Chicago Cubs: Lack of offseason moves isn’t necessarily a bad thing

Soon fans will be packing the Sheraton Grand Chicago for the 2019 Chicago Cubs Convention. Despite a slow offseason, there’s still plenty of buzz for this club moving forward.

In less than a month, pitchers and catchers will be reporting. For the Chicago Cubs, their date is February 12. Fans in Mesa, Arizona and on the West Coast are prepared to fill Sloan Park for some Spring Training ball.

So, with the brand new campaign right around the corner, what has Theo Epstein and the Cubs done to improve? First, the departure of reliever Jesse Chavez and trade of Tommy La Stella ruffled some feathers for some.

Chavez emerged as a bullpen anchor, twirling a 1.15 ERA in 32 appearances for the Chicago Cubs. At one point, Jesse made it clear (or so we thought) that his goal was to pretty much retire as a member of this organization.

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And the lie detector has determined that it was a lie. At the end of the day, it’s a business. Yes, it leaves a hole in Chicago’s bullpen with Brandon Morrow‘s status in question to begin the season.

Morrow, like Chavez, shined for the Cubs in 2018. Brandon’s first year on the North Side was a success despite an injury, recording 22 of 24 save opportunities while stamping a 1.47 ERA.

Until he’s 100% and ready to go, Joe Maddon will most likely turn to Pedro Strop to close the door on opposing teams. Another individual who performed well until an injury sustained on a questionable decision.

Say It Isn’t So, Tommy

What hurts the most is the loss of La Stella. Tommy was a consistent weapon for Maddon, setting a single-season Cubs record with 24 pinch-hits in 2018. Although La Stella put himself in a pickle by ignoring an assignment, he was still a valued member of the roster.

Meanwhile, Daniel Murphy has landed with the Colorado Rockies, leading the way for a Daniel Descalso signing on December 18. Probably Chicago’s highlight transaction of the offseason thus far with a little bit of time to spare.

Is it top-tier? Not quite, obviously. With Bryce Harper officially out of the cards for the Cubs, the world is not over.

The Core

This organization has plenty of talent on the roster from top to bottom starting with Kris Bryant. Bryant is looking to have another breakout season following a year in which he only hit 13 homers while driving in 52 behind a .272/.374/.460/.834 clip.

A significant drop across the board compared to 2017. Granted, Bryant too was hit with the injury bug after experiencing shoulder fatigue and a bruised wrist as he would miss over a month of playing time.

Let’s also keep in mind that Kyle Schwarber is due to have himself a powerhouse of a year. It somewhat feels like these young bucks are taking turns. First, it was Rizzo followed by Bryant who was backed by Baez and now it could be someone new, again.

The possibilities for candidates are endless. How great would it be to have a Cy Young winner after Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester missed out a couple of seasons ago? Hey, let’s not forget the starting rotation. Which could be the best in the Central if they’re capable of staying healthy.

Definitely not pointing any fingers at Yu Darvish. At the end of the day, the Chicago Cubs are fully expected to compete for a division, league and World Series championships. It won’t be easy, yet not impossible even after St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati added some firepower to their rosters while Theo Epstein put the club in cruise control.

Kick up your feet, grab yourself a dog and a beverage of choice. We’re in for what could be the most outrageous season of baseball yet. Cheers.