COMMENTARY | Even though the Chicago Cubs are technically only in their third season of reconstruction, the years of mediocrity prior make this rebuilding process feel like it has gone on forever.
Even as our patience meter begins to wane, when you see how the Cubs look at each position you begin to realize that if even some of these prospects pan out, the team isn't all that far from being prepared to compete.
Starting Pitching
Pitching probably isn't the position to begin with if I'm
trying to make you feel better about the Cubs' future chances, but it's
not all bad.
Slowly, the Cubs have started stockpiling what look to be quality arms
for the rotation. The problem being that none of these players project
to be top of the rotation kind of arms. Despite my repeated objections
to signing Masahiro Tanaka, the Cubs do need that top-of-rotation
pitcher (I definitely wouldn't have spent $175 million on him, though).
Jeff Samardzija is the only guy who people seem to think is that kind
of pitcher. Travis Wood keeps getting better, and then the Cubs have a
stadium's worth of fourth or fifth starters -- Jake Arrieta, Chris
Rusin, Carlos Villanueva, Justin Grimm, Edwin Jackson. Pierce Johnson is an intriguing prospect, but probably won't end up elite.
Guys like Arodys Vizcaino
and C.J. Edwards are the cream of the crop in the minors, but it
appears that bullpen work is in the future for Vizcaino, and some have
speculated that even Edwards might be a back-end of the bullpen type of
pitcher at the major league level, which doesn't leave the Cubs with too
much.
Grade: C-
Relief Pitching
Relief Pitching
The Cubs have had a rough go in the bullpen in recent years,
but things are finally starting to look up. Since Vizcaino (and possibly
Edwards) probably won't be starting, they have to be considered quality
candidates for the 'pen.
And take a look at the Cubs' bullpen in the majors already: Pedro Strop, James Russell, Kyuji Fujikawa, Blake Parker, and Jose Veras. Other than Fujikawa and Veras, everyone else is under 30. So long as one of these guys can solidify the closer position with Kevin Gregg out of town, the bullpen might (I said might) be headed for better days.
Grade: B
Catcher
It seems as if the Cubs are relying on Welington Castillo to be the long-term solution at the position. The problem is that it's hard to say whether or not that's a good idea.
He's still only 26 and has shown improvement (.274 in 113 games in 2013), but has had a few nagging injuries over the years and still, now four years since his debut, only amassed 176 games.
That might not be much of an issue if the Cubs had anyone behind him in the minors. You'll find no catchers on the Cubs' top prospects list. No matter who you have, it's always nice to have some type of backup plan.
Grade: C-
First Base
Anthony Rizzo is the guy. The Cubs do have Dan Vogelbach as their second-best prospect at the position, but if Rizzo ends up not being the guy, it will be a big blow to the Cubs' future plans.
He's signed long term, plays top-notch defense, and is still only 24. But until he shores up the offensive inconsistencies, Cubs fans will be nervously looking around for other solutions.
Grade: B
Second Base
Darwin Barney -- you love him or you hate him. And the ratio of love/hate is usually directly contingent on when he's in the field playing Gold Glove defense, and when he's at the plate fighting the Mendoza line.
Things are a little thin at second base directly, but the Cubs have a number of prospects that could make the move to the position -- Arismendy Alcantara most specifically. And since Barney doesn't much look like who you want at the position for the long term, one of the prospects probably will make the move.
Grade: C
Shortstop
Starlin Castro is the guy. They signed him long term, he already has several years experience under his belt, and he is still just 23.
A lackluster 2013 has some questioning just how Castro stacks up for the long haul, but, lucky for the Cubs, they have a treasure trove of talent at the position -- top prospect Javier Baez, specifically.
Some suggest Baez could move to the outfield (or another infield position), but the Cubs have some options here with Alcantara and Baez. When you're rebuilding, options are good.
Grade: A
Third Base
Third base is interesting because while the Cubs have loads of depth in the system, they have no viable option currently playing the position -- Luis Valbuena is the current placeholder.
But behind him the Cubs have Mike Olt, Christian Villanueva, Jeimer Candelario, and Kris Bryant. Bryant is looking more and more like the future at the hot corner for the Cubs, but he is still a little ways off, but Olt (and possibly Villanueva) could fight for the spot in 2014.
Again, depth is good.
Grade: B+
Outfield
The major league club has a number of stopgaps in the outfield -- Ryan Sweeney, Nate Schierholtz, Justin Ruggiano -- but they have some awfully good looking prospects creeping through the minors in Albert Almora and Jorge Soler.
The Cubs also look to have something in Junior Lake, who played well in
his majors debut the second half of 2013. To a lesser extent, Matt
Szczur is still considered a respectable prospect, and they do have Eloy
Jimenez lurking, but he's way too young to know what they have in him yet.
Overall, the outfield looks like a future bright spot.
Grade: A-
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