Chicago Cubs: The team is trying, regardless of what some fans think

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It’s been an up-and-down season for the Chicago Cubs. Heck, I’ve been on this journey with you. But the Cubs front office is trying their damndest, even if some don’t think so.

If you head on to Chicago Cubs social media, you’ll find many posts like these. ‘The Cubs didn’t do enough.’ Or what about ‘We traded Carl Edwards Jr. for a player with a higher ERA than him??’ Those are just a few I picked out randomly, and ones that were ‘PG’ rated. Believe me, Cubs’ fans can get pretty hot under the collar about their team, especially at the trade deadline. The ‘only’ deadline, this season.

And while I get the sense that many owners and general managers are unhappy with the single trade deadline (no more waiver deadline this year,) it turned out to be exciting for many fans. Well, depending on if you were a buyer or seller, of course.

The Cubs Theo Epstein threatened a ‘ton of change’ if the team didn’t improve their play. That was on July 3. Since then, the Cubs have gone 12-9. Not too bad. But when you factor in they have led every game after the All-Star break? That doesn’t necessarily speak ‘improvement.’ But the Cubs were still buyers at the deadline, and they made some excellent moves that helped fill holes.

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Signed Kimbrel to shore up late-inning relief

First, back in June after the draft, they signed Craig Kimbrel. After he no longer had a draft pick attached to him, it was open season on the closer. The Cubs won the battle and had their closer–which they were in dire need. With Brandon Morrow on the IL with no timetable for return and Pedro Strop struggling, Kimbrel was the obvious choice.

Keep in mind; he’s essentially still in spring training, but against MLB hitters. This is why the numbers you see him posting are not typical Kimbrel numbers. He has saved 8-of-10, and that’s a better percentage than what the ‘closer by committee’ was averaging. He’s only going to get better as the season goes on, and he should be fresh since he has only been pitching since early-June.

When the Cubs knew they were going to have to place Willson Contreras on the 10-day IL, they weren’t interested in bringing up Taylor Davis. So they traded Mike Montgomery for Martin Maldonado from the Kansas City Royals.

The trade served a dual purpose. It gave the Cubs a solid backup catcher, but also it was in respect to Montgomery. First, the Cubs weren’t utilizing him properly. And at the start of the season, he had asked to be traded to somewhere that he’d have a chance to be a starter.

With Homer Bailey just recently traded to the Oakland A’s, Montgomery would have his shot in Kansas City. And later on in July, the Cubs would flip Maldonado for another player–after playing in just four games for the Cubs. And four hitless games, as well.

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Chicago Cubs: Added two arms in lefty Holland, righty Phelps

On July 26, the Cubs got their man–well, one of…anyhow–in lefty Derek Holland. He was acquired for cash and would be the only other lefty in the bullpen outside of Kyle Ryan. His job? To get left-handed batters out. He isn’t going to eat up an inning or two. He was specifically brought in to get lefties out.

He’s pitched in two games, and just 1 1/3 innings. In an 11-3 route of Milwaukee, he came in for an inning and faced two righties in the three batters he faced. It’s not that Holland is incapable of getting righties out, but his splits are much better against lefties. Personally, I thought they would flip him for someone that valued him more as a starter like they did Montgomery. I was wrong.

On July 30, the deadline was still a bit stagnant, but that wasn’t stopping the Cubs. They traded for the Toronto Blue Jays David Phelps, sending Tom Hatch their way. Hatch was a 2016 third-round pick but hadn’t risen above Double-A. He was initially drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 32nd round but opted to go to Oklahoma State. He improved his draft stock quite a bit.

Phelps is a Notre Dame guy and has spent seven years in the league. He missed 2018 after having Tommy John surgery. He meddled a bit with the New York Yankees before having a breakout season with the Miami Marlins in 2016. He continued to pitch well in 2017 and then was traded to the Seattle Mariners. It was there that he suffered the torn UCL and his pitching elbow and decided to have Tommy John surgery.

