The 2010 Chicago Cubs: A Celebration of the (Few) Positives
The 2010 Cubs season certainly will go down as one of the most disappointing and, in fact, utterly disgusting seasons in recent memory. That’s saying a lot, too, since this is a franchise that has had more than its fair share of bad seasons.
This season has featured sloppy play and poor fundamentals, and a captain who was asleep at the wheel before he resigned, twice, from the team last month.
To rub salt in the wound, next season does not look promising either, with bloated, unmovable contracts and an owner possibly looking to pare some payroll.
Yet, despite the negatives, there were some good things for Cubs fans to celebrate and that yes, even give us faint hope for the near future.
Let’s face it, we’ve all seen and read enough about the bad stuff so why not grab the Kool-Aid and the rose colored glasses and try and discover some of the good that has happened to the Cubs this season.
Starlin Castro
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This kid’s first name is appropriate, because he is going to be a star. Whether that is at his present position of shortstop or an eventual move to second base is not yet certain. But we do know that from an offensive standpoint, the kid is the real thing.
Speaking of future, the Cubs have a kid by the name of Hak-Ju Lee toiling at Peoria. Lee plays a slick defensive shortstop and his bat showed some life this year too. He may eventually nudge the error-prone Castro to another position, but the Cubs will find a way to get Starlin’s bat into the lineup on a daily basis.
His bat is lightening quick, and he has above average foot speed, to go along with a strong arm and the ability to consistently hit above .300 on an annual basis.
This is good, since he will need to hit above .300 to be effective, given that he shares the same problem that plagues most young Cubs hitters, patience at the plate.
While he may never walk a ton, he has the bat speed to eventually develop the power to hit 15-20 homers a season, and that should be plenty good enough for a kid who just turned 20 in March.
Tyler Colvin
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I include Colvin here with some trepidation, as I am still not sold on his bat playing on an everyday basis in the major leagues.
It’s not that he can’t hit lefties; it’s that his lack of knowledge of the strike zone will make him very strikeout-prone, and lead to on-base percentages of around .300 and that’s not good.
Defensively, Colvin may move to first base eventually, and since that position is open following the departure of Derrek Lee, I don’t understand why the Cubs aren’t trying the experiment now.
Still, his power may play at first base or in an outfield corner, and if he can hit 25-30 homers, the Cubs will forgive his low OBP. After all, we just elected a guy to the Hall of Fame with a career .323 OBP, didn’t we?
Marlon Byrd Is the Word
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Byrd's three-year, $15 million contract was easily the Cubs' best move this offseason and one of the best signings in the majors.
His easy-going, friendly attitude was a much needed breath of fresh air following the debacle that was Milton Bradley last season.
But all the hustle and great clubhouse presence wouldn't mean much if Byrd wasn't having a good season. Fortunately, he has been one of the few bright spots this season.
Byrd has hit over .300 all season, and has played very good defensively in center field. He sits 12th in Fangraphs WAR among all National League position players.
He even represented the Cubs very well in the All-Star game, throwing out David Ortiz.
Byrd has become a fan favorite and is easily someone who would be a great piece to a winning ball club. Unfortunately, the Cubs likely won't be winning for some time it seems, so let's hope they hang onto him and that he doesn't get disillusioned playing for a losing team going young.
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Carlos Marmol
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Sure, Marmol has control problems, but he gets the job done and is still only 27-years old.
Meanwhile, when he is on, he is virtually unhittable. He has the best slider in baseball in my opinion, and he's on a historic path this season, as he has struck out 118 batters in just over 65 innings for a 16.26 K/9.
He has saved 27 games in 32 chances, which is decent, and opponents are hitting just .167 against Marmol.
He's a tightrope walker and the type of closer who keeps his manager on the top step of the dugout, but when his control is good he simply can't be hit. Period.
Mike Quade: The Next Coach Q?
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Okay, I admit that comparing a manager who has spent all of 11 games leading his ballclub with a Blackhawks coach who just won a Stanley Cup is more than a stretch. Still, you can't help but wonder if the magic of the "Q" is in play here.
Quade is 8-3 since taking over from the sleepy Lou Piniella, and while many teams win temporarily following a managerial change, so far so good.
And hey, a Cubs fan has to look long and hard to find positives in the miserable season such as this, so why not have some fun with the name?
Yes, I realize that Quade is not likely to be the manager of the club next season. Still, Quade knows the young guys and has coached with the big league team, so if he finishes the season on a high note, he will at least draw the interest of Jim Hendry and Tom Ricketts.
Coach Q...it has a nice ring to it. Just one question, does he have to always look like his dog just died?
Carlos Zambrano
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JUST KIDDING! GOTCHA!
But since you're here looking at this slide, Zambrano's last couple of starts have provided a faint glimmer of hope that his velocity has returned and that he can help the club next season.
While most of us would rather see him just go away, the Cubs are likely stuck with Big Z. So let's face it. If the team is going to have any chance at winning next year, they will need the Zambrano of old.
Yes, his antics are more than tiresome and his performance has been awful. But he makes a ton of money and has a full no-trade clause, so we might as well make the best of a bad relationship.
Geo Soto Has Apparently Returned from the Dead
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Very quietly, Geovany Soto has turned in a very solid season thus far in 2010, quieting skeptics like me who wondered if he was a one year wonder.
Soto has an outstanding OBP near .400, and his power has returned, with a .502 slugging percentage similar to his rookie season, as compared with the anemic .381 he slugged in 2009.
Smoky and fat in 2009, Soto slimmed down prior to this season, and the results have been impressive, even though Piniella played the offensively challenged Koyie Hill far too often.
Soto has even been throwing better than he did last year, even if the results are still not that impressive.
Bottom line, Geo is only 27 so he should be a part of the club even in a rebuilding mode. That has to be something to look forward to.
Sean Marshall Has Found His Niche
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After struggling in past seasons juggling a starting versus relief role, Marshall has settled in nicely as a reliever who can be counted on to get key outs for this ballclub going forward.
Marshall just turned 28, and has struck out 82 batters in 68 innings, with a 2.90 ERA. Until a couple of bad games last month, Marshall was outstanding, and he has been equally solid against both left- and right-handed hitters this season.
The Cubs should avoid the temptation to move Sean Marshall back into the rotation next season, and let him continue to experience success in his new role.
He is someone to look forward to in 2011 and, if nothing else, will be a lefty who will draw a lot of attention from clubs this offseason should the Cubs choose to trade him for multiple pieces to help their club.
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