The Cubs Really Need Left-Handed Power, Sammy Request, Breakout Prospects, and Other Cubs Bullets

I may not have relented yet on the early Christmas music, but I did on the lights. Yes, the lights are now up at our house and we turned them on last night for the first time of the season. Get out the yule log, I guess.

•   I offer this only because it’s really how it happened, not because I’m trying to prove what a giant dork I am (you already know). I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking about the Cubs’ position player needs. No joke. And specifically, I was thinking about how little left-handed power the Cubs have presently or coming soon. It’s actually pretty alarming when you start thinking about it: all of the power bats on the big league roster except Ian Happ are right-handed. The top upper-level power bats in the minors are Brennen Davis, Nelson Velazquez, and Christopher Morel, also right-handed. The lefty bats the Cubs will otherwise have available are not locks to contribute AND not power bats (Rafael Ortega, Alfonso Rivas, Jared Young, Greg Deichmann, etc.). I mean, the ONE big-time power bat you could even find in the top set of prospects is Owen Caissie, and he only just reached Low-A.

•   As we talk about lineup diversity, we’ve often focused on the need for more high-contact bats in the lineup. But boy howdy do the Cubs need some left-handed power in the mix, too. And fast. Although he wasn’t talking about lefty thumpers specifically, consider the reminder from Jed Hoyer this week, via The Athletic:

“I know that’s been a common complaint of our teams — that they haven’t made enough contact — which has been fair,” Hoyer said. “But the overwhelming stats in the postseason (show) teams that out-homer their opponents win games. Having Nico (Hoerner) and (Nick) Madrigal in the lineup is a nice start. (Frank) Schwindel is really good at making contact. There’s always a tendency to overcompensate when you have an issue that you struggle with and go the other way. But we can’t lose sight of the fact that power wins games.”

•   Very well put. Don’t overcompensate too far in the other direction, and make sure your lineup diversity features contact, but also power, but also lefty-righty balance, but also the ability to hit different types of pitches well, etc. Time to fold that into my thinking on where the Cubs need to make their additions, and also to keep on pushing for Kyle Seager. And maybe his brother, too.

•   In the non-shockingest managerial news ever, the Giants have tacked on a couple more years to Gabe Kapler’s deal after he and his staff emerged as a perfect fit for the front office and players there. Things obviously did not work out with the Phillies, where I would put most of the blame on the unsettled front office there (did you read the article on just how bad things had gotten?), but it’s also probably a little bit of a managerial fit isn’t perfect in every situation.

•   Former long-time Cubs exec Jason McLeod is exploring his options out there with a few teams in unspecified roles (NBCSC), but it doesn’t sound like he’s in a huge rush to land somewhere after spending virtually all of his time previously with either Theo Epstein or Jed Hoyer or both. This is a wholly new opportunity for him.

•   Toys and pet gifts and cameras and books and laundry stuff and more are your Early Black Friday Deals at Amazon. #ad

•   The Northside Bound crew considered which Cubs prospects rocketed up the lists most this year, and what’s most incredible is how many plausible names there are. I mean, Nelson Velazquez doesn’t even make the list of five, and it’s not absolutely crazy that he didn’t! Instead, it’s Kevin Made, Owen Caissie, Max Bain, D.J. Herz, and Ryan Jensen. All fair. I think I would swap out Velazquez for Jensen, both because I was already pretty high on Jensen and also because his uneven year (stretches of unusability and stretches of complete unhittability) leaves me with the same starter/reliever questions we’ve long had, so he might actually fall a click or two in my rankings (because of the infusion of talent and other climbers). The other four, though, made enormous leaps in the rankings from this time last year until now.

•   Sometimes you get too close to something and forget how cool it was. I mean, the guy hopped every time he knew he got one. We took it for granted, but that was some cool shit:

•   Speaking of which, Willson Contreras wasn’t hiding his thoughts on a Cubs legend being estranged, still, from the organization:

•   Remember when it snowed at Wrigley Field and some fun players had some fun:

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.

more cubs news

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

Latest News

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres (2-1) host Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch...

Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The St. Louis Cardinals (0-1), led by Paul Goldschmidt, visit Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) at 10:10 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Los Angeles play St. Louis...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Houston Astros (0-1), with Cristian Javier on the mound, will host the New York Yankees (1-0), who will send out Carlos Rodon, at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

Rays vs. Blue Jays: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

more cubs news