Brandon Glick

This is a take I can't defend. What do you want the guy to do? Post a 1.500 OPS? Hit a home run every single game? By wRC+, he's been 40% better than the average than the average hitter across all of Triple A (park adjusted) for a month. Source: Again, he's far from a finished product. But this kid can clearly hit the ball. A 1.000 OPS coming off multiple major injuries speaks to his potential.

This is an awesome analysis and a great point about Canario's skillset. What I want to be sure is clear is that IF Canario were to come up, he would be HEAVILY match-up protected, much in the same way Wisdom has been the last 2+ months. He'd almost never be in the lineup against righties, and lefties with good changeups (a pitch Canario has struggled with for some time) would probably keep him on the bench too. Calling up the 28th man in September during a playoff race isn't about finding the next every day starter - it's about finding someone who fills a very specific need on a roster already built to compete. There are plenty of options at Iowa, PCA among them. But if the issue with PCA (in general) is that he's redundant on a team with great outfield defense and good speed, Canario fits the mold being a slugger with a great eye.

This is mostly what I've been getting at - Canario still has a ton of development left in the minors, but he's hitting right now. The Cubs chose to buy at the deadline and need to reinforce this team however they can, even if their chances of winning the world series remain marginally slim. If Canario is the hottest hitter in the system in two weeks time, and the lineup is continuing to be desperate for power, there's a case to be made for someone with his skillset as a bench/platoon option.

IF Boxberger is healthy, then I think he'll be first choice. If only because of his former major league success. But I'd love to see Little get his shot if they think he's ready. He's a DUDE.

Maybe you should keep talking bad about him - he's using you as motivation😅

Oh absolutely PCA is as ready as anyone - I think Canario might just fit better as a lefty-masher. But PCA is the guy I'll clamor for most

They only get two extra roster spots in September, and only one of which can be a pitcher. There is no way the Cubs don't add to the pen, especially with how taxed all their arms currently are.

Absolutely valid take on Canario. His development is the most important factor in play. But the Cubs stink against left-handed pitching (they have a 90 wRC+ against them since the all-star break). Canario could platoon/pinch-hit and still draw enough playing time to learn the ins-and-outs of the majors. And his position of already being on the 40-man is a huge leg up in his favor.

I tend to think this is what the Cubs will actually do. It's really just a question of if the Cubs want Perlaza on the 40-man all offseason (as opposed to taking the chance and trying to resign him as a priority minor league free agent).

He certainly has high strikeout numbers - it's just a part of his game no doubt. But this Cubs team actually won't be burned by that. All of Madrigal, Happ, Hoerner, Swanson, Bellinger and even Seiya have above-average contact rates. A little trade-off for some extra pop (like Morel is) could balance out the lineup. Plus the team is just horrendous against lefties right now, and Canario crushes them.

