Cubs battle hungry A’s in first spring training game

Chicago Cubs: Steal Kipnis from the Athletics

The 32-year-old, second baseman, Jason Kipnis, was born in Chicago and went to school just 20 miles from Wrigley Field. Kipnis probably had “Cubs-Trade” at the top of his list for Santa and well… sometimes the man in red comes through.

The Athletics have been unsatisfied with second baseman Franklin Barreto and highly considered bringing Kipnis in to shore up the coverage on the two bag.  Barreto made 58 appearances for the A’s in 2019, but that’s not saying much, and Athletic fans have been disgusted with the position since Mark Ellis departed. The former second baseman, Jed Lowrie, who last played for the A’s in 2018, really only put up one good season out of three.

On the other hand, the Cubs couldn’t be happier bringing the wayward Chicagoan home. They picked up Kipnis’s contract as part of a minor league deal, and if he explodes onto the scene with all the excitement of finally playing in his hometown that the news is reporting, this could be an excellent signing for the Cubs.  As Kipnis told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, it just made sense:

"“It made sense. It did. It really did. I didn’t fully understand it until it was announced and my phone started blowing up and I realized just how many people this impacted around my life, and how many people still — friends and family — still live in Chicago. It’s going to be exciting.”"

Kipnis, without a doubt, will be trying everything in his repertoire to get back to Wrigley Field this season, and I wouldn’t put it past the Cub-newbie to be thinking about setting some records and making a lasting impression in his hometown.

So who will come out on top in the Cubs first Spring Training meeting?