Now that Prince Fielder has repatriated back to Detroit where daddy Cecil once loomed large, Cubs’ fans who wished for a big free agent signing this winter, can at last accept their team’s transitional state for 2012.
The biggest acquisition has been, of course, Theo Epstein and his best and brightest team of baseball execs. And while there have been no shortage of player trades and signings by Team Theo so far, they have mostly been of the “wait and see” variety as opposed to “Wow, what a deal!”
Not that trading away Carlos Zambrano can be taken for granted as it removes at least one thorny issue from the Cubs' collective paw. However, Androcles didn’t force the lion to pay an $18 million medical bill as Tom Ricketts must continue to foot most of Big Z’s salary this season.
Perhaps Theo should contact the EPA to see if the remaining part of outfielder Alfonso Soriano’s toxic contract qualifies for Super Fund relief. If not, it doesn’t appear any other team is daft enough to take on the Cubs’ biggest roadblock to rebuilding the team with sensible and thrifty moves.
Soriano probably remains an unsightly fixture on the team and it’s no secret that Theo has not viewed the talent he inherited as being of much value. Hence, the trades of Tyler Colvin, Andrew Cashner, D.J. LeMathieu, et al. who stand as testimony to the fruitless labor of previous Cubs’ drafts. Re-stocking the talent pool with not so small fry as first baseman Anthony Rizzo and potentially, Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, could eventually produce a couple of real keepers for the middle of the batting order.
The other infield and outfield corners have been plugged with temporary stopgaps in Ian Stewart (third base) and David DeJesus (right field) who are said to be able to at least catch a baseball hit at them (a help for the many new pitchers the Cubs have been stockpiling), but neither of them figure to produce much offensively.
You win some, you lose some. The Cubs figure to lose plenty this year, even in the NL Central now depleted of two of its biggest boppers in Fielder and Albert Pujols. Dusty Baker’s Reds seem the odds-on, early favorites to take the division unless some seismic moves are made by the Cardinals and Brewers to improve their lot.
The Cubs have improved themselves from a theoretical baseball standpoint this offseason. In a few weeks, we will see if that translates into on-the-field improvement or just another 90 loss, fifth place finish (thank you, Astros). And by the way, the Astros won’t be back next year to kick around anymore, moving to the American League and perhaps, even changing their team name. That will leave the Cubs to either put-up or look up at everyone else.
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