Its golden ageBabiesBaseball started 2015 with 97 wins, a trip to the NLCS and all kinds of promise. It followed in 2016 with the franchise's first World Series title since 1908. There was a third-seeded trip to the NLCS in 2017 (they had never gone two straight before that), and then 95 wins and a wild-card loss in 2018. But She's Over the golden era with last season's horrific finish that saw them comfortably in a playoff spot on Sept. 5 before going 8-15 the rest of the way?
Well, 2020 will give us our answer a lot.
Ben Zobristleft.
John LesterandAnthony Rizzothey have club options for 2021 and if not taken.
Chris Bryant,Javier BaezandKyle Schwarberare only controlled until 2021,Wilson Contrerasuntil 2022.
Oh, and Joe Maddon is now in Anaheim. David Ross is now the manager of the Cubs.
With some exceptions (egKyle HendricksandJason Heyward), this is basically the entire core of the 2015-18 playoff teams.
If 2020 goes well, one could envision extensions for some of the players listed above and the window of contention remaining open for a while longer on the North Side. If that doesn't happen, a new tool needs to be done which could include letting Lester and Rizzo walk in addition to trading Bryant, Contreras and Schwarber (I don't think Baez ever plays anywhere else).
All that said, yes, 2020 is a big year. How will new manager Ross handle it? Let's dive in.
Win overall view, odds
- View Sportsline 2020:33-27
- World Series Odds (via William Hill Sportsbook):20/1
- 2019 record:84-78
Intended composition
- Kris Bryant, 3B
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Javier Baez, SS
- Kyle Schwarber, LF
- Willson Contreras, C
- Ian Happ, CF
- David Butt, 2b
- Victor Caratini, DH
- Jason Heyward, RF
Bench:IFNico Herner, ANDaniel Xipolitos, ANJason Kipnis, OFSteven Souza, OFAlbert Almora
We can only really be sure of the top five and Heyward here. There will be a lot of rotation in and out, especially with the DH spot. Schwarber, Contreras and Souza figure to look there. Almora will start in center with Happ in left when Schwarber takes the DH. Bryant could also be thrown out to left with Bote at third and Kipnis at second. There are many ways Ross can use this lineup, and several players have great defensive versatility to help.
Anticipated rotation
- Yu Darvish, RHP
- Kyle Hendricks, RHP
- Jon Lester, LHP
- Tyler Chatwood, RHP
- Alec Mills, RHP
Jose Quintanait was pierced in four places,but he cut his thumb while washing the dishes. He will miss the season opener.
Predicted bull
- Closer:Craig Kimbrell, RHP
- Regulation:Rowan Wick, RHP;Kyle Ryan, LHP
- Waist:Jeremy Jeffress, RHP;Brad Vick, LHP,Casey Sandler, RHP,Trevor McGill, RHP,Ryan Tepera, RHP,Dan Winkler, RHP
- Long:mills,Duane Underwood, RHP
They could certainly use a good Kimbrel release to settle things here, no?
From grandpa to boss
David Ross braved 2016 as a player. He homered in Game 7 of the World Series, helping the Cubs win a title and sweep the field. "Grandpa Rossi" got so huge he was on Dancing with the Stars.
Now he's the boss. We heard constant choruses of "how can he handle his friends." We also heard from actual Cubs players that, as a leader in the clubhouse, Ross was somewhat of a disciplinarian. Several players in spring training discussed how they grew complacent with Maddon's approach in the clubhouse last season, and that was their undoing in September. If that's the case, a change of voice was needed, and Ross is much more hands-on in the clubhouse than Maddon was, at least from what I saw in Mesa this spring.
We can't be sure how well Ross manages games, but that's a question for all 30 teams in a 60-game season.
A potentially loaded offense
There is a huge upside to an offense that was fifth in the NL in runs, fourth in OBP and fourth in slugging last year. Bryant, Baez and, to a lesser extent, Rizzo and Contreras have MVP upside with the bat, especially in short runs. Oh, so does Schwarber. Yes, actually. In his final 56 games last season, he hit .304/.395/.663 with 16 homers and 45 RBI.
This is potentially the most powerful five in a line of basketball in all of baseball.
Happ ran a 126 OPS+ after returning from the minors and has been killing the ball this spring, while Caratini and Bote also look slightly above average.
Ultimately, Heyward hit .290/.407/.480 in 31 games before Maddon moved him to the leadoff spot. Heyward hit .301/.363/.481 in 61 games after falling back into the lineup. Could it be as simple as not riding Heyward?
There is some downside here, but not much. Expect the Cubs to be a prolific offense.
Now, about that pitching…
Does the short season help the rotation?
