing batters to 2 strike counts, they are striking out their opponents quite regularly (64 of 66 0-2 or 1-2 counts have ended in a K). They also aren’t losing too many batters that get behind in the count. In short, pitchers are hitting their spots when it matters most. This was a point of emphasis this offseason, so these results are encouraging.

Standout Performers

In the first week of spring training, pitchers usually aren’t bringing their “A-plus” stuff. Batters are more focused on timing than results. Still, it is always noteworthy to recognize those who are off to a good start.

Batters

Backup catcher candidate Chris Gimenez has hit the ground running in his quest to earn a roster spot. In just eight at-bats, Gimenez has knocked in a team-leading seven runs. All four of his hits have come with runners in scoring position.

More notably on the batting side is Ian Happ, who has been handling leadoff duties most games. Thus far, Happ is batting .500 and has hit three homers. Given this opportunity, he is staking his claim to get a good long look as the table setter and regular centerfielder once camp breaks.

Happ has looked in control and confident at the plate and in the field. Meanwhile, Albert Almora has struggled. Hitless in his seven at-bats and shaky in the field, Almora has to know Happ has a stranglehold on the CF job.

A newly-svelte Kyle Schwarber is offering a new dynamic – speed – to his repertoire. He continues to work counts, walking a team-high three times. But he has also struck out five times in 11 plate appearances. He will need to improve on that if he wants to avoid a platoon situation in left field.

David Bote is one current roster outsider that has shown some things in week one. While making the roster may be a long shot for Bote, he has had a great start this spring. He has shown great plate patience and does not look overmatched. Bote may find himself in the majors at some point in 2018.

Here are a few other notable offensive performers so far this spring:

IF Mike Freeman (.500 avg, 6 runs scored, 6 RBI)

IF Ryan Court (.500, 2B, HR, 4 runs)

OF Jason Heyward (0/5, 2 SO)

2B Javy Baez (2/7, 3B, 2 highlight reel defensive plays)

Pitchers

The most notable pitching observation is around lefty Dario Alvarez. Alvarez is part of a group of three or four players fighting over one open bullpen position. In his first couple of appearances (2 IP) he has struck out five but walked three. He will need to command the strike zone to break camp on the active roster.

Cubs starters have looked solid, even with Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana yet to debut. Health continues to be the primary concern for this group. Darvish was scratched from his first spring start (though it should be noted his was an illness, not a physical ailment). Getting through Spring Training with a fresh, healthy staff is what matters, not the numbers.

Here are some additional pitchers of note so far in Cubs camp:

SP Kyle Hendricks (2 IP, 0 ER, 1 HR allowed, 3 K)

SP Tyler Chatwood ( 1 IP, 1 H, 0.00 ERA)

P Alec Mills (3 IP, 0 H, 4 K, 2 BB)

RP Brian Duensing (2 IP, 18.00 ERA, 2 HR allowed)