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Cubs: This group will get its one last shot to bring home another title
A veteran Cubs team with everything to prove will get their one last go-round.
If the latest reports are to believed, the MLBPA will agree to the terms set forth by the league and commissioner Rob Manfred and, in the next week, the Cubs will report for the second iteration of spring training.
The team is at a crossroads as we finally get ready for the 2020 campaign. Under new management, a fresh start is at hand and a lot of excitement has been generated as a result. However, along with the changes in the dugout, a lot of aging veterans are slated to take field, trying to prove they still have what it takes to perform at the highest level.
While optimism seems to have the upper hand (at least right now), it was a very real threat that we might not see Cubs baseball this year. In fact, even with the abbreviated 60-game schedule announced by the league on Monday night, there is still plenty of uncertainty given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Simply put, we don’t know what the future holds.
The disparity between the MLB and the players union during said pandemic has been nothing short of infuriating, It’s clear the players want to play and the fans want nothing more than to watch baseball. With the owners being so reluctant to agree to a deal, the stinginess and showcase of profit over the health of the game itself has been disappointing, to say the least.
Chicago Cubs: A lost season would be disastrous for the franchise
If there was no baseball in 2020, the Cubs would face the absolute worst case scenario for two reasons. The first is the positive changes that have been made in the organization. The Joe Maddon era came to its conclusion last fall and a new wave of hirings ensued, highlighted by David Ross and a feeling of excitement and possibilities flooded the Cubs organization.
With Ross’ new take on leadership, we’ve generated so much positive momentum for what this could do for the team. With that momentum stalled, Ross’ mentality may become more of a norm around the team without having the chance to see on the field results. This could be detrimental to the fire that’s been lit under this team and we may fail to see that spark when baseball eventually does return.
The Cubs have faced so much criticism over the past few years and they are hoping to prove the doubters wrong. With so much more concern around actually playing the game, the doubters may shift their focus elsewhere which could, in turn, downplay what the Cubs are really playing for in 2020.
The second reason no baseball in 2020 would be the worst-case scenario for the Cubs surrounds the veterans on this roster. Just look at all the one-year deals the Cubs made to fill out the roster in order to keep costs low, including Steven Souza Jr., Ryan Tepera, Jeremy Jeffress, Dan Winkler, Jharel Cotton, Hernan Perez and Jason Kipnis.
Chicago Cubs: The veterans have a lot riding on the 2020 seasonr
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All of these veterans were given a chance by the Cubs to prove themselves and help this team reach their full potential. With no 2020, the redemption tour is gone and their status for 2021 is left up in the air. All the hard work the team did to round out the roster with low-cost, high-upside players may be all for nothing as they may be forced to re-evaluate the team’s makeup.
Along with the one-year deals, the Cubs have returning veterans with a lot to prove. Daniel Descalso and Tyler Chatwood are in the final years of their respective contracts, Craig Kimbrel hits age 32 in the midst of his three-year, $43 million deal and Jon Lester heads into his age-36 campaign in the final guaranteed year of his six-year, $155 million deal.
All of these veterans simply cannot afford a season off, as Chatwood, Descalso and Kimbrel have everything to prove if the want to not only help this team win, but to even find jobs for themselves when it’s all said and done. Lester has heard all the rumors about retirement and this is his opportunity to shut the naysayers up. No 2020 would be the absolute worst thing to happen to this group.
Next. The fate of the 2020 season is in the hands of Rob Manfred now. dark
This year’s squad feel like a group on its last legs before a rebuild. This was their season to come and show everyone what they are truly made of. If the season is lost, we may never get to see the magic in this team and what they could accomplish with a new sense of direction under Ross. Going into 2021, the Cubs may find themselves looking like the pre-2015 rendition of the club.