At the age of 36, it appearsthe Hall of Very Good careerof Jon Lester is on life support. He's certainly no longer an ace and looks more like a fifth baseman at times. It happens. Father Time is invincible. The good news here is that Lester doesn't need to be more than a No. 3 starter and also that the shortened season can be good news. He can empty the tank more and not worry about fatigue crushing him in the dog days of August.
Darvish's first two years with the Cubs were full of injury and control issues. Well, until the second half of last season. After the All-Star break, Darvish had a 2.76 ERA with a ridiculous 118 strikeouts against just seven walks in 81 2/3 innings. With a shorter season, once Darvish warms up, expect him to go all out, with velocity, and hit opposing hitters with his full 10-pitch arsenal. However, there has to be some concern about regression to what he was in his first season, a year and a half.
Hendricks has settled into being a very good mid-rotation guy from the ace he was in 2016. And that's fine! But he has to shoulder the load of a No. 1 or a No. 2 this season for the Cubs.
Quintana was a below average pitcher last season. It completely disbanded in September. In five starts, he had an 11.09 ERA and allowed 37 hits in 18 2/3 innings. He allowed opposing hitters to hit over .400 against him. Seriously. Meanwhile, in 36 innings over nine innings -- including four starts -- last season, Mills pitched to a 2.75 ERA with 42 strikeouts and a 1.17 WHIP. It was a small sample, but he flew very well and this season will be a small sample. Mills was terrific in the spring as well, posting a 0.84 ERA and 0.66 WHIP in 10 2/3 innings. However, he has never been great over the course of an entire season and remains a question mark.
And then there's Chatwood, who was an absolute disaster in 2018, leading the majors with 95 walks in 103 2/3 innings. He was very good as a starter and reliever last season. Can he safely return to the rotation? He looked stellar in the spring, but this is spring and it was months ago. It's a big question mark.
There is a way for the rotation to be quality, but one could say that it is collapsing and is among the worst in baseball. The answer generally lies in the middle, but this is only a 60-game season.
Questions abound
Kimbrel was awful last season after finally signing after the draft. Behind it is also a series of question marks. Wick and Wieck looked great for the most part, but they were all small samples. Was Ryan's smoke and mirrors successful or was it real? Can Jeffress be effective again? Will we finally see a second round of Burl Carraway? How about top prospectBrailyn Marquez? He had 128 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings last season, but that was in Class A.
Losing Mills to the rotation also hurts.
Bullpens take on increased importance this season. How the Cubs' fly arms perform and how Ross uses them will ultimately shape the 2020 Cubs.
FAQs
What is the roster for the Cubs? ›
Just 34 games into Willson Contreras' tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team has removed him from the regular catching rotation and will use him primarily at designated hitter and in the outfield.
What was the Chicago Cubs roster in 1984? ›- 33 Porfi Altamirano.
- 42 Rich Bordi.
- 41 Warren Brusstar.
- 43 Dennis Eckersley.
- 39 George Frazier.
- 37 Bill Johnson.
- 38 Ron Meridith.
- 48 Dickie Noles.
CHICAGO — Just when you think the second-year player is ready to slow down, he comes up with another moment to continue his historic start to the 2023 season.
Who is the Cubs number 1 fan? ›Ronnie Woo Woo - Wikipedia.
What new players did the Cubs get? ›Chicago Cubs optioned RHP Keegan Thompson to Iowa Cubs. Chicago Cubs selected the contract of LF Mike Tauchman from Iowa Cubs. Chicago Cubs recalled 3B Edwin Ríos from Iowa Cubs. Chicago Cubs placed RHP Brad Boxberger on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 14, 2023.
Has Willson Contreras caught a no hitter? ›Caught his first career no-hitter, June 24 at the Dodgers...
Why did Willson Contreras get ejected? ›Contreras was ejected from Sunday's game against the Mariners in the top of the fifth inning for snapping his bat after striking out, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
How much does Willson Contreras make per year? › Who is the most famous Cubs baseball player? ›Ernie Banks (1953-1971)
Banks is the all-time Cubs leader in games played (2,528), at-bats (9,421), plate appearances (10,396), total bases (4,706), extra-base hits (1,009), sacrifice flies (96) and intentional walks (202). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Cubs retired his No. 14 in 1982.
Who has the most popular Chicago Cubs jersey? ›
Cubs shortstop Javy Baez is the only Chicago baseball player in the jersey sales top 20.
Who was the Cubs Rookie of the Year in 1989? ›Walton made his major league debut on April 4, 1989 as a Chicago Cub. He was named the 1989 National League Rookie of the Year (the first Cub to be so honored since Ken Hubbs in 1962), playing in 116 games, batting .
