Chicago Cubs: A favorite has emerged in the search for a pitching coach

According to reports, the Chicago Cubs may be looking to stay in-house as they seek to replace recently departed pitching coach Jim Hickey this winter.

The writing appeared to be on the wall weeks ago when it came to former pitching coach Jim Hickey. A deafening silence existed following the team’s loss in the Wild Card game regarding the future of the Chicago Cubs coaching staff – and, last week, the other proverbial foot fell.

Honestly, most of us expected Theo Epstein and the organization to dismiss Hickey given their silence on his status moving forward. Instead, Hickey resigned, citing ‘personal reasons’, leaving the Cubs with another vacancy on their big league coaching staff.

Chicago fired Chili Davis at season’s end, following a second-half offensive collapse that saw the team’s lead in the division waste away in the final weeks. Assistant hitting coach Andy Haines left to take the big job with the division-rival Brewers, as well – in an offseason that’s been wrought with turnover and turmoil already.

In replacing Davis, the Cubs went with a familiar face in Anthony Iapoce. He served as the organization’s minor league hitting coordinator from 2013-2015, meaning he has relationships with several of the team’s young core pieces.