In September, the Cubs roster will expand to 28 players. What should the Cubs do with those precious extra roster spots in the heat of a playoff race? Image courtesy of © Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK Right off the bat, we should note that the Cubs will add one pitcher and one hitter once the calendar flips to September. Among the possibilities, there are some high-profile players currently on the injured list who may be healthy enough to return in time for the stretch run. That group is highlighted by a quintet of pitchers: Marcus Stroman, Brandon Hughes, Brad Boxberger, Nick Burdi, and prospect Ben Brown. The middle three in that list could prove exceptionally valuable to a bullpen that is already overtaxing its best arms, while Stroman and Brown have a chance to make some critical starts in the final series or two of the season. However, the 14th pitcher on the roster is not the focus for today. Instead, I want to hone in on the extra bat the Cubs will be able to add. Miraculously, the Cubs have no positional prospects on the injured list with any proximity to the major leagues at the moment, meaning that they should be able to choose among their treasure trove of talented bats at Triple-A Iowa (Brennen Davis is on the 40-man roster and currently on a rehab assignment, but he’s lightyears away from his MLB debut as he tries to overcome the injuries that have plagued him this year and last). The case for Pete Crow-Armstrong has already been made (and in the comments on that article, the case for Matt Mervis was debated as well), and indeed, I do think PCA is the best option for the Cubs at the moment, given his elite defense, speed, and red-hot bat. However, this Cubs team isn’t lacking in those departments: they rank 6th in stolen bases in the majors and have numerous gold glovers patrolling spots in both the infield and outfield. What these Cubs need is power. The team ranks 13th in home runs and 11th in slugging, though even those middling rankings are boosted by the 22-12 stretch the team has had since the All-Star break (which has featured more than a couple of pseudo-batting practices against opposing position players on the mound in blowouts). Assuming Mervis isn’t getting the call with Jeimer Candelario blocking his path at first base, the Cubs will have a few options from among whom to pick. Both Yonathan Perlaza and Jake Slaughter lead the Iowa Cubs with 19 home runs, and Perlaza especially deserves a look following his breakout year (and .945 OPS). But what if the Cubs want to go for broke, throwing caution to the wind as they hunt down a Wild Card spot? I rise to speak for Alexander Canario, he of true 60-grade (or better) power and hitter of 37 home runs (across three levels) last season. If you’ve kept up at all with the farm system over the last 12 months, you know Canario’s deal. He was engaged in a wicked race with Mervis for the home run crown among all minor leaguers last season, before a devastating injury in winter ball shelved him until the middle of July. There were myriad questions regarding how he’d look upon his return, as he tried to maintain the elite athleticism that generated so much easy torque and power in his swing while recovering from upper- and lower-body injuries. Those questions are still there, but there have been positive signs recently. Though he’s posted a meager .753 OPS in 28 games (~125 at-bats) at Iowa, he’s hit four homers, and they have certainly not been cheap ones. His power--his true carrying tool--is still there, even if he’s working through plenty of rust and understandable timing issues. And the work he’s putting in is already paying dividends: In August, Canario has hit three of his home runs and posted an .848 OPS in just 62 at-bats. Canario, like Perlaza, is a true corner outfielder, though his 60-grade arm (his other high-end tool) makes him better suited for right field than his Iowa teammate. PCA, meanwhile, is a center fielder through and through, though his immaculate glove will play well anywhere there’s grass. The final consideration to this whole equation is the 40-man roster crunch: the Cubs currently have 38 players on the roster, with five more players (all pitchers) on the 60-day IL (who do not account for a spot on 40-man until they are activated off of the Injured List). Want to guess which of the three outfielders listed above is already on the 40-man? It’s Canario. It may seem haphazard and a little short-sighted to bring a prospect who’s only just returning from a career-threatening injury up to the big leagues in the midst of a playoff push, but come on. Have you seen what this guy does to baseballs? Even if only as a right-handed power bat off the bench, or a platoon or matchup protection for one of the everyday starters, Canario can offer this Cubs team some value in a space in which it’s not particularly dominant. The Cubs already blew our minds by electing to buy at the deadline; why not keep the good times rolling? And by “good times”, I mean bring moonshots like these to Clark and Addison. View full article

