NEWSLETTER
I am far from a Mitch Trubisky apologist, but I think if we’re honest, we can look at his game on Sunday and admit that he played really well, and that’s why he rated so strongly. It doesn’t mean he was totally mistake-free, and it doesn’t mean he might not struggle against a better defense. I’d need to see outings like that virtually all year for me to think the Bears could commit to him beyond this season. But I’m just saying, there’s no need to ignore the reality that, yes, on Sunday (and in the second half last Sunday), he looked good and generally made good decisions.
On to baseball …
• It’s not just that the benching of Kyle Schwarber worked out on the field last night (two doubles for Schwarber after zero extra-base hits all month), it’s that David Ross knew what buttons he could push with Schwarber. Even right after the yanking, Schwarber was talking up his manager, and then you saw their reaction last night after Schwarber’s second double:
Making his mark.
Schwarber went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI last night. pic.twitter.com/NzdJEpCheI
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 22, 2020
• More love and jokes between the two from after the game:
After getting benched, Kyle Schwarber said he told his Cubs teammates to “not make this a thing” and turn the page: “David Ross is the manager. But he’s also a mentor to me and I have a lot of respect for him. You learn. To be able to joke about it now, it’s just who we are.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) September 22, 2020
Kyle Schwarber: “David Ross – I can speak for the whole team – he’s got our undivided confidence and respect. Knowing that this guy is a leader, this guy is an unbelievable manager, we’re going to do whatever he tells us to do.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) September 22, 2020
David Ross to Kyle Schwarber: “I told him he stretched that first single into a double because he had fresh legs from yesterday.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) September 22, 2020
• More generally, this speaks to how positive things still are in the Cubs clubhouse, and you’re reminded that that is very important this year, especially with a postseason bubble environment coming (well, you hope you make it into the bubble after the opening round, anyway).
• Dan Winkler struck out the side last night in the 9th, which got both me and Bryan looking back at his season, and we are just kinda confused:
This morning in information I don't know what to do with: over the last month, Dan Winkler has thrown 9.2 innings with 11 Ks, only 2 BBs, and only 3 ER.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) September 22, 2020
Breaking down Dan Winkler’s season in thirds is so weird:
First 5 G: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 6 K.
Next 6 G: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K.
Last 5 G: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K.
I don’t know how you can be more confused about who a dude is after 16 outings but here we are.
— Cubs Prospects – Bryan Smith (@cubprospects) September 22, 2020
• We know that Winkler has gotten great results all year, and it’s not that hard to see why his funky delivery combined with his elevated cutter make him very hard to square up. But the peripherals have been so problematic … until recently. So now what? Is he … actually awesome? Is he trustworthy? Because he certainly hasn’t been getting high-leverage innings. Without Rowan Wick, there are going to be more opportunities for righties who get get strikeouts, and Winkler (like a few others) has been that guy lately. But only over a very small sample, in a season that is all one big small sample.
• One other bullpen note: did you catch how Jeremy Jeffress started getting warm for a standard setup 8th inning? The Cubs added runs that inning to take it out of a save situation, but it sure looked like the plan in that moment was to give the 8th to Jeffress and the 9th to Craig Kimbrel. I still love Jeffress at the back end of the bullpen, but I gotta say, I’m pretty OK with him moving back into more of a setup role, because then you can deploy him however and whenever you want.
• Speaking of Jeffress – well, he was on the mound anyway – how about this catch by Billy Hamilton, which he made look completely routine, but totally wasn’t:
Cubs manager David Ross, unsolicited:
"I definitely want to mention Billy Hamilton and how fun that was to watch there in the eighth. That guy can go get it. That was impressive."
Catch probability on this one was 25 percent, per @statcast pic.twitter.com/x8fMcsbciP
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) September 22, 2020
• Hamilton is really more of a one and a half trick pony: the speed is the main thing, yes, but he’s also always been a great defensive outfielder ASIDE from the speed. His read and react is great. Combine that with his speed, and he’s elite. (*Imagines a world where it made sense to have Hamilton and Albert Almora on the roster, and thinks about a late-inning outfield of Almora-Hamilton-Heyward … no balls would drop anywhere.*)
• Jeff Passan has a long final week writeup, and amid the possible chaos in the lower seeds of the postseason race, one thing becomes clear: you’re probably hoping the Cubs match up with the Phillies in the opening round of the playoffs. For one thing, they’ve got injury issues with three of their most important hitters (Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins). For another thing, in order to make the playoffs, the Phillies might have to pitch Aaron Nola on short rest on Saturday, which in turn could impact him in the initial postseason series. Yeah, the Giants are probably the preference even beyond the Phillies, but that’s looking unlikely. Then you’ve got the Reds and Marlins – and their scary pitching – as the other possibilities. I guess the Brewers are in there, too, if they get hot. I’d take that. Devin Williams is terrifying, but he’s about it.
• If the Angels let Billy Eppler go, I hope the Cubs immediately pounce to bring him into their front office in some role:
The Angels could offer a GM Mike Trout, the beach, and an owner who spends. So why do folks around MLB wonder if the job is all that great?
They could let Billy Eppler go and try Dave Dombrowski. Why Dombrowski would have to modify his M.O. in Anaheim:
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) September 22, 2020
• From where I sit, the Angels’ lack of success has more to do with issues at the top – owner Arte Moreno just gets too involved. Meanwhile, when you look at individual successes – great drafting, great trades, young player development – I see a whole lot of good stuff in Eppler’s tenure. Before the Angels he was a long-time Assistant GM with the Yankees. If he winds up having to go back to that kind of role, I really think the Cubs could benefit from bringing him in (among others, since they will likely be transitioning into a post-Theo Epstein world after 2021, so getting some new guys in now could help smooth that out, even if Jed Hoyer becomes the new top dog).
