What In The World Do The Cubs Do Now!?
Via USA Today
With the depressing news that the Chicago Cubs have lost Brandon Morrow for the season, it begs the question, what in the world do the Cubs do now!?
When Morrow went down, Pedro Strop stepped up in a huge way and performed adequately for the team in the closer’s role. But when Strop was lost for the remainder of the regular season, the team needed Morrow’s arm back in the bullpen.
It seemed that the Cubs were sheepish on whether Morrow would return as the team’s sole closer, but it would be hard to use a closer-by-committee approach with the Milwaukee Brewers as close as they are and Morrow sitting in the pen. But all of that is out the door as Morrow is now lost for the season, and it leaves a gigantic hole at the backend and the Brew Crew sitting 2.5 games behind the Cubs.
So where do the Cubs turn?
They have several pitchers in the pen with closing experience. Newcomer Brandon Kintzler had 46 saves between 2016 and 2017. Steve Cishek had 113 saves in his 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016 campaigns. Justin Wilson had 13 saves in the 2017 season.
But would Kintzler or Wilson make anyone comfortable at the backend closing out games for a championship caliber team? Could the Cubs afford to move Cishek from his role to close out games for the last 12 games?
I’m not certain there’s a comfortable answer in that mix.
Maybe the team turns the closing reigns over to a newcomer like Jorge De La Rosa? Except for that whole thing where he has only one career save, which came last week when the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds, and he didn’t exactly impress when he did it either.
There’s Jesse Chavez? He’s been a legit thing since the Cubs acquired him from the Texas Rangers. He doesn’t have a ton of experience closing out games, but his 11 years experience in the big leagues should give him the ability to do it, but again he’s unproven.
Maybe, just maybe, the Cubs look to a youngster like Dillon Maples? Or an even bigger surprise like Allen Webster? Or James Norwood?
I know that’s an odd move this late in a season, but it isn’t unprecedented for a Joe Maddon run team. Looking back at the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, there was an electric young pitcher that came on at the end of the regular season. He pitched so well that he earned himself a spot on the playoff roster. In the biggest game of the Rays’ franchise history, Joe asked the young phenom to finish off the last four outs in Game 7 of the ALCS.
Now sure, that kid was David Price, and Price would go on to become one of the most dominant starters from 2010-2014 (and mostly injured since).
Or maybe, just maybe the team will continue to go with a closer-by-committee?
I sure am glad I don’t have to make the decisions Joe Maddon has to make right now, but he will earn his 2018 salary in these final two weeks of the regular season. In fact, the entire Cubs season might rest on his decisions these next 12 games.
