Tommy La Stella is Forcing the Cubs Hand
About a week ago I wrote about how Tommy La Stella had failed to report to Triple-A Iowa. Well he still hasn’t reported and this is forcing the Chicago Cubs to possibly make a move. While Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago spoke with both Tommy and the Cubs, and everyone – besides Tommy – are saying the right things, this team may need to find another left-handed bat for the last month and a half of the season.
In the piece by Jesse, La Stella mentions that the only team he wants to play for is the Chicago Cubs, and even considered retirement during the off-season. While Tommy was the odd man out because he had options left, his refusal to report has put the Cubs top brass in a awkward position and just might cause him to be the odd man out – completely.
The Cubs needed the roster flexibility once Chris Coghlan returned off the DL. That isn’t too say Cogs is more valuable to the team than La Stella, he isn’t, but the Cubs had prospects invested in Cogs and with the ability to send Tommy down he gave the Cubs that extra flexibility. But then Tommy got weird…
“I’m a baseball player by profession. My identity is not tied up in that,” La Stella said in a phone interview on Tuesday afternoon.
“That’s not who I am as a person. I don’t need to make every life move centered around my profession, because that’s not who I am. I kind of disassociated with that identity. It felt a lot better to me going out there playing because that’s what I felt in me, not because I felt obligated to do it. It was a lot more enjoyable this year.”
I mean I get it in a sense… my profession (outside of a writing bad sports blog) is sales, but that doesn’t completely define me either. I’m a husband, father, son, brother, mentor, friend, and yes… a bad sports blogger. But there are certain rules, policies, and regulations that I must follow in my profession which allows me to be the best husband, father, son, etc.
This is something that seems to be lost with Tommy, well that and that we aren’t entitled to anything in life. There is a collectively bargained agreement between players and MLB which dictates how teams and players must act. La Stella decided to act outsode of that agreement.
With Tommy literally taking his ball and going home, if he doesn’t report soon the Cubs will need to look towards the waiver wire for another left-handed bat down the stretch.
“In theory, yeah we do have to look for a bat,” Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said Tuesday before a home game against the Angels. “We have to think through things from an organizational standpoint. Having really good left-handed bats off the bench is important for us. We love our depth right now. That might not necessitate a move. Certainly, we have to look for left-handed bats so we are prepared for a good right-handed reliever late in the season.”
The Cubs had hoped La Stella was that bat. The plan would have been to call him back up once September first rolled around, and roster sizes expanded. This could call that into question, and although Tommy is staying in touch with the Cubs, and continuing to workout, he isn’t doing it in Iowa like he’s contracted to do.
What is equally frustrating in this situation Tommy created is, even if the Cubs attempted to add a lefty bat, every team in baseball can block a potential move. With the Cubs owning the best record in the game, any potential trade target must be passed by all 29 other teams before the Cubs could place a claim on a lefty bat.
This fact may cause the Cubs to stand pat and wait out whatever is going to happen with La Stella. Perhaps Coghlan’s bat turns around, but outside of him the Cubs lefty cupboard is pretty bare (off the bench).
While there is little that could derail the cubby train, there is a comfort level in knowing the team is set up for almost any situation that is presented to them. La Stella gave the team comfort late in games facing quality right-handed relievers. Now that comfort is up in the air.
*Additional content courtesy of Bruce Levine and CBS Sports
