Chicago Cubs: A pie-in-the-sky holiday wish list of potential additions

What did I want for the Cubs this Christmas? Snow, and a whole lot of arms.

The Chicago Cubs and the Winter Solstice. A new-fallen snow and a starter. I can dream, can’t I? The Cubs are in dire need of a ‘big-ticket item,’ although it doesn’t seem like they’ll find one. They picked up Phillip Ervin from Seattle and a hodge podge of relievers on minor league deals. That’s…nice? Still, I’ve put a little wishlist together, letting Santa Claus know what we are longing for.

What would good little boys and girls – plus Cubs fans – want for Christmas? A chance to see Santa Claus? Well, yes for the boys and girls. But the Cubs fans? They want a whole lot more than that. So in the spirit of 2021 being better than 2020 and trying to dive headfirst into a wild sense of optimism, here’s my dream wish list.

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There is one guy I like at the top of the rotation. Trevor Bauer. Yu Darvish might have a hold of the top spot, be he will be driven by Bauer and the two would be unstoppable together. In 2020, he struck out 36 percent of batters and had a 0.79 WHIP – elite numbers all-around. He turned in a quality start in nine of his 11 starts. He finished 5-4, but wins and losses don’t really matter to me. He’s a heck of a pitcher, plain and simple.

Ready to really get wild? Not only do I want Bauer, but I’d love to pair him with J.T. Realmuto. Yes, I know. It’s not going to happen – but this is the time of year for wishing and dreaming, right? He hit .266/.349/.491 this year and has long been considered one of the best backstops in the game. Pitchers love throwing to him.

Sure, it would mean the Cubs shell out a record contract to bring him in – and I know we have Willson Contreras in the fold for two more years, but man, he’s just got it all.

Now this one might be a little more realistic: Archie Bradley. He only spent six games with the Cincinnati Reds, but he was lights out. In 7 2/3 innings, he tallied a 1.17 ERA with six strikeouts, allowing just one run. Given the Cubs’ obvious need for help him the bullpen, I will beg Santa to leave Bradley under the tree at Wrigley Field this Christmas.

If the designated hitter were to stick, the top guy I’d love to see anchor the lineup? Marcell Ozuna. The dude flat rakes, plain and simple. This year, he led the league in plate appearances, home runs, RBI and total bases. Oh, and he slashed .338/.431/.636 for good measure. Why do those numbers jump off the page? Maybe because not a single Cubs player came anywhere near them this year.

So there you have it—my absolutely zero chance of happening wish list for the Cubs. I know, the four players I mentioned are pretty much completely out of the realm of possibility, with the potential exception of Bradley.

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas, everyone. It’s been a rough year for us all – so I hope you have the time to reflect on happy memories and to be thankful where you can. For me, I’ll be thinking of my time with my father, who passed away earlier this month.