JOY LUCK CUBS
After perfect 2016, defending champs have some questions
MESA, Ariz. — No team is being hurt less by the World Baseball Classic than the Cubs, with Javier Baez the only member of the expected 25-man roster currently absent from major league camp.
Anyone else tired of everything going right for the Cubs?
Sure, sure, they had to suffer through 100-plus years of billy goats, black cats and Bartman. But come on, the worse thing that happened to the 2016 Cubs occurred three games into the season when Kyle Schwarber ripped up his left knee.
This being the 2016 Cubs that actually helped clarify their overcrowded outfield and eventually get it to where Baez played second, a final touch to make them one of the great defensive teams ever. Plus, Schwarber defied every medical prognostication — and logic — to come back to excel in the World Series.
It was the last time the Fall Classic would be decided by who won the All-Star Game, so four games were played in the AL stadium with a DH, three of which were won by the Cubs, in part because Schwarber was the DH. Game 7 in Cleveland had the magical 17-minute Game 7 rain delay with the score tied after seven innings, which allowed Chicago to mentally regroup after Aroldis Chapman blew the lead.
Schwarber led off the winning rally in the 10th to make a winner of Chapman, who was available as the finishing piece for the Cubs only because the Yankees were trade dead- line sellers for the first time in a quarter of a century.
“Besides Schwarber, we were really healthy last year, especially in our rotation, and we played really well, and it just doesn’t happen every year,” Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said. “Even if you have the best team, you need so much to go right to win.”
The Cubs have the best team again. So what could go wrong this year?
1. Mental hangover
No recent champion was quite hailed like this last one — such is the euphoria when you wait 108 years to express it. But all involved insist this club is focused on 2017, not basking in last season.
“We haven’t turned the dial up yet,” manager Joe Maddon said. “We will do that with 10 days left before the season, but everything I have seen is guys are in shape, the vibe is good and the work is spectacular.”
2. Physical hangover
The Cubs did not only go to Nov. 2 last year (the game actually ended on Nov. 3), but played in the NLCS in 2015. Between the regular and postseason, Jake Arrieta has combined to throw 468 ¹/₃ innings the past two years, Jon Lester 468¹/₃, John Lackey 429 ²/₃ (he made the playoffs with the Cardinals in ’15) and Kyle Hendricks 404. Lackey is 38. Lester 33.
Pitching coach Chris Bosio said the starters are being “slow played” — backed off from heavy throwing early, in particular. In addition, the Cubs intend to be more aggressive with a sixth starter, with Brett Anderson likely being No. 5 and Mike Montgomery bouncing between relief and starts.
3. Arrieta’s contract
The big righty is in his walk year. The Scott Boras client and the Cubs are not talking seriously, and all indicators are he will enter free agency after this season. Cubs officials do not anticipate tension/ distraction forming during the season.
4 . No David Ross
He retired after last season and is set to appear on “Dancing With the Stars.” Ross was Lester’s security blanket, a bond formed in 3¹/₂ seasons as teammates with the Red Sox and Cubs. Lester has well-known throwing problems to bases, and Ross was good at nursing him throwing psychologically and using his strong arm to negate some of the issues.
Now, Lester will be teamed mostly with Willson Contreras, who is entering his second season. Contreras also has a powerful arm, but not Ross’ savvy.
“Jon knows David is not here and that Willson needs him more than Jon needs Willson’s help,” Maddon said. “I see a man who will take charge of this and make it work.”
5. Will Jason Heyward hit?
After signing an eight-year, $180 million contract, Heyward was one of the majors’ worst hitters (seven homers, .631 OPS). No one ever questioned his commitment or work ethic, and he spent most of the offseason in Arizona with Cubs hitting coach Eric Hinske trying to make his swing more economical and get the ball in the air more. Cubs people say they are seeing the results, which of course they want to get Heyward’s great defense in the lineup daily — plus return on their investment.
But one scout who has seen Heyward a few times this spring said, “They took the most complicated swing in the game and made it less complicated, but there is still a lot going on there, and I don’t think he can be consistent with it.”
6. Can Schwarber play left?
Cubs officials say too many people remember Schwarber’s problems against the Mets in the 2015 NLCS, and that the reality is he is a dedicated worker and a good athlete who will be average in left — which is all that will be needed with Albert Almora and Heyward in center and right.
“People are surprised when I make a catch,” Schwarber said. “I am supposed to make the catch, and right now I feel like I am running well, taking good routes and feeling like I will make all the plays.”
7. Can Almora handle center?
The Cubs let their leadoff-hitting center fielder Dexter Fowler leave to free agency. They signed veteran Jon Jay to play against tough righties and as insurance. Maddon insists Almora, 22, will hit and even have some power.
“We can’t give up using our system just because we have won now,” Hoyer said. “This is how we got here.”
8. Is there enough playing time?
Before Schwarber went down, the Cubs’ plan after signing Fowler in spring 2015 was for those two plus Jorge Soler to start 7 of 10 games and Heyward to start 9 of 10. Now, they have Schwarber, Almora, Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Baez for the three outfield spots and second base.
Maddon said these matters usually work themselves out. But if everyone is healthy, Zobrist figures to lose the most playing time, in part because he turns 36 in May and has played to the end of the World Series each of the past two seasons. Maddon said he already has talked some to Zobrist about it, but that he plans on keeping his entire positional crew fresh and with open lines of communications.