In September, the Cubs roster will expand to 28 players. What should the Cubs do with those precious extra roster spots in the heat of a playoff race? Right off the bat, we should note that the Cubs will add one pitcher and one hitter once the calendar flips to September. I already made cases for Alexander Canario and Pete Crow-Armstrong (here and here) to be the position player the Cubs call up in September. But what about the ever-so-valuable 14th pitcher on the roster? Among the possibilities, there are some high-profile players currently on the injured list who may be healthy enough in time to return for the stretch run. That group is highlighted by a quintuplet of pitchers: Marcus Stroman, Brandon Hughes, Brad Boxberger, Nick Burdi, and prospect Ben Brown. The middle three in that list could prove exceptionally valuable to a bullpen that is already overtaxing its best arms, while Stroman and Brown have a chance to make some critical starts in the final series of the season. There are also other options already on the 40-man roster, including Jeremiah Estrada, lefty Anthony Kay, a resurgent Keegan Thompson, swingman Caleb Kilian, and the recently-claimed Edwin Uceta. You can be sure a number of these players will shuffle up-and-down between Triple-A Iowa and the big league team, as the Cubs desperately try to lighten the workload on their most trusted arms out of the bullpen. If you were to take a quick gander at the Cubs current bullpen, two things would really stand out: the Cubs have REALLY overtaxed their best relievers (four guys are already over 50 appearances this season), and the Cubs have all of zero lefties available (assuming Drew Smyly is back in the rotation for good). That latter issue is particularly a problem, especially for a team with postseason aspirations. Mark Leiter Jr. is the nominal “lefty” out of the bullpen right now, thanks to a split-finger fastball that stays remarkably straight on the vertical plane (~50% less horizontal movement than the average splitter in baseball in 2023). And make no mistake, it’s a role he’s thrived in tremendously this year: in 135 at-bats, lefties are batting a paltry .141/.215/.252 against Leiter Jr. (righties are up to a .259/.366/.448 slash line against him in just 58 at-bats). Yet there’s still something to be said for having an actual left-handed pitcher out the bullpen, especially for a Cubs team that places inordinate value on giving opposing hitters different looking pitcher deliveries and arm slots (it’s what made sidearm guys like Scott Effross and now José Cuas so valuable to them). Hence, I wager that Luke Little, the prospect just this month promoted to Triple-A Iowa, is the pitcher the Cubs should be looking to promote and lean on down the stretch. The only two lefties currently on the 40-man roster that are not already on the Chicago Cubs are Hughes and Kay; neither has been particularly effective in their limited opportunities out of the pen this year, and Hughes is working his way back from multiple injuries. Little, while not on the 40-man currently, will need to be placed there after the season for Rule 5 protection - something the Cubs will assuredly do anyways given his dominance this season. Speaking of his dominance, feast your eyes on his season stats: across three levels, he has a 2.33 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with a preposterous 95 strikeouts in just 58 innings. His batting average against is also a minuscule .182 in Iowa through four games, and he’s a multi-inning weapon out of the pen (his 58 innings have come in just 32 appearances this season). Walks are Little’s biggest problem, as he’s issued 81 free passes in just 135 innings in his minor league career. However, he counters that tendency with an absurd home run rate, having given up just one all of this season (after somehow giving up zero in 65 innings last season). To put it plainly, Little is flat-out unhittable. When you watch him pitch, it makes sense: he’s a 6’8” lefty with a cross-fire delivery and mid-90s fastball. The amount of guys like that on the mound in any given season is often in the proximity of zero. There are a ton of refinements left for him to make, not the least of which is learning how to pitch “backwards” more effectively by commanding his curveball better early in counts. The road between him and sustainable dominance in the major leagues is a long one, but it’s not insurmountable. Both the Cubs and Little could benefit greatly from a cup of coffee in the majors; Little could see just how effectively his stuff plays up against the best players in the world (and in turn, learn what he needs to refine as a pitcher), while the Cubs could add another weapon out of the bullpen who should be a little fresher than most of their current late-innings options. The upcoming games on the schedule are the most important ones the Cubs have had in a long while. It’s time to pull out all the stops. View full article

Appreciate that! I definitely agree - this team gives me vibes more akin to a couple of the more fun/playful contenders of decades past than the hyper-competitive window under Theo. But still, I think a foundation is in place. If the prospects can supplement what is already a surprisingly good roster, the Cubs should be competitive for the next half-decade (or longer) in the NL.

