Obvious Willie Harris replacement should be avoided at all costs by the Chicago Cubs

We're still about one month away from the Hot Stove season beginning in earnest for the Chicago Cubs but the time in between will likely be centered around filling the vacancies on Craig Counsell's coaching staff.

The latest departure from Counsell's coaching staff was revealed on Friday when it was reported that Willie Harris and the Cubs have mutually agreed to part ways. While the Cubs were among the best teams in baseball in terms of base running last season, Harris drew criticism for multiple questionable sends that resulted in the runner being thrown out with relative ease at home.

A potential candidate to replace Harris on the Cubs' coaching staff became available on Monday. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Monday that the Astros are not renewing the contract of third base coach Garry Pettis.

Gary Pettis, one of the finest third base coaches (and people) in the game, has been let go by the Houston Astros after 10 years on the job. Pettis, a 5-time Gold Glove center fielder as a player,
has been an MLB coach for 27 years. The Astros are not renewing his contract.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 14, 2024

The Cubs may want to stay away from Gary Pettis.

Despite the Astros having three managerial changes during his time with the organization, Pettis remained a constant with Houston. Between AJ Hinch, Dusty Baker, and most recently, Joe Espada, Pettis remained a member of the Astros' coaching staff over the last 10 seasons. In addition to his work at third base, Pettis also worked with the Astros' outfielders. That work with the Astros' outfielders could also make Pettis an ideal candidate for the Cubs considering Harris also worked with the North Sider's outfielders.

There's no universal stat that defines the success of a third-base coach, but FanGraph's base running metric (BsR) might be the closest thing. This stat may add more curiosity to the Cubs' decision to part ways with Harris.

Based on BsR, the Cubs were the fifth-best team in Major League Baseball last season with a value of 10.7 runs above average. Meanwhile, the Astros were among the three worst teams in base running with a mark of -12.8.

The Cubs have praised Harris's aggressiveness in the past. Pettis had a similar reputation during his time with the Astros. If the Cubs are looking for a more calculated approach, Pettis may not be the obvious candidate to join Counsell's coaching staff.

The Cubs may want to stay away from Gary Pettis.

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