The Chicago Cubs pitching corps is becoming excruciatingly cramped, and yet there are several big question marks that remain. The starting staff appears to be set, but the collection of guys remaining is confusing. Which leaves many to scratch their heads. Personally I don’t believe the Cubs are finished adding to their corps, and that includes trading a valued piece.
As of now, the Cubs feature 14 pitchers on their 25-man roster. A team will generally carry 11 or 12 pitchers in a season, which leaves the Cubs searching for ways to drop two or three.
This is why it was confusing for the team to add players like, Brian Duensing, Brett Anderson, and perhaps mostly – Caleb Smith.
Crowded corps
Duensing can add an experienced, and tested arm to the backend of their bullpen. Having thrown 662 innings in 368 games in the majors, Duensing adds depth to a position which lacked it during the playoffs. Perhaps more importantly, Brian adds a lefty reliever to a heavily right-handed pen.
Brett Anderson became just an incredibly strange addition to the starting staff. Expectation is, Mike Montgomery becomes the fifth starter. This means Anderson is left trying out for a position which doesn’t exist. Now depth will be forever important, but the team isn’t going to begin a season with a six-man rotation. In fact, the team won’t run with a six-man for an extended time at all.
Caleb Smith, a Rule 5 draftee, needs to stay on the Cubs roster throughout the season, otherwise he will be returned to his original team. He is another lefty reliever that has faired well against lefties in the minors, and the Cubs are excited to have him.
“Caleb was a guy we settled on and are excited about,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We’ve had some success with Rule 5 guys. Hector (Rondon) was a huge part of what we did. We felt good enough to move forward and select (Smith).”
He has never succeeded at the Major League level, heck he’s never pitched at the Major League level. This makes one wonder why the Cubs would leave such a huge role, on a championship caliber team, to a Rule 5 guy.
Making sense of it all
The current makeup of the Cubs pitching corps, I believe, isn’t how it will look come opening day. I don’t believe one, or two of the fore-mentioned pitchers will be with the team – as well as one of the team’s studs over the past the seasons.
The Cubs will give Caleb every opportunity to make the club in springing training, but will eventually ship him back to New York. Brett Anderson will be given every opportunity to prove he can be valuable. Expect that he might even make the roster as a reliever. He’s just not going to beat out Montgomery for that fifth spot.
It is my belief that the Cubs hope Brett can prove to be valuable, and flip him somewhere for another asset.
The shocker
I wholeheartedly believe the Cubs trade Hector Rondon. He had been very successful when given the opportunity, but is my belief that the Cubs and Joe Maddon have lost faith in him. Rondon has been a very reliable closer, saving 77 games in the last three seasons.
Some of the reason Rondon’s usage dropped was due to Aroldis Chapman. A lot was more related to his late season injury. But more was due to his performance, or lack thereof of, through the final months of the season.
With Wade Davis assuming the closer’s role, and CJ Edwards the heir apparent, Rondon may see an even further reduced role in a heavily right-handed bullpen. This makes Hector, unfortunately, expendable.
Trading Hector could return a valuable lefty reliever. The type of reliever that you could March out against the toughest of left handed batters, and get them out. He would be attractive to any team looking to compete, but doesn’t have a clear cut closer. Or he could benefit a team that losses their closer early on.
They aren’t finished
Theo and Jed aren’t finished tinkering just yet. The luxury of being so talented is, there is no pressing need, but small areas to attempt to improve.
All remaining efforts the Cubs make will be to continue to improve the pitching staff. Some will say, “the Cubs had the best staff in baseball last season,” and you’re partially correct. Remember, no team that has had all five starters start 30 games in a season, we’re able to repeat that feat. This is why we saw the Brett Anderson signing. It’s why we might see one more free agent signing as well.
They top brass certainly are not finished here. There’s a couple of spots they can still shine up.
Do you think the Cubs are done tinkering? Will Rondon will end the season on the Cubs? Are Caleb Smith and Brian Duensing here to stay? Will be big contributors? What about Brett Anderson?
Leave some comments below.
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