ChicagoSportsHQ Mailbag: First base rotation, Thompson in the bullpen, more |
As Spring Training rapidly approaches, we thought Chicago fans may have some questions. So, we asked them.
Here is Part 1 of my responses to fan questions:
The Cubs went into the off-season with massive question marks at the first base position, and they solved those by signing three veteran players fully capable of playing the position in Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini, and Cody Bellinger — plus they have Matt Mervis, who is soaring up prospect rankings waiting in the wings. It seems obvious with the talent on the team, the Cubs may let Mervis get some additional at-bats in the minors ( but if he keeps hitting as he has been, he won’t be there long ) and roll with a Hosmer / Mancini platoon. My best guess, until Mervis comes up, is Hosmer — the lefty — will likely start most games at first, and Mancini — the righty— will rotate between DH, the corner outfield, and first when Hosmer needs a breather or is struggling. Once Mervis arrives, another lefty, he will likely bat primarily against righties, and the veteran Hosmer who has reverse split stats as of late, and Mancini will handle duties against lefties.
Keegan Thompson is one of the most interesting stories for the Cubs to monitor as Spring Training approaches. He was 10-5 last season with a 3.76 ERA in his second career season. A lot has been made of the Cubs' newfound depth in the starting department, which may force Thompson to the bullpen. While this worried many people, Thompson has actually excelled as a reliever in his career. Seven of his 13 career wins have been out of the pen, and he has a 1.95 ERA in 73.2 innings of relief. Thompson’s role might be to eat up high-leverage innings in the bullpen, and I think that should excite Cubs fans.
Lucas Giolito has had an up-and-down career thus far on the Southside of Chicago. A few years back, he was statistically the worst starting pitcher in baseball, and then he very nearly won a Cy Young. A few years later and a couple of injuries later, the Sox and Giolito are at a crossroads. Giolito is signed through 2023, so I’d imagine this could be his last season on the southside. If he gets off to a hot start and the Sox are struggling, Giolito could potentially be dealt at the trade deadline. If he has a strong season, the Sox may try to bring him back — but have never been one to back up the money truck for anybody.
Eloy Jimenez is a very interesting character on the White Sox. Of course, he was in the Cubs system prior to being traded in the Jose Quintana deal with the Sox, but Jimenez has always been known for his power — definitely not his defense. It’s an interesting situation though. Jimenez ranks as one of the league's worst defensive outfielders, but when he plays the field, he hits .290 with a 106 OPS+ — both well above the league average. When he only DHs, Jimenez hits just .235 with an OPS+ of 83 — both well below the league average. It appears if you want his best production at the plate, you may have to suffer the lack of defense on the field.
Now that COVID-19 appears to be mostly in the rearview mirror — I would not be surprised if we saw Cubs players ride into Wrigley on their bikes, walking, or maybe even in golf carts like in the past. During spring training, definitely keep your eyes out for the Cubs on golf carts for sure.
The American League is loaded. With the Yankees, Blue Jays, Astros, Mariners, Rangers, Rays, Guardians etc. it’d be hard to imagine the White Sox getting past the first round, especially since those other teams did so much more than them to improve this offseason. On the off chance the Sox do advance out of the AL, the National Leagues boasts the Dodgers, Padres, Mets and Braves — so it doesn’t look to be the Sox year on paper. Stay tuned for part 2!How are they going to use Hosmer and Mancini?
What role will Keegan Thompson play?
Should the White Sox move on from Lucas Giolito?
Is it time to accept the fact that Eloy Jiménez should strictly be a Designated Hitter?
Will the team walk down the walkway to the stadium like in years past or ride the back way over in golf cars?
Will the White Sox win the World Series?