He’s pitched just 17 1/3 innings posting a 3.63 ERA. While he isn’t a left-hander, the Cubs staff feel his cutter could be effective against left-handed hitters. He has a club option for 2020 for $3 million, so he could stick around, especially after the Cubs decided to ship out one of the fan favorites.

Chicago Cubs: Edwards traded to San Diego

I’ll admit, even I was a little sad that Carl Edwards Jr. was traded. But I feel it was a move that was long overdue. Mostly, so Joe Maddon wouldn’t try to stick him in high-leverage spots right after he was called-up. Edwards was a pitcher that could handle the spotlight once, but he hasn’t in several seasons.

Last season, on the surface, his numbers appeared to be pretty good. He posted a 2.60 ERA in 52 innings–but that didn’t tell the whole story. Eight of his 21 inherited runners scored for a 38% inherited score percentage. That was up from the previous year when he allowed just nine of 36 to score (25%). This season he allowed eight of his 12 runners to score, a whopping 67%.

The ‘string bean slinger’ has moved on, and maybe he’ll find success in San Diego like Tommy La Stella found in Los Angeles for the Angels. Change can be good, and it was definitely time for it. The Cubs in return received Brad Wieck, a large human. Seriously, though. He’s 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. He’s in just his second year, and the Cubs have control of Wieck through 2024. Edwards wasn’t working out, so maybe Wieck will.

Chicago Cubs: No, not Ben Zobrist but Tony Kemp

One of the first deals made on deadline day was Martin Maldonado for Tony Kemp. On the surface, this doesn’t look like much. A light-hitting, defensive catcher that only played four games for the Cubs. And a utilityman who didn’t have a spot in the Houston Astros outfield, batting just .227.

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But what might be one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The Astros acquired Maldonado last season and felt good enough to bring him in again.

He was a ‘flip’ piece for the Cubs front office, and they turned him around and got Kemp who they have control of through 2023. Plus with Ben Zobrist unlikely to be back until September, and his contract is up this year? This is a plus move by the front office.

The last deal was in my mind the best, as they traded for Nicholas Castellanos from the Detroit Tigers. He is, by all means, a rental as he is a free agent at the end of this season.

I don’t see the Cubs signing him, as his defense is quite weak. But wasn’t brought here for his glove, he was brought here for his bat. While having a bit of a down year, he’s still a .272 career hitter and currently leads the league in doubles.

The Cubs traded away two top-30 prospects, which doesn’t mean the same as it used to. Prospects Adam Richan and Alex Lange went to the Tigers, helping bolster the future Tigers pitching staff. They were A+ and Double-A, respectively. So they likely wouldn’t break the Cubs roster anytime soon.

Chicago Cubs: Team filled holes without paying a high price

In the end, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer managed to fill many of the holes the Cubs had without giving up much. One thing I noticed is for an organization that isn’t thought to have deep pitching? The Cubs doled out several of them. Do other clubs see something we’re not? I guess we’ll find out, but the moves that were made were just.

The Cubs didn’t lose any of their top prospects or much of their 40-man roster. (Maldonado and Edwards, who was in Triple-A at the time) They brought in players that are under control for years to come, except Castellanos, who is a rental. But it needed to happen. Second base and center field have been dreadful for the Cubs. Now they can work in Castellanos and Kemp and give the other guys some time off.

I believe that the players that are slotting into the second base and center field position are trying too hard. David Bote hasn’t been himself this year, and Albert Almora Jr. still hasn’t ‘gotten’ it yet. Maybe bringing in some new perspective will rub off on those guys and help them turn around what has been a disappointing season.

dark. Next. This winter should provide financial clarity for Cubs

But before you go on to Twitter or Facebook and start your rant? The Chicago Cubs are indeed trying. The level with which they succeed is still up in the air. But by all means, they haven’t thrown in the towel.

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