Gulp, we are staring at a roster shakeup in the face. While there has always been the fear of attrition with the Chicago Cubs roster, and after the hints of it after the 2017 season, Theo Epstein and the Cubs braintrust just might be ready for it. At least that is what Mark Gonzalez of the Chicago Tribune believes.
In Mark’s column, he hits on players likely to remain Cubs, whether it’s a contractual certainty or due to value. But he also named players that he believes will be gone in 2019, and both Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber make that list.
Now, there are times where a team trades a player because their value to the rest of the league is more than the potential value of keeping them on the roster. Then there are times where the organization has given up on a player. This feels like the later…
I’ve been a huge supporter of Kyle, not so much so for Ian, but I’ve said Schwarber would be a Cub as long as Theo is making decisions. But at Theo’s end of season press conference, he seemed to call out guys like Kyle and Ian in how they need to grade these guys on results and not talent. He also made it a point to say guys performed at a certain level at 22 or 23, but that performance hasn’t reciprocated itself and definitely hasn’t improved.
There is a fear that they would be selling low on these guys, but there would be enough interest among the right teams for the Cubs to acquire just talent.
So who or what could the Cubs get in return?
It would almost have to be pitching. Young starting pitchers with several years of control. That need hasn’t changed, even with the club spending a lot of money on guys like Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, (potentially) Cole Hamels, and Jose Quintana, all the while having Kyle Hendricks as well.
The other thing this points to is opening a spot up in the Cubs outfield.
There aren’t many that would argue the fact the Albert Almora is a major league centerfielder. He has proven time and time again that he’s one of the league’s best defensive players and he’s taken steps offensively each season as well. Yes, the Cubs want a bigger offensive step, but there’s been little information that has shown he can’t handle playing CF every day. Then, of course, there is Jason Heyward, who is the best defensive right fielder in baseball today.
But who does this leave the door open for? I’m certain some have already come to the conclusion that it’s Bryce Harper.
Now, I believe the Cubs will make every effort to go after Bryce, he appears to want to come here. The Cubs need offense. His friendships on the club make it a fit. But I don’t know if the Cubs will sign the free agent slugger. This isn’t a “the Cubs can’t afford him” sort of thing either. I just don’t think the Cubs will come to the conclusion that Harper is their main target and potentially look towards other pieces to improve their lineup from 1-8 (or 1-7 & 9).
The Cubs could be content moving Kris Bryant to left and having David Bote take over at third. Now, this wouldn’t be Bote stealing Bryant’s spot, and David absolutely needs to produce offensively at an MLB third baseman’s caliber, but this is a real option. Or, the team could move Javier Baez to third on a permanent basis (I think he’s best defensively at third base), Bryant moves to left field, and Bote and Ben Zobrist play second while the team finds a shortstop in free agency. Again, that finger of yours is probably pointing at Manny Machado, and that’s a likely player to look at. But there might be a trade opportunity or even a player like Freddy Galvis makes sense.
I don’t know what will be done, and I’m just sending out what Mark Gonzalez suggests. Personally, I still believe Schwarber is a Cub in 2019 and Happ is more likely to go. Theo loves depth on a roster, and even if he brought a Bryce Harper in there are ways to make sure both Almora and Schwarber would get 450-500 plate appearances with a superstar-laden outfield.
This feels like it could be a defining offseason for the Cubs. Sure they have the four postseason visits in a row, three NLCS appearances, and a World Series to their credit – but what they do in 2019’s offseason could define if this run is remembered as a resounding success, or what could have been.
