Chicago Cubs: Three reasons to have optimism heading into 2021

After alienating and annoying many fans in the past couple weeks, there’s still a way for the Cubs to generate excitement in 2021.

Let’s be honest – it was not a good week to be a Chicago Cubs fan. Despite attempts to spin it as a move for future success and shedding the contract of an “oft-injured” old pitcher, there is absolutely no way the Cubs could have spun dealing their best pitcher and also swearing that they wanted to contend in 2021.

Add to that the personal back-up catcher who was traded along with him that many fans thought could start at some point and it’s compounded. Throw in the news the team’s All-Star starting catcher is also being shopped and it’s a total dumpster fire for fans on the North Side.

Heck, I didn’t even mention the non-tendering of fan favorite and postseason legend Kyle Schwarber!

The idea that trading away Yu Darvish, Victor Caratini, and Willson Contreras in the same week would somehow make the Chicago Cubs better or keep them contenders is laughable at best, but that’s what Jed Hoyer would have us believe at the moment. I might be able to take him a little bit more seriously if Contreras ends up staying and some extensions are signed, but that seems to be a stretch given what’s happened so far in the offseason.

However, the offseason isn’t done, and the NL Central is still looking rather weak this coming season, so is there still the smallest of chances that an optimistic fan might be able to see some small speck of light in the middle of this dark tunnel of a week? Here are three things what would make all fans sit a little easier in this first week of 2021.

Chicago Cubs: There are still young talented pieces

If the Cubs aren’t going to spend money, it probably means there are lots of at-bats for players who don’t cost a whole lot of money and aren’t going to be traded any time soon if there is a total rebuild or fire sale.

One such player is a guy who was in the running for NL MVP for much of the 2020 season, Ian Happ. While Cubs fans and the organization had always been intrigued by the athletic ability, versatility, and power/eye combo that was and is Happ, he had yet to put it together for a full season. And, to be fair, we still haven’t seen it given the brevity that was the 2020 season and the fact that Happ tapered off a bit toward the end. If there is a normal 162 game season in 2021, you can pretty much guarantee Happ will be logging 600 at-bats.

Another guy who hasn’t yet been able to play a full season, but for different reasons, is Nico Hoerner. Showing a ton of promise and potential in his debut in the fall of 2019, Hoerner struggled  to put up positive numbers and stats through much of 2020. Then again, he was a Gold Glove finalist at second base and is also able to play shortstop adequately as well. He’s also a guy who puts the ball in play and is a high-contact guy, so with an offseason of adjustments, he may just be ready to contribute and produce more meaningfully at the plate in ’21.

Much has been made of him possibly starting this year back in the minors, but if the club isn’t going to go out and spend money on another second baseman, what are the options? Sure, David Bote could play there full-time, but what if Kris Bryant gets moved in the near future? Hoerner could end up benefitting tremendously from any sort of rebuild/retool.

Chicago Cubs: This would make everyone more optimistic

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In a year like no other, fans were unable to cheer on the Cubs at Wrigley Field. While the country is still mired in the midst of the worst pandemic it has ever faced, there is hope in the form of a vaccine as well as hope that the warm weather of spring and summer will again help quell the spread and virility of this terrible scourge.

Just being able to get to the ballpark would make a lot of people happy and more optimistic about their own future in addition to the Cubs future.

There may be tons of fans who aren’t terribly excited to scurry on over to Wrigley given the exodus of talented players going on at the moment, but there are legions who would come out given the opportunity to enjoy a ballgame and a beer at iconic Wrigley Field on a warm spring or summer day.

Despite the bad press that the Ricketts have received regarding their political leanings and talk of fiscal ruin this past year, many fans just won’t care at all if given the chance to pack (or space out in) Wrigley Field.