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The Rundown: Cubs Missing ‘Buzz Factor,’ Taillon, Steele, Bellinger Are Potential Trade Candidates, Dodgers/White Sox Discussing Blockbuster Deal

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterJuly 22, 2024

“Everybody needs a change; a chance to check out the new.” – Stevie Wonder, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing

The Cubs have lost their buzz factor, and though the die-hards will always pledge their undying allegiance, the niceties diminish considerably once one ventures beyond the vicinity of Wrigley’s Friendly Confines. The team has had a historic run of national attention and affection since 1984, but that luster has tarnished. Once a global phenomenon, Chicago’s North Side Baseball Club is an afterthought among this year’s trade rumors and upcoming market for franchise-altering free-agent signings. The “it factor” associated with the team for four decades is gone, and there are several factors at play:

  • The Cubs left WGN in 2019. Though “Chicago’s Very Own” was no longer considered a superstation at the time, the Cubs became America’s team because they were the only franchise playing day baseball on a network that was carried by cable companies nationwide.
  • Jed Hoyer has yet to build a roster that resonates with fans the way the 1984, 1989, and 2003 squads did and he is probably incapable of building a team that captured the hearts of all baseball fans the way Chicago did from 2015-18.
  • Hoyer continually moves the goalposts while retooling his club. He refuses to admit that the Cubs are/were “rebuilding,” and that’s accurate. That said, a strategy of half-measures and budget-friendly acquisitions has stripped the franchise of its personality and ability to dominate opponents. A Cubs Insider article by Ryan Davis from December 2020 looks almost prophetic nearly four years later. As Ryan noted, “Going halfway on anything will only get you stuck in the middle.” Hoyer has instead mastered the art of perpetually threading the needle, a euphemism for half-measures.
  • The top executive has also left the Cubs in no man’s land with a poorly constructed roster as the trade deadline approaches. His team isn’t good enough to trade prospects for rentals and he doesn’t have the big league capital to acquire decent minor leaguers. The Cubs have been termed “listeners” which is Hoyer-speak for “idle.”
  • Chicago has baseball’s seventh-biggest payroll but they’re in the bottom-third in winning percentage. Still, they’re just 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, reinforcing Hoyer’s tireless dedication to being almost good enough.
  • The Brewers have been hit by injuries and departures much harsher than the Cubs have, yet Milwaukee remains the class of the division even after losing manager Craig Counsell to the Cubs.
  • A commitment to homegrown talent has yet to produce a single bona fide star. Chicago may have a top-three farm system, but the inability to continue forward trajectories at the major league level is a gaping hole in the developmental process.
  • Worse still, the Cubs are almost devoid of personalities. Shōta Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Christopher Morel continue to wear their hearts on their sleeves, but the rest of the squad seems almost robotic in comparison. Hoyer has built a roster of plug-and-play personalities, though that even-keeled spirit doesn’t play well in a city built on the broad shoulders of its blue-collar workforce. Let’s face it, the Cubs are baseball’s version of your standard corporate IT staff.
  • Hoyer’s commitment to intelligent spending has left Chicago with far too many replacement-level players. The president of baseball operations is a little too fearful of backend contractual obligations, which, as stated above, continues to push those goalposts further into the future. Would you rather have Dansby Swanson or Bryce Harper anchoring this team? Hoyer could have had the latter at a nearly identical AAV if the organization could have gotten over its fear of late-career diminishing statistical trends, but I’d bet a 38-year-old Harper will still outproduce the 30-year-old Swanson, who is very good but doesn’t offer the lineup impact Harper does. Put another way, Hoyer probably wouldn’t have signed