Kyle Schwarber as the Cubs’ Internal Answer to Bryce Harper? And Other Bullets

FIERCE headache this morning of the kind that Tylenol is not aiding. Was my milkshake last night too large? Too much sugar before bed? I REJECT THESE EXPLANATIONS.

  • More on the Cubs’ bench coach search from Bruce Levine, who also notes Dodgers special assistant Raul Ibanez as a possibility, and also internal options like High-A manager Buddy Bailey and AA manager Mark Johnson. Although it makes a lot of sense to go with an internal option at this stage of the offseason, it’s also tricky because then you’re disrupting another important part of the system.
  • Kyle Schwarber as the Cubs’ internal Bryce Harper, thus obviating the need to sign Harper? Well, sir, I would not go that far myself, but you can read about the Cubs’ high hopes for Schwarber here. Certainly there is more potential in Schwarber’s bat, and I still believe he could be an elite hitter as soon as this season. But, keep in mind, for two guys who are about the same age, Harper has done quite a bit more in his big league career:
  • Just for funsies, though, things tighten up quite a bit if you look only at 2018:
  • To be clear, though, I really don’t buy Harper’s tanked defense in 2018, and I also think that was about as huge as Schwarber’s defense will ever show to the metrics (hence the close WAR between the two). The offensive lines are still considerably disparate, and Harper did it over 185 more plate appearances. Also, Steamer loves Harper at the plate for next year (.267/.399/.527, 147 wRC+) and only likes Schwarber (.241/.354/.477, 119 wRC+).
  • If the Cubs could find a way to add Harper, having Schwarber in the house is not a reason not to do it, especially when it’s not like it has to be a one-to-one replacement. Harper’s presence would more likely simply shift Jason Heyward more frequently to center field, and Albert Almora and Ian Happ (if they were both still around) would rotate in and out in left field and center field as match-ups dictate. That’s a freaking baller group of outfielders.
  • Also, then Schwarber and Harper could go to the Home Run Derby Finals as teammates.
  • I’m not sure this means what you think it means (but I do think they are obviously rivals):
  • Based on the list of things Googled, and how people use the Google machine, I tend to think the high placement simply means Chicagoans don’t really know much of anything about the Brewers (not that they’re obsessed with them).
  • Again, though: it’s a rivalry. I’ve felt like it’s been a pretty hot rivalry for a good long while, and the fact that the Brewers are in a very competitive place – ditto Cubs – only ratchets things up. I thought Cole Hamels’ rivalry line was funny, but nothing more than that.
  • #AtCubs and Trevor Bauer had some fun:
  • Stuff and things will happen, I’m sure:
  • Speaking of deals, it’s last-minute deals time at Amazon, which is basically like deals of the day, but there are so many of them.
  • 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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