All-Star Josh Hader continues to be linked to Cubs |
Whenever you build a championship-caliber roster, there are a ton of things that need to fall into place. It starts with having a great manager, which the Cubs are hopeful Craig Counsell can continue to be. You have to have a plethora of young talent mixed with veterans who know how to play the game. The Cubs had that last season and, for the most part, have had that since their last title run in 2016.
Starting pitching is also one of the most significant factors, as you need to be able to shut your opponents down. While the Cubs may not have the swing-and-miss stuff some of these other staff do, they do a great job of limiting the hard contact, especially when Justin Steele and Kyle Hendricks pitch. However, the most important part of building a championship roster is having a strong bullpen with a lockdown closer. To the Cubs credit, Jed Hoyer has done a great job piecing together bullpens the past few seasons as they always seem to have a set number of lockdown guys. Last season, it was Julian Merryweather, Mark Leiter Jr, Michael Fulmer (after the first month), and Adbert Alzolay. The year before, you had Mychal Givens, David Robertson, and others stepping up, with Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin, and Craig Kimbrel anchoring things down in 2021. What those teams have in common is that they had a three-headed monster to lean on late in the games, similar to the 2016 World Series team that had Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr., Hector Rondon, and Aroldis Chapman late in games. The most significant difference is Chapman, as he was the definition of a lockdown closer and someone who put the fear of God in teams come the ninth inning. Even with Wade Davis replacing him in 2017, not having a lockdown closer is something the Cubs bullpen needs, and it is something the MLB world continues to talk about. Why not go for a guy that dominates you on the mound and has a relationship with Counsell, as left-hander Josh Hader remains a logical target should the Cubs go that route? Not only is there a need for Hader when you look at the closer position, but it is a logical fit given his previous relationship with Counsell. The two loved each other, and when Hader was dealt to San Diego, Counsell took it very hard, as did Hader. You'd think these two would love to link up again, especially if it can be at a place that creates a winning culture. MLB insider Mark Feinsand listed the top destinations for Hader, and the Cubs were on his list. "New Cubs manager Craig Counsell is quite familiar with Hader, having managed him in Milwaukee from 2017-22. Chicago got a solid performance from Adbert Alzolay last season -- he saved 22 games with a 2.67 ERA in 58 appearances -- but adding Hader would further strengthen Chicago’s ’pen. Hader has enjoyed great success at Wrigley Field, throwing 20 scoreless innings there during his career." Looking at that quote is no disrespect to Alzolay, as he was about as good as you could've hoped for last season. However, he is no Hader, and Hader has a history of putting together dominating seasons on the mound while Alzolay has been off and on injured while trying to find his role in the majors.
You know what you will get when Hader steps on the mound, which is impeccable command in most outings and the ability to make hitters look silly. The long-haired lefty has a cross-fire release, making it difficult to pick up the baseball while his heater sits in the 95-97 MPH and can touch 98 if needed. He pairs that pitch with a wipeout slider around 87 MPH and has started to use his change much more.
Sure, there have been times over the past two seasons where he has not only struggled but has looked like he lost it on the mound, but like most good pitchers, he got it back and continued to dominate. Although he does walk more hitters now than before, this is still the same dominating lefty that everyone has grown to love, as he will give you 40-plus saves each season.
This is not the first time Hader has been connected to the Cubs. His familiarity with Counsell, his dominance as a closer, and the need in Chicago all make this a fit. Everyone knows the Cubs will be aggressive, or at least they have claimed to be aggressive this offseason. The question is now, will they be aggressive enough to fork over the cash that Hader will cost?
