Smyly Getting to Work, Steele Getting Snubbed, Defense at Third, Cubs Offer to

On Dec 17, 2023

It’s crazy but true: if the Chicago Bears win today against the Cleveland Browns, their playoff odds will approach 10%. PLAYOFF odds. In Da Hunt.

Drew Smyly working at Driveline this offseason:

Drew Smyly looking great in a recent pitch design session with @langintots13 ???? pic.twitter.com/nq7o52gne3

— Driveline Baseball (@DrivelineBB) December 16, 2023

Smyly gets kinda lost in the shuffle of the Cubs’ pitching depth, but he’s a very handy pitcher to have available. Obviously some starting woes last year, but he was nails in relief (2.51 ERA over 28.2 IP). I think if the season were to start today, Smyly would have as good of a chance to be in the rotation as the young arms (Javier Assad, Jordan Wicks, and Hayden Wesneski, primarily), but ideally he’s a swing man who opens the year in the bullpen. Of course, if he is having a stretch where he’s starting really well – he’s certainly had them before with the Cubs – then let him start until he hits a blip.

Consider that your reminder of just how much the Cubs need to add a quality starting pitcher this offseason. They have tons of depth to cover the rotation and then some, but you’d like more certainty after Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Kyle Hendricks (while preserving the flexibility for the young guys to break out).

I get Justin Steele not making the first team, but he didn’t even make the second team? Come on:

Presenting your #AllMLB First Team! pic.twitter.com/PlQaQpHTN3

— MLB (@MLB) December 17, 2023

Presenting your #AllMLB Second Team! pic.twitter.com/gq8j4916VN

— MLB (@MLB) December 17, 2023

Justin Steele was 7th in WAR, 6th in ERA, and 5th in FIP. And you’re going to tell me he wasn’t one of the 10 best starting pitchers this year? What the eff, man.

I wouldn’t read too much into the “expiration of permission” thing, as these guys typically have specific windows of time that their big league clubs permit them to play (i.e., it isn’t necessarily like the Cubs suddenly decided his winter league season was over because trade talks were heating up):

Christopher Morel’s winter ball season is over “due to the expiration of permission from his Big League team, the Chicago Cubs.”

Morel’s campaign:

.217/.369/.422 3 HR, 12 RBI, 4 2B in 106 PAs

3B (162.2 Inn): .934 fielding percentage (4 errors)

SS (26 Inn): .818 FP (2 errors) https://t.co/3lYxJGwTJQ— Andy Martínez (@amartinez_11) December 16, 2023

The sample is TINY, so I am not making a point here. I am only offering this for context on the number. Among 46 players who saw at least 300 innings at 3B last year, that fielding percentage would’ve been 8th worst.

Of note, by the way: Patrick Wisdom was at .927, third worst. Errors and fielding percentage are not the best measures of defense on their own, but there definitely is a threshold…

- Advertisement -

0 0 votes

Article Rating