The Cubs have, amazingly, lost five consecutive one-run decisions after another gut-wrenching loss to the Cardinals this afternoon. While much of the conversation regarding the end of their season will focus on this incremental collapse, the Cubs final games are also significant in that they may mark the last occasions on which Ben Zobrist will suit up for the team. A star of the club’s curse-breaking 2016 World Series team, Zobrist spoke at length with The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma about what may be his last days in Cubbie blue–and about the struggles his team has faced in 2019 (link).
“I think so much of it has to do with momentum,” Zobrist told Sharma. “I’m a big believer in momentum. If you get it early in the season, you can be 10 games up at the All-Star break. When I look at every year, there’s this ebb and flow. It just seems like no matter how good the team is, if you don’t start out fast like that, and kind of push ahead in the division early on, it’s hard to keep that momentum and get to a point where you clinch on Sept. 15.”
The Cubs began this year 2-7 and were without the help of the 38-year-old Zobrist for a sizable chunk of the season as he tended to family matters. Since returning to action on Sept. 3, the versatile former Ray has hit .320/.404/.460 across 57 plate appearances–production which should, if nothing else, entice rival front offices considering him for a contract next season.
More notes from around the National League…
- Outfielder Magneuris Sierra had been in the midst of his first extended success in a Marlins uniform, but it appears that a hamstring strain suffered in today’s game will cut his campaign a bit short, according to a tweet from Wells Dusenbury of the Sun-Sentinel (link). The 23-year-old Sierra, who a lifetime ago was a key component of the Marcell Ozuna trade, did some nice things in 14 September games for Miami, with a .324 batting average across a small sample of 38 plate appearances. That came on the heels of an uneven 2019 minor league campaign, in which he amassed a .282/.337/.365 line in 48 Double-A games before Triple-A exposure mellowed him out a bit (.271/.304/.399 line in 81 games). He did log 36 steals across three levels this year, which should aid him in trying to crack Miami’s outfield mix in 2020.
- Braves outfielder Ender Inciarte was previously said to be expected back this Tuesday, but the veteran may instead return this Friday, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com (link). It’s fair to wonder if the Braves are feeling a little less urgency now that they’ve clinched the NL East, but Inciarte will nonetheless be a welcome component of Atlanta’s postseason roster. Inciarte, who has been downed with a bad hammy since August, has only logged a -1 DRS figure in 63 games on the grass this year–a far cry from the +17 DRS he recorded for the Braves last year. Speedster Billy Hamilton, Inciarte’s replacement as of late, is 8-for-29 at the plate for Atlanta this year.
Oh boy, I hope the Tigers sign Zobrist and usher in the next era with some good veteran leadership. His approach to the game is worth a slot on a rebuilding team, maybe even groom him so he can revive the player manager role.
II agree the Tigers need to get more quality people on the team vs. the selfish child-like players. However, Ben Zobrist will be 39 in 2020 and coming off a year he felt emotionally impaired.
I’m sure he won’t be in DET. We can only hope they sign better players than they have in the 3 out of the last 4 years.
He might even decide to retire and be a father. I would bet his three kids are hurting from the split of their parents.
We’ll throw in Happ, Russell, Strop, and Quintana.
Zobrist is a class act and a joy to have on the team in every aspect. I refuse to count myself among the detractors who are giving him grief for taking time off to deal with family.
Zoburst has been on 4 different teams. 3 of those different clubs went to the World Series and only one won it. Not bad.
Two of the four won it all*
two….He was a rental for the Royals first!
yep. and i’m sure the list of guys to win back to back world series with 2 different teams ( i mean doing it with one team one year, new team the next), is quite short.
all things considered, it’s been a good run for him
Nothing better than watching the cubs spend a fortune on multiple year failure contracts and they don’t even make the playoffs.
Enjoy mediocrity again cubbies!
The Cubs are in huge trouble. Thank God they got at least one championship out of this core or it would have gone down as a historic failure.
Now the key will be either making a few brilliant super genius lucky moves to squeeze one more ring out of this group or having the guts to tear it down with all the fans seething with rage.