Back in 2016, the Chicago Cubs made history. Now, the team is merely just trying to return to the playoffs. How does this year’s roster compare to the drought-busting legends of then? Image courtesy of © John Jones-USA TODAY Sports The premise behind this is simple: at each position, we’ll take a look at which roster had the better player(s). As you’d expect, the World Series winning roster will look a bit more stacked than the Wild Card hopeful one, but it’s an exercise meant to demonstrate that one size does not fit all when it comes to contending for the championship. The Cubs 2016 roster data is from Baseball Almanac; the up-to-date Cubs 2023 roster data is from The Athletic. All stats are current through August 17, 2023. This is part three of a three-part series. Part one, featuring infielders, is available here. Part two, featuring outfielders, is available here. STARTING PITCHERS Jon Lester/Jake Arrieta/Kyle Hendricks/John Lackey/Jason Hammel v.s. Justin Steele/Marcus Stroman/Kyle Hendricks/Jameson Taillon/Javier Assad There’s just too much going on here to judge the entire conglomerate of starters against one another, so we’ll go one by one. The Lefty Ace: Lester v.s. Steele Lester finished 2016 second in the NL Cy Young voting; a placement Steele may be on pace to match this year. Lester posted a 2.44 ERA in 202 and ⅔ innings, while Steele has a 2.79 ERA in 126 innings so far this year. Their walk and strikeout rates are nearly identical, and they both have an ERA+ within points of each other (164 for Steele, 171 for Lester). Lester’s FIP was higher (3.41 compared to 3.20 for Steele), but he pitched to the strengths of his defense, much like how Steele does now. This is exceptionally close, and the goal of this exercise is simply to look at where the players are in their respective careers in 2016 or 2023. That being said, part of why Lester was signed was his legendary postseason resume, and until Steele proves he has the same resolve under the brightest lights, it’s hard not to give the edge to #34. Advantage: 2016 Cubs The Right-Handed Sidekick: Arrieta v.s. Stroman Calling either of these guys a sidekick is probably a disservice to them, but Arrieta followed Lester by starting Game 2 of the World Series, something Stroman would recreate behind Steele should the Cubs somehow get to that stage this year. Stroman is currently injured, and he’s struggled badly recently. However, he was off to an incredible start this season, earning an all-star selection on the back of a 2.96 ERA in 112 and ⅔ first-half innings. He’s among the best groundball pitchers in the league (a good quality to have in front of one of the best infield defenses in the majors), and he takes pride in pitching deep into ball games. That said, Arrieta was still near the peak of his powers in 2016. Though nothing could match his historic finish to the 2015 season, a 3.10 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 197 and ⅓ innings in 2016 wasn’t too shabby. He was also tremendous in the World Series against Cleveland, going 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 11 and ⅓ innings across two starts in Games 2 and 6. Advantage: 2016 Cubs The Kyle Hendricks Bowl: Hendricks v.s. Hendricks The final remaining member of that World Series team, Hendricks, is still plugging away in 2023 as an effective mid-rotation starter. The Hendricks of 2016, on the other hand, was a bonafide ace, winning the ERA title that year with a 2.13 mark in 190 innings and finishing third in Cy Young voting (right behind Lester). It would be fun to dissect how Hendricks has evolved as a soft-tossing, control-first pitcher, but “The Professor” is no longer the same player he once was. Though he’s still a valuable contributor to this day, he isn’t the guy that threw nearly five innings of one-run ball in Game 7 of the World Series. Advantage: 2016 Cubs The Veteran Free Agent with a $17 million AAV: Lackey v.s. Taillon I already know what the big complaint for this matchup will be: “Um, technically, Lackey only made $32 million across two years with the Cubs, meaning his