What country is Christopher Morel from? ›Morel, another Dominican Republic native, was born a year later, in June 1999. “He's a threat.
Where is Chris Archer playing baseball now? ›| Chris Archer | |
|---|---|
| Earned run average | 3.93 |
| Strikeouts | 1,454 |
| Teams | |
| Tampa Bay Rays (2012–2018) Pittsburgh Pirates (2018–2019) Tampa Bay Rays (2021) Minnesota Twins (2022) | |
Chris Archer, Minnesota Twins, SP - Fantasy Baseball News, Stats - CBSSports.com.
Who is the best Cubs pitcher of all time? ›| 1. | Fergie Jenkins | 2038 |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Carlos Zambrano | 1542 |
| 3. | Kerry Wood | 1470 |
| 4. | Charlie Root | 1432 |
| 5. | Rick Reuschel | 1367 |
The Ricketts family, the sole owners of the Chicago Cubs, have expressed interest in buying Liverpool FC from Fenway Sports Group, an insider has claimed, as the bidding war for the Reds mainly consists of American investors.
How many Cubs players are in the Hall of Fame? ›The Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame Includes 59 Plaques:
Any Cubs recently recognized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame (6)
Craig Kimbrel Traded to White Sox from Cubs Ahead of 2021 MLB Deadline.
Has anyone thrown a no-hitter and lost? ›
But, as always, there are exceptions. On April 23, 1964, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt . 45s became the first pitcher to throw a nine-inning no-hitter and lose. In fact, he is still the only individual to throw an official (nine-inning) no-hitter and lose.
Has anyone ever thrown a no-hitter perfect game? ›Frequency. MLB has recognized 318 no-hitters thrown since 1876, 23 of which were perfect games. Two no-hitters have been thrown on the same day twice: Ted Breitenstein and Jim Hughes on April 22, 1898; and Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela on June 29, 1990. Nine no-hitters were thrown in the 2021 season.
Who is the oldest player with a no-hitter? ›Contents. On the same day that Rickey Henderson broke Lou Brock's all-time steals record, Nolan Ryan made history as well, recording his major league record seventh no-hitter. On May 1, 1991, at the age of 44, Ryan became the oldest player to register a no-hitter.
What baseball player has been ejected the most? ›- Bobby Cox, 162.
- John McGraw, 121.
- Leo Durocher, 100.
- Earl Weaver, 96.
- Tony La Russa, 93.
Boone isn't especially close to the ejection record -- Bobby Cox holds a nearly-unbreakable full season (162 games) of ejections. He amassed that over the course of a 29-year career with the Braves, Blue Jays, and Braves again.
Who has been ejected from the most MLB games? ›- Bold denotes active manager.
- † denotes manager has been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
A different report stated that Contreras said the Cubs offered him a six-year, $24 million extension offer in 2018, per Sports Illustrated's Jack Vita. He ultimately landed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Cardinals in free agency.
Who is the highest paid MLB front office? ›It's generally thought that Joe Maddon, Mike Scioscia, and Bruce Bochy make the most, at $5 million each. Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter, and Don Mattingly follow at $4 million, $3.5 million and $2.5 million. The lowest-paid MLB manager probably makes around $750,000, but it's hard to know for sure.
Was Willson Contreras a top prospect? ›The Cubs notably left Contreras exposed in the Rule 5 draft after the 2014 season, when he had not yet played a game above the A-ball level, and then watched him win a Southern League batting title in 2015 and emerge as one of the game's top prospects.
Are the Cubs more popular than the White Sox? ›Technically speaking, the Cubs fanbase is bigger than the White Sox due to the location of Wrigley Field and also the Cubs franchise being owned by the parent company of the Chicago Tribune.
Who brought a goat to Wrigley Field? ›
In 1973, Billy Goat's nephew and new Billy Goat Tavern owner, Sam Sianis, with the help of Tribune columnist, Dave Condon, brought the goat to Wrigley in an attempt to lift the curse. The goat was escorted to Wrigley in a white limousine, and given a red carpet entrance to the park with a sign saying, “All is forgiven.
Which Chicago sports team has the most fans? ›| Club | League | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | NFL | 61,142 |
| Chicago Cubs | MLB | 41,649 |
| Chicago White Sox | MLB | 40,625 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 21,653 |
Somehow, no Cubs player has ever thrown a perfect game, and there has never been a perfect game at Wrigley Field. Both of those streaks were almost broken on Friday afternoon, but a perfect game bid by Cubs starter Drew Smyly was lost on just about the silliest play possible.
