Chicago Cubs: Some magic dust to keep guys healthy
If the outfield had a bit more room on its list, it might ask Santa to bring them some consistent power hitting. When I think outfield, I see three power sluggers. Let’s face it, an outfield that can consistently put the ball into play is a dominating presence.
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None of the Cubs outfielders stood out in 2018 for their power hitting, as outfielder Kyle Schwarber used to in the past. Ian Happ struck out a ton last year, Jason Heyward hasn’t found his stroke since joining the team and Albert Almora fell off a proverbial cliff late in the year. Santa needs to bring the power hitting back to the Cubs outfield.
Next on the list? Relative health. This group wants to make the big plays without the injuries. This year, they treated fans to amazing grabs from Heyward, Almora and Happ.
The problem with those gravity-defying grabs? More than once, they ended with someone banging into a wall, hitting the ground after a full-speed dive or rolling head over heels after laying out.
What follows these types of instances? Injuries. Only the healthiest teams can do survive the 162-game grind and move on deep into the postseason. Santa’s elves might sprinkle a little magic dust over the outfield so we still make the highlight-reel catches but without the injuries.