HITTING THEIR PRIDE
Cubs feeling good about their lineup on both sides of ball
SCHWARBER’ S RETURN MITIGATES THE LOSS OF FOWLER
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Cubs head into the winter meetings Monday with less urgent business than they’ve had during any offseason in recent memory in which they’ve had championship aspirations.
It’s not just because they return much of their World Series roster. And it’s certainly not because they expect to repeat their 2016 success by showing up with the same mix.
Mostly, it’s because they think they have a lineup even more potent than the 808- run, second in-the- National League group of 2016, even with the loss of leadoff man Dexter Fowler to free agency. It’s also because they might have a better collective set of fielders to prevent runs, especially after
the addition last week of platoon center fielder Jon Jay.
‘‘ Right now, we can go play from an offensive standpoint and feel very good about our group,’’ general manager Jed Hoyer said just before traveling to the meetings.
The Cubs plan to continue to spend most of their time looking for pitching depth, working the trade market for controllable starters and the free- agent market for bullpen help ( Brad Ziegler?).
But their lineup might be getting better as they speak to agents and other teams about pitching. Just count the ways:
1. Kyle Schwarber is the biggest reason. The 2015 playoff hero, who outdid himself with a dramatic World Series return froma seasonlong knee injury ( 7- for- 17 with three walks in four games as a designated hitter), likely will open next season as the Cubs’ No. 2 hitter.
Schwarber, a left- handed slugger with on- base skills, might share a little playing time in left field, but he should start most games and provide a major boost of firepower after missing all but two regular- season games in 2016.
Hoyer said the Cubs are discussing the likelihood of sending Schwarber on a winterball assignment to get him some much- needed at- bats now that he has reached the significant eight- month mark since his reconstructive surgery.
‘‘ Just his presencematters, how everybody feeds off him,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘ All those ancillary benefits are hard to evaluate in advance, but I think you’re going to feel them next year.’’
2. Willson Contreras will take over as the No. 1 catcher, which will improve the position offensively and defensively over 2016. ( David Ross is retiring, and Miguel Montero will assume a backup/ mentor role.)
Excluding Contreras, who made his major- league debut in June, the Cubs’ other catchers hit .219 with 35 extra- base hits in 438 at- bats in 2016. As a rookie, Contreras hit .282 with 27 extra- base hits and an .845 OPS in 252 at- bats.
‘‘ He’s made progress in probably every area of the game,’’ saidMaddon, who leaned on Contreras for fiveWorld Series starts. ‘‘ He’s definitely the kind of a guy that’s going to handle a heavy workload behind the plate.’’
3. The Cubs set aWorld Series record with six players in one game younger than 25. One of them, Kris Bryant, won the National League MVP award. Another, Javy Baez, was the NL Championship Series MVP. A third, Addison Russell, was the NL’s starting shortstop in the AllStar Game. You get the idea.
‘‘ These guys are going to keep getting better,’’ Maddon said.
4. It doesn’t seem possible that Jason Heyward will be as bad offensively as he was in 2016.
Heyward admitted late in his career- worst offensive season (. 631 OPS) that he might have pressed under the weight of his desire to play well for the first team he was able to choose to play for. But he won a Gold Glove in right field in the first year of his eight- year, $ 184 million deal and was to get with hitting coach John Mallee in an effort to rebuild his mechanics.
‘‘ He’s a big part of our future,’’ Maddon said.
5. The addition of promising Albert Almora Jr. in center field ( with Jay sharing time) should be a defensive upgrade at that position. That will add to the upgrade the Cubs expect from Contreras behind the plate and the anticipated upgrade they expect from increased playing time for Baez at second base.
Who will lead off? Assuming decent health and reasonable projections for the young guys, who cares? Maddon should have enough mix- and- match options.
‘‘ Right now we can go play from an offensive standpoint and feel very good about our group.’’ Jed Hoyer, Cubs general manager