What is the most home runs by a Cubs rookie? ›The 30-year-old has hit 27 home runs in only 84 games with Chicago, while it took Bryant 151 games to accomplish the feat in 2015. Patrick Wisdom's name is going into the Chicago Cubs history books.
Who was the Cubs first baseman in Rookie of the Year? ›Neil Flynn: Okie - Cubs 1st Base
Jump to: Photos (1)
SS Christopher Morel assigned to Chicago Cubs. Chicago Cubs optioned SS Christopher Morel to Iowa Cubs. Chicago Cubs recalled SS Christopher Morel from Iowa Cubs.
Where do Chicago Cubs have spring training? ›Sloan Park, spring training site of the Chicago Cubs - Mesa AZ, 85201.
Is Christopher Morel still on the Cubs? ›Cubs' Christopher Morel enjoying storybook return to majors 'thanks to God' Despite the fact that he played 113 games for the Chicago Cubs in 2022, Christopher Morel found himself back in the minor leagues to start this season.
What is Chris Archer salary? ›Passan added that Archer's contract has a base salary of $2.75 million and a $10 million mutual option with a $750,000 buyout. The 33-year-old veteran had his 2021 season shortened by arm and hip injuries. He pitched in only six games for the Tampa Bay Rays, going 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA.
What's going on with Chris Archer? ›
One of the guys connected to the Braves for a large part of their rebuild was Chris Archer. He was eventually dealt to the Pirates with the Rays absolutely robbing Pittsburgh, as Archer never really lived up to his end of the bargain. Now, he sits in free agency after a so-so 2022 campaign with the Minnesota Twins.
Where is Nolan Jones playing baseball? ›FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Even after a flurry of moves this spring, the Twins still needed another starting pitcher to solidify their rotation picture. They addressed that on Monday, when the Twins agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with free-agent right-hander Chris Archer, with a $10 million mutual option for 2023.
Who is Chris in the archers? ›...
Christopher Carter.
| Fact title | Fact data |
|---|---|
| Played by: | Wilf Scolding |
| Born: | 22 June 1988 |
| Status: | Separated from Alice Carter |
| Occupation: | Farrier |
How does the salary as a Minor League Baseball Player at Chicago Cubs compare with the base salary range for this job? The average salary for a Minor League Baseball Player is $59,437 per year in South Bend, IN, which is 26% lower than the average Chicago Cubs salary of $80,565 per year for this job.
Who is on the 40 man roster? ›Expanded roster. Also called the "40-man roster", the expanded roster is composed of all the players in a Major League club's organization who are signed to a major-league contract.
Who are the Cubs starters this year? ›| Starter | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Wisdom | Christopher Morel | Miles Mastrobuoni |
| Dansby Swanson | Nico Hoerner | Christopher Morel |
| Ian Happ | Mike Tauchman | Christopher Morel |
| Cody Bellinger IL10 | Mike Tauchman | Christopher Morel |
Bullpen Catcher Isn't Paid Much
They typically receive between $50,000 and $75,000 annually as part of their contract with their team. Bullpen catchers are often called upon to protect starting pitchers from injury and provide support on the field during games.
Bat Boy salary in MLB varies according to MLB teams. The average salary of a bat boy is $10-$15 per hour. A typical working day for a bat boy is about eight to nine hours. Also, they get to work on home games only, which brings the total number of games to 81.
Who is the highest paid Chicago Cub? ›
Cubs' Updated Lineup, Payroll After Reported Dansby Swanson $177M contract.
What Cubs player has the most home runs? ›As of October 2022, Sammy Sosa tops the ranking of the Chicago Cubs all-time home run leaders with 545 home runs throughout his career. Sosa is followed within this ranking by Ernie Banks with a total of 512 home runs recorded throughout his career.
What is a rule 5 player? ›Selection eligibility
Players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft if they are not on their major league organization's 40-man roster and: were 18 or younger on the June 5 preceding their signing and this is the fifth Rule 5 draft upcoming; or.
Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season.
How long can an MLB team keep a player in the minors? ›Players typically have three option years, but those who have accrued less than five full seasons (including both the Major and Minors) are eligible for a fourth if their three options have been exhausted already.
Do the Cubs have a minor league team? ›The Chicago Cubs farm system consists of seven Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four teams are independently owned, while the Arizona Complex League Cubs and the two Dominican Summer League Cubs teams are owned by the major league club.
Who is the Cubs minor league team? ›Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa remain Cubs affiliates. The Iowa Cubs have been a Cubs minor-league team since 1981, the third-longest such relationship between any MLB and MiLB team (Braves and Gwinnett, formerly Richmond, since 1965, and the Royals with Omaha since 1969 are the others).