Week in Review: Cubs Arrive in Japan with Their Work Cut Out for Them

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The Cubs arrived in Japan just days ago and it already seems like the party could go on for months. If that's to be the case, the Cubs had better find a rhythm fast.

Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

After an early start but (still) an abbreviated buildup to regular-season baseball in their respective spring training camps, the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are set to square off in their special two-game series. First, though, both clubs took the field in exhibition play against teams from Nippon Professional Baseball. I surmise this season will be a special one, but it's going to take some work. 

Playing under the bright lights of the Tokyo Dome, Craig Counsell's club was greeted by singing, dancing, painstakingly created signs, and all other attractions familiar to the most faithful Wrigley regulars. After getting no-hit through five innings in a 3-0 loss to the Hanshin Tigers, the Cubbies tapped into some impressive pitching of their own early Sunday morning against the Yomiuri Giants. They got good work from starter Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd, who combined for over eight innings of work. It wasn't lethal stuff on the mound, but they danced out of trouble—and just as importantly, their supporting defense was clean. 

If what you want out of these friendly matches, and spring at large, is development from the youngsters, you got it. Third baseman Matt Shaw looked alert, made crisp throws, and even delivered a clutch RBI knock against the Giants. Gage Workman, an individual in dire need of a good nickname from either Obvious Shirts or the Wrigley bleachers, smacked an RBI single to shallow right field on a 1-0 count. Instances like this give us a glimpse into the inner mental workings of a ball club that appears starved for success. Much can be made of the squad acquiring players with a lack of splash or brand recognition, but what's paramount to notice at this early point of the season is that what the Cubs have right now is a team, not a collection of players who are just in it for the free lattes across the street at Do-Rite Donuts and Chicken. Each move is executed with a purpose.

In under 48 hours, the business trip reaches its apex. The North Siders will send ace Shota Imanaga to the mound opposite Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers, with the world watching. Reaching to gather meaning from this experience, it's clear: The Cubs are on a mission to rectify years of futility. The club has felt disappointment or failure in some fashion each year since the 2016 core was dismantled. This is a new team—one with its own identity, and one that feels ready.

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