AAV was only $16 million.” In response, I remind you Ken Rosenthal initially tweeted that the deal was worth $34 million and that I like the mirroring thing we have going on here. So deal with it. Lackey was a great #4 starter for the Cubs, putting up a 3.35 ERA with 180 strikeouts across 188 and ⅓ innings. Taillon’s rebuttal? A 5.71 ERA in 104 innings. However, that stat is marred by a truly horrendous first half, where he posted a 6.15 ERA in 71 and ⅔ innings. Regardless, this isn’t much of a competition. Lackey was still pitching like a near-ace in his first year with the Cubs, while Taillon struggled to find his footing for an ailing Cubs rotation. The 2016 Cubs are turning this into a blowout. Advantage: 2016 Cubs The 5th Starter: Hammel v.s. Assad Man, oh man, did the Cubs ever have some ludicrous stability in their rotation in 2016? Every single one of their five rotation members made at least 29 starts and pitched at least 165 innings. The Cubs of 2023 have shuffled through numerous pitchers, including both Hayden Wesneski and Drew Smyly making double-digit starts. This is probably the closest of all the starting pitcher competitions, not including Lester v. Steele, but Hammel still takes it going away. Assad was great in long relief for most of this year, but he’s wholly unproven as a starting pitcher. Meanwhile, Hammel put up a 3.83 ERA (good for a 109 ERA+ in 2016) while taking the ball every fifth day. Hard to ask for much more from your fifth guy. Advantage: 2016 Cubs RELIEF PITCHERS Aroldis Chapman/Carl Edwards Jr./Justin Grimm/Pedro Strop/Héctor Rondón/Mike Montgomery/Travis Wood v.s. Michael Fulmer/Julian Merryweather/Mark Leiter Jr./Adbert Alzolay/Drew Smyly/Hayden Wesneski/José Cuas/Daniel Palencia/Michael Rucker We won’t break this down like we did with the rotation (too many moving parts in a bullpen throughout the season), and I’ll note that I used the World Series roster bullpen for the 2016 team (rather than the roster at the end of the regular season). This is probably closer than you think, given the names in the 2016 pen, though many will remember just how much Joe Maddon’s “circle of trust” got overworked in the run to the title. The Cubs were ninth in the majors in bullpen ERA in 2016 with a 3.56 mark, though that ranking improved to sixth following the Chapman trade. Likewise, the Cubs currently rank 12th with a 3.97 ERA this year, though they are in the top five since the calendar has flipped to June. Also worth noting is that the bullpen was mediocre in the playoffs with a 3.94 ERA that was over a run and a half worse than Cleveland, though again, that mark is inflated thanks to Maddon’s mismanagement of guys like Chapman and Strop. The Cubs of late have put together some really impressive relief corps for relative pittances, but that 2016 ‘pen held things together behind a dominant rotation. With a little more year-over-year stability next to homegrown closer Adbert Alzolay, the modern Cubs could make a case for the advantage here, but the cap leans left toward the 2016 squad for now. Advantage: 2016 Cubs FINAL TALLY Offense: 2016 Cubs = 3, 2023 Cubs = 4, 1 Tie Pitching: 2016 Cubs = 6, 2023 Cubs = 0 Total: 2016 Cubs = 9, 2023 Cubs = 4, 1 Tie So what have we learned here today? Well, for starters (no pun intended), having a dominant rotation that never gets hurt and pitches in front of an elite defense seems to be a good recipe for success. Oh, and having multiple guys that finish top five in both MVP and Cy Young voting probably doesn’t hurt, either. In all seriousness, the real takeaway should be that while the 2023 Cubs would probably get swept in a seven-game series against their 2016 counterparts, this team isn’t that far off from being legitimately competitive with the best of the best. There are reinforcements coming from the minor leagues in the form of both pitchers and hitters, and the team will have some salary wiggle room to add a couple of the missing pieces to the formula. Hopefully, these Cubs can ensure there doesn’t need to be a drought before reaching the mountaintop again. View full article

