New Assistant Hitting Coach for Cubs, Too Much Talent, Farewell to La Stella, and Other Bullets

Social Navigation

New Assistant Hitting Coach for Cubs, Too Much Talent, Farewell to La Stella, and Other Bullets

Chicago Cubs

As noted this morning, today is the tender deadline, so stay tuned for activity around the league, and decisions to be made by the Cubs.

  • At long last, the Cubs have a new assistant hitting coach:

  • Sounds like Yu Darvish is about to have a big year at the plate! In all seriousness, I remember Sledge being well-regarded when he was in the Cubs’ system before he was poached by the Dodgers. In 2015, he would have worked together with now-Cubs-hitting-coach Anthony Iapoce, who ran the minor league hitting program at that time.
  • The Cubs still need to fill out their staff completely, with a vacant pitching coach spot, and a quality control spot that might wind up going to Chris Denorfia.
  • I have jokes to make, but the truth is that there’s a way where this is not a totally crazy take:

  • If you have a particular mix of players, more starting-caliber players than you have spots – especially when they’re young and developing – I could absolutely see that being an overwhelming burden for a manager, and could see it hampering the overall success of the club (despite all the “versatility” and “match-ups”). I get it, and I think it merits discussion.
  • … we haven’t really seen it play out as an issue, though. To my eye, so far in the Maddon era, there really hasn’t been a situation where, for more than half a season, there was a guy that I thought absolutely needed way more playing time and wasn’t able to get it. Indeed, the only time I can recall even starting to think that was with Jorge Soler, but (1) his own health prevented it, and (2) he got it with the Royals and I’m not sure the Cubs really missed out.
  • A farewell from Tommy La Stella. May he rake in Anaheim, and may the Player to Be Named Later be Mike Trout:

  • Mr. Rizzo, I don’t feel so good:

  • Good ready from Sahadev Sharma on the Cubs’ (non)-leadoff problem:

  • “Thank you for the job! You’re fired”:

Filed to: Chicago Cubs
Latest from Bleacher Nation:

Players Reportedly Willing to Mic Up, Play Special Events, Do All-Star Game and Home Run Derby After the Season
Tip Me Over With a Feather: Owners Don’t Like the Players’ Proposal
Cubs Reportedly Looking for Training Sites, Love for Lee, Nationals Players Step Up, and Other Cubs Bullets
Players Submit Their Proposal: 114 Games, Prorated Pay, Expanded Postseason, Deferrals, More (UPDATE)
Baseball Notes: Soft Deadline Tomorrow, How to Make a Deal, the Critical Cubs Spot
Listen, See, Speak Up or Accept It, and Less Important Cubs Bullets
The Bears Just Picked Up $2.8M in Cap Space with a Post-June 1 Cut of Trey Burton
Amin Takes Over, Messed Up Rookie Rankings, Rose’s Emotions, and Other Bulls Bullets
How Matt Nagy Arranged a Visit from the Good Doc and Other Bears Bullets
Oh! So Peyton Manning Was the Bears Mysterious Guest QB Speaker
The NBA Community Speaks Out, Karnisovas Must Set Expectations, Hinrich’s Rating, and Other Bulls Bullets
Report: Adam Amin Will be the New TV Voice of the Chicago Bulls

Author: Brett Taylor

Brett Taylor is the Editor and Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and @Brett_A_Taylor.