For Chicago sports, we've become synonymous with nicknames for less than stellar front office cores. We've had former Bulls General Manager Gar Forman and Vice President John Paxson aka "GarPax." We have current General Manager Marc Eversely and Executive Vice President Arturas Karnisovas aka "AKME." Former White Sox Executive Vice President Kenny Williams and General Manager Rick Hahn were just....Kenny and Rick. It may be time to add to the list with current Cubs President Jed Hoyer and General Manager Carter Hawkins aka "HoyKins."
Lackluster roster construction due to penny-pinching, a woeful bullpen, inadequate production from the offense and dreadful defense has this underachieving Cubs team in fourth place (33-36) 7.5 games below the first place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. They lead MLB in one run games with 28 and have lost eight of their last nine series.
"HoyKins" didn't legitimately address their questionable bullpen issues and now they're truly paying the price. Julian Merryweather was placed on the 60 day IL in early April, free agent signee Yency Almonte was placed on the 15 day IL on May 11 and closer Adbert Alzolay was transferred from the 15 to 60 day IL as of May 13. The Cubs are third in the league in blown saves with 15 and when you're dependent on Tyson Miller, Porter Hodge and Colten Brewer in high leverage situations, you made the bed and now you have to lay in it.
And yes, injury happens but no, we're not gonna use it as an excuse. The Brewers have not one, not two but three starting pitchers out for the season due to injury and their all-star closer Devin Williams hasn't thrown a pitch.
Let's not forget (or maybe we should) about the decision to sign Garrett Cooper to a one-year minor league contract instead of signing a proven bopper like J.D. Martinez to bolster a lineup that was presumed to be a division contender. Instead, Cooper made the 40-man roster out of spring training and was DFA'd 22 games into the season with Patrick Wisdom returning from injury and the promise of prospect Matt Mervis.
Wisdom sports a .197 batting average with 14 hits, 3 home runs, 26 strikeouts and a below average OBP of .293 in 71 at-bats. HoyKins saw enough of Mervis as he was dispatched back to Iowa after 26 AB's where he collected 3 hits and 3 RBI with a .115 BA and .148 OBP. He's shown he can shine in Triple-A..."The Show" is a different animal.
But Wisdom and Mervis aren't the only Cubs to struggle mightily.
Not a single Cub is hitting over .270 and Cody Bellinger, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner are the only ones above .250. Former all-star and 2x gold glove winner Ian Happ is at .215, the hobbled $177 million dollar man Dansby Swanson at .221 and Christopher Morel (who we'll get to more thorough) brings up the rear at .205. Swanson has a career low .292 OBP and Happ is striking out once in every 3 at-bats.
Then, there's Seiya Suzuki, who some projected to be the Cubs best player in the 2024 season. Suzuki missed the start of the 2023 campaign and close to a month this season with an oblique strain which slowed him down a bit. The OPS (.805) and SLG (.473) are there but the eye test is telling me something is missing. Maybe it's the mental confidence because a guy with that size, strength and ability should have much more impact.
A serious trouble spot for the Cubs is behind the plate. Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya have a combined .170/.217/.300 slash with 39 hits, 21 RBI and 68 strikeouts. Amaya has allowed 39 stolen bases while throwing out 5 for a .114 caught stealing percentage which is an MLB low. The only option is to look for outside assistance. Elias Diaz and his 303/.352/.439 looks pretty good as the 33 year old catcher is spending the last of his better days withering away with one of the worst organizations in baseball in the Colorado Rockies. Diaz has allowed 26 stolen bases and thrown out 11 runners for a .297 percentage. UPGRADE.
If there was a team MVP after 69 games, the starting pitching would get the nod but the fact that outfielder Mike Tauchman may well be in the running says all you need to know. No disrespect to Tauchman at all as he's been one of the few constants for manager Craig Counsell. Whether he's hitting in the leadoff spot grinding out at-bats or filling in for an outfield plagued by injury, he's earned his keep.
The Cubs have been uncharacteristically sloppy defensively. The miscues plagued Gold Glovers Happ, Swanson and Hoerner early in the season which led to a trickle-down effect. They're 11th in the league in errors (39) and runs allowed per game (4.50) and below league average in fielding percentage (21st at .894) and defensive efficiency. (20th at .693) "We've been burned by not capitalizing on outs," said Counsell who's in his first season at the helm.
Now, allow me to define "utility player": A player who can play multiple positions on the field, usually well enough to be above average in many areas. They can be a valuable asset to a team, providing flexibility for managers to optimize their lineup or cover for injuries.
You wanna know what made 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist a commodity? He was a high IQ guy that could be counted on in crucial moments with the ability to fill the void in any situation.
Back to Christopher Morel.
In no way, shape or form am I comparing a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion and proven veteran in Zobrist to a talented but still wet behind the ears Morel but hear me out!
Can he play multiple positions on the field?? Yes.
Can he play them well enough to be above average in many areas? The above average part is looking shaky but there's still time and for a team that's at the bottom of Major League Baseball (26th) in defensive runs saved, I'd say it can't get much worse. Last year he played 19 games at second base, 5 at third base, 2 at shortstop, 8 in left field, 12 in centerfield and 8 in right field. Hoerner, Swanson, Happ, Bellinger and Suzuki have all been sidelined this season.
Morel's favorable athleticism, significant power, plus arm and infectious energy had him primed for a breakout 2024 season. Being given the opening day nod and everyday third base gig by manager Craig Counsell has taken it's toll on Morel...on both sides of the ball.
Defensively Morel is tied for second in MLB in errors at 3rd base with 8 in 116 total chances, (Phillies Alec Bohm leads the league with 10 in 227 total chances) yields a .931 fielding percentage which is second lowest in MLB and is last in the league in defensive runs saved at third base.
Offensively Morel has struggled with a below average .314 OBP and .393 SLG. He's shown growth at the plate staying in his zone and not chasing the off-speed pitch. He does have 13 home runs and 40 RBI and is always a threat that lives for the moment in clutch situations. He told me at the end of the 2022 season at American Family Field in Milwaukee that "I will do whatever is best for the team but my favorite position on the field is third base."
What's best for this team would be the ability for Morel to not have the daily concern and grind of proving his worth at the hot corner and just being the best baseball player he can be. There was an easy fix for this as four-time Gold Glove and two-time Platinum Glove Award winner Matt Chapman lingered in free agency for roughly four months until the San Francisco Giants coveted his services.
Following in the footsteps of fellow Scott Boras client Cody Bellinger, Chapman signed a three-year $54 million dollar deal that Boras refers to as a "pillow contract" with opt outs after the first and second seasons.
Chairman Tom Ricketts and President Jed Hoyer continue to operate like a small market team that has a sub $100 million dollar payroll that tries to persevere and stay competitive year in and year out instead of operating like the third largest market in sports.
"When people say a small market mentality, they're talking about trying to find value in deals and undervalued players," Hoyer said back in January. Jed has never given big spender vibes in his three years in charge and from the looks of things with 93 games left in the regular season, the only fix looks to be to go over the first threshold of the competitive balance tax and find some help outside.
At 5 years/$40 million,"HoyKins" made Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. It's been too small of a sample size to give a full evaluation but in short, it's time to display some of his superpowers he was notorious for in his eight years as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.
One thing is for certain, the Cubs have 99 problems and David Ross ain't one.
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