Back in 2016, the Chicago Cubs made history. Now, the team is merely just trying to return to the playoffs. How does this year’s roster compare to the drought-busting legends of then? Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports The premise behind this is simple: we’ll look at which roster had the better player(s) at each position. As you’d expect, the World Series winning roster is going to look a little bit more stacked than the Wild Card hopeful one, but it’s an exercise meant to demonstrate that one size does not fit all when it comes to contending for the championship. The Cubs 2016 roster data is from Baseball Almanac; the up-to-date Cubs 2023 roster data is from The Athletic. All stats are current through August 17, 2023. This is part two of a three-part series. Part one, featuring infielders, is available here. Part three, featuring pitchers, will be available later this week. LEFT FIELD Kyle Schwarber/Matt Szczur/Jorge Soler/Albert Almora/Chris Coghlan vs. Ian Happ Initially, it may look like Happ is outnumbered here. On Opening Day in 2016, it was Kyle Schwarber’s job… until he tore his ACL in early April. The Cubs then tried to patch the position up with some defense-and-speed first options (Szczur and Almora) before prioritizing offense with Soler and Coghlan. The team made it work, especially once it let Zobrist start manning left field so Baez could take over second base full-time in the playoffs, but left field was the rare position on the 2016 Cubs that just never came together. The 2023 Cubs have had some remarkable stability in left field, though, thanks to the contributions of Happ. Though he hasn’t been quite as productive as his All-Star, Gold Glove season in 2022, Happ has still been worth 2.0 bWAR this year, backed by a .766 OPS and solid defensive metrics. Against any other position on the 2016 Cubs, Happ’s productivity may not have been enough, but sometimes the best ability is availability. Advantage: 2023 Cubs CENTER FIELD Dexter Fowler vs. Cody Bellinger Now this is an electric matchup. Fowler was incredible in 2016, earning his only All-Star nod on the back of a .840 OPS (which was buoyed by a stellar .393 OBP). He earned the tagline of “you go, we go” thanks to his contributions as the leadoff man and winning attitude. Though his defense was never stellar, he was a consistent presence in center field and allowed Jason Heyward to keep his Gold Glove at home in right field. Oh, and he hit the only leadoff home run in Game 7 of the World Series in MLB history. Maybe you remember. Much like his center field counterpart, Bellinger is the heart and soul of this year’s team. He easily leads the team in OPS with a massive .933 mark and applies his Gold Glove chops at first base and center field. He won Player of the Month in the National League in July and is the main catalyst behind the Cubs’ recent surge. Oh, and he’s about to become the first Comeback Player of the Year in Cubs history. This is genuinely tougher than I anticipated, but Bellinger is just too good when he’s on. And for most of this year, he’s been on. Advantage: 2023 Cubs RIGHT FIELD Jason Heyward vs. Seiya Suzuki/Mike Tauchman As it stands in Cubs fandom right now, the closest comparison between Heyward and Suzuki is how they failed/are failing to live up to their massive contracts. Heyward was a disaster at the plate in 2016, posting an unsightly .631 OPS from the bottom of the lineup. He was still worth 1.0 WAR, though, thanks to incredible defense in right field. It’s also become something of a meme, but his $184 million rain delay speech will go down in Chicago legend. Suzuki is struggling in his second year stateside, battling injuries and inconsistency at the dish to the tune of a .736 OPS in just 360 at-bats. His glove has been okay, he’s been an average baserunner, and he’s clearly well-liked on the team. However, the real reason the 2023 Cubs have the advantage here is because of one Michael Robert Tauchman. He’s provided the same steadying presence atop the lineup as Fowler once did, slashing .272/.372/.421 and putting up a 2.1 bWAR. He’s also got the heroics to match the stat line and is quickly etching his name into Cubs lore. Advantage: 2023 Cubs View full article