My vote is, go for the gusto. Sign Cole and put all your chips on red!
Still is a failure
Meh. They broke the curse.
Winning a title is a failure now?
They broke the “curse” – fixed it
Yeah, it is to those who don’t understand how hard it is to win baseball games. They’ve put a heck of a good team on the field the last 5 years. Not every good team is a dynasty.
I’m not even a Cubs fan and I know that this wasn’t a failure. The city celebrated a title and it was great for the fans. A dynasty is a extremely hard thing to accomplish this day and age in baseball
The cubs aren’t finished. The whole team comes back again next year with the exception of Cole Hamels and Zobrist. They’ll have to make a tough decision on Castellanos as well. But The cubs could easily be playing baseball in October next year.
Nam how is winning a championship a failure? Is not that what it is all about?
Big failure! Thought they were going to win 6 in a row. They lucked out like the blind squirrel finding an acorn. Lucked out on that one in a 108 years. Shameful team. They simply suck!
The Cubs are far from being in huge trouble. All they really need to do is address leadoff (which could be handled by just having Rizzo hit there full-time), some bullpen misses, and possibly another #1 or #2 type SP.
The Cubs have a lot of money coming off the books in Strop, Cishek, Zobrist, Morrow, and Lester’s contract reducing by $7.5M next year. They’re also launching their own network in 2020 as well, so the money will be rolling in.
If they resign Castellanos, let’s not pretend like a lineup of Rizzo, Castellanos, Bryant, Baez, Contreras, Schwarber, Heyward, and Hoerner is a lineup that is “in trouble”.
They absolutely need to resign Castellanos.
His positive stats with the Cubs were not an anomaly. The guys is a legit solid bat.
Hoerner looks like he gets second base next year, and he has solid contact skills. Two big adds. That lineup is still potent. Pitching, pitching, pitching.
Castellanos is a solid bat, but it’d be risky to play him with Schwarber in the OF. One has to go.
It will take a lot more than signing Cole for the Cubs. But it’s a start. Need more relief help. A quality, starting 2nd baseman who can hopefully be a lead off hitter. Another starter in addition to Cole if they get him. A quality center fielder who can get on base, lead off- if not successful in finding that 2nd baseman who can do so. And be used against both left handed and right handed pitching. They will also have a new manager with a possible position coach
upheaval once again. A busy off season is coming for the Cubs.
Obviously I’m a Cardinals fan… But I’m going to play devils advocate for a hot minute… Even though I loathe the Cubs, I love baseball.. The Cubs won a WS, actually won 95 games last yearand are pretty successful over the past few years… Their upper management has bled their minor leagues dry and has taken this team from rebuilding to a ring to a win now situation… This is what happens when you go all in. I believe Maddon needs new scenery and the Cubs need to do some tear down and reconstruct. As a Cardinals fan, thank you Cubs, you all have been a worthy opponent amd a true advocery this year. Good luck in the future!!
Wow what a nice thing to say.
Cardsfan77 is all class.
I’m a Cubs fan. If only there were more Cards fans like you.
I’d add a few things to the situation, but the points hit on here were pretty spot on.
Wow! Now that was a nice, professional reply. How refreshing to see comments like this.
Looks like another 108 years coming up. Maddon the “Genius” got his money and proved he’s not that much of a genius. Again. A few good players overhyped by the media out of desperation. Back to oblivion for the cubbies.
If Inciarte is healthy enough to go on Tuesday, why would they wait until. Friday to bring him up? Doesn’t he need as many at bats as he can get before the playoffs? Friday would only leave the Braves with 3 games to decide whether or not he should be on the post season roster. With the logjam in the outfield I would hate to see him take another productive players place on the post season roster if he doesn’t end up performing.
Joe Maddon and one player of significance are going to take the bullet for this season. I predict one of those players to be either Kris Bryant or Kyle Schwarber. Theo sends his message.
Masson for sure, they get more for Bryant. May as well trade him and possibly go for Rendon.