The Cubs Can’t Waste This Window, Leal, Mekkes, Giants Move, and Other Bullets

Whatever your political affiliation or interest level or leanings, I think we can all agree that it’ll be nice to get a break from the inundation of political ads that range from brainless, at best, to abhorrent, at worst. (Realizes the presidential primary stuff will start almost immediately) … oh crap.

  • A couple of Theo Epstein quotes from the GM Meetings that underscore how seriously the front office must and will take this offseason:
  • It is correct that the answers here aren’t just “SPEND SPEND SPEND!”, but it is also absolutely correct that the Cubs – among other things – need a sure-fire, consistent impact bat to add to the lineup. And there are some available in free agency this year that will cost a crapload of money. There are so many ways to improve the performance of the team, and the Cubs won’t definitely lose next year because they don’t add a guy like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. But I can say with certainty that if they come out of this window having won only one World Series, and those guys go on to be the impact bats we believe they can continue to be for many years, we will all look back with eyes of judgment, and the Cubs will look back with eyes of regret.
  • More on the decision not to extend Joe Maddon right now:
  • This guy is just continuing his great 2018 season, and really, really pushing for a 40-man roster spot in advance of the Rule 5 Draft:
  • https://twitter.com/MiLB/status/1059917868698136584

  • Leal, 23, missed all of 2017, and got in just 63.2 (very good) innings at High-A this year. His AFL performance is going to make the 40-man decision so very hard for the Cubs, because he’s still a little ways away from realistically being a big league option, but if he got himself fully healthy in 2017 and really turned a corner in 2018 (like it looks like he did), then he’s a prime candidate for a rebuilding club to pick off in the Rule 5 Draft and stash for a year.
  • Also: the Cubs got Leal in a trade for Tony Campana, so I must see him reach the big leagues and succeed for the Cubs. That would be fun.
  • I did know this, but I liked seeing it again nevertheless:
  • You can expect Mekkes to be a non-roster invitee to big league Spring Training this year, where he’ll compete for a bullpen spot out of the chute. Most likely, though, he’ll head to Iowa to start the year, and will be a guy who rides the up-and-down shuttle, with a chance to stick if he looks ready in his big league action.
  • It happened: the Giants officially hired away Farhan Zaidi from the Dodgers to be the top of their baseball operations. That’s gotta sting for the Dodgers, who commendably let Zaidi go – to a bitter rival, no less – for a promotion. Now we find out what the Giants are planning this offseason – more spending and supplementation, or a tear down?
  • It’s going to be nice to see this guy taking the ball every fifth day next year:
  • Oh, Scott Boras:
  • Macbooks, toys, shoes, boots, and more are your Deals of the Day at Amazon.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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