Back in 2016, the Chicago Cubs made history. Now, the team is merely just trying to return to the playoffs. How does this year’s roster compare to the drought-busting legends of then? Image courtesy of © David Banks-USA TODAY Sports The premise behind this is simple: we’ll look at which roster had the better player(s) at each position. As you’d expect, the World Series winning roster is going to look a little bit more stacked than the Wild Card hopeful one, but it’s an exercise meant to demonstrate that one size does not fit all when it comes to contending for the championship. The Cubs 2016 roster data is from Baseball Almanac; the up-to-date Cubs 2023 roster data is from The Athletic. All stats are current through August 17, 2023. This is part one of a three-part series. Parts two and three will feature outfielders and pitchers, respectively. CATCHER Miguel Montero/Willson Contreras/David Ross v.s. Yan Gomes/Miguel Amaya/Tucker Barnhart NOTE: Barnhart was DFA’d before this article could be published. The triumvirate of catchers in 2016 all famously had at least one RBI each in Game 7 of the World Series (the first time in postseason history for three catchers to do so in the same game), but this was not a prolific group. Montero and Ross were at the tail-end of their respective careers, sporting batting averages below .230. Contreras was still early in his career (though he did post an impressive .845 OPS in 252 at-bats during the regular season). The Cubs catchers this year were built around a new pitching infrastructure, prioritizing defense and game-calling rather than offense (hence why Contreras was allowed to walk to the rival Cardinals). None of the catchers have been great at the plate, though Gomes and Amaya have above-average OPSs of .735 and .751, respectively (the MLB average this year is .733). The big boon these players have provided is helping the pitching staff, as the Cubs were allowing just 4.24 runs per game through the end of July (down from 4.51 last year). Ultimately, which group you take is up to what you desire out of your catchers. Montero and Ross were good enough defensively (and uniquely specialized enough to work with certain pitchers on the staff) to make ends meet, and no one on this list was ever as good at the plate as Contreras, even early on in his career. Advantage: 2016 Cubs FIRST BASE Anthony Rizzo v.s. Jeimer Candelario Before even delving into this matchup, it’s fair to note that the 2023 Cubs have been flat-out atrocious at first base this year, rolling out negative-WAR guys like Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini for most of the season before mercifully trading for Candelario. That being said, Candelario is a massive upgrade, and he’s having a career year on both sides of the diamond (he’s already up to 3.5 bWAR this season). However, despite Candy’s .846 OPS and above-average glove at both infield corners, he can’t compare to the last face of the franchise. Rizzo was tremendous at the plate in 2016, posting a .929 OPS with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs as the lefty slugger in the middle of the lineup. He finished fourth in MVP voting that year, won the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove, and became the only first baseman in history to win the Platinum Glove. Rizzo was as good as anyone in baseball in 2016. Advantage: 2016 Cubs SECOND BASE Ben Zobrist/Javier Baez v.s. Nico Hoerner/Christopher Morel While Baez served as a super-utility guy in 2016 (25+ games at three positions) and Morel is the primary DH for this year's Cubs (the DH didn’t exist in the NL back in 2016), their respective defensive homes were generally at second base. And a good thing, too, because this is one hell of a matchup. Zobrist would win the most important World Series MVP of all time, while Baez chipped in with elite defense and a .737 OPS (and co-NLCS MVP). Their defensive versatility was part of what made them so valuable to the Cubs, but Zobrist (.832 OPS in 2016) and Baez were legitimate threats at the plate as well. Not to be outdone, Hoerner and Morel have been a dynamic duo as well, with Morel playing nearly every position on the diamond and Hoerner flashing his gold glove bona fides at both second base and shortstop. Hoerner has settled into the two-hole in the lineup nicely, posting a .743 OPS and leading the team with 30 steals. Morel has provided tremendous power from literally every spot in the lineup and is second on the team in OPS with a .843 mark. I was trying to avoid a “push” situation, but these are two elite duos. The Cubs of 2016 and 2023 should be thankful for their production from the keystone. Advantage: Draw THIRD BASE Kris Bryant v.s. Nick Madrigal/Patrick Wisdom I don’t think there needs to be much in-depth analysis here. Remember how I said Rizzo was as good as anyone in baseball in 2016? Bryant was even better, winning the MVP with a .939 OPS, 39 home runs, and 102 RBIs. [Just an aside real quick: did anyone remember how insanely identical Rizzo and Bryant were offensively in 2016? Bryant slashed .292/.385/.554 and Rizzo slashed .292/.385/.544. Wild.] Meanwhile, Wisdom is trying his damnedest to become the first ever 300-strikeout, 40-home run player in MLB history. On the other hand, Madrigal is still trying to learn how to post an OPS that starts with a seven without getting any extra-base hits. [In all fairness, Madrigal has been a pleasant surprise this year, especially with the glove, and Wisdom does lead the team in home runs. But, I mean, come on. This isn’t even close.] Advantage: 2008 Cubs (Aramis Ramirez truthers unite!) Actual Advantage: 2016 Cubs SHORTSTOP Addison Russell v.s. Dansby Swanson In hindsight, this is an easier matchup to look at, as Russell’s star very quickly faded thanks to some off-the-field issues. However, he was still quite a productive player in 2016, posting a 3.7 bWAR and earning an all-star selection thanks to some outstanding defense and a .738 OPS. He was a steadying presence in the middle infield and had some legendary moments during the run to the title. Alas, Dansby Swanson is just better. He’s putting up a .780 OPS with the best defensive metrics for any shortstop in the National League this year. He’s added a true winner’s mentality to this club, with some comparing his signing to that of the fateful Jon Lester signing during the 2014-2015 offseason as the one that marked the turn of the tide from rebuilding to contention. The 2023 Cubs are on the board. Advantage: 2023 Cubs View full article

I guess maybe because Fulmer started out as a starter? But's he converted to relief quite nicely. He's one of the Cubs best options out of the pen, though he's had a massive workload (for a reliever).

I think this sentiment is a little outdated. I completely understand it (hey, those Royals teams I mentioned were very formulaic in the 7th, 8th, and 9th, using Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland), but it's just generally out of practice. You use your best guys in the highest leverage spots now. Whether that's the sixth, eight, fourth or extra innings. No reason to put a middling guy in just because it's the "middle" innings.

Yea, this is the point I really tried to hammer home at the end of the article. The Cubs clearly recognize how rare it is for a reliever to be good across the entirety of a multi-year deal. There's something to be said for having a prime Kimbrel or Papelbon or someone like that, but there's not much use in handing out a multi-year deal to a middle-inning guy when you can just turn your farm system into a factory for them.

I'm generally in agreement with this sentiment, as I've said. It's just worth pointing out that there are considerations the front office has, which includes limited roster spots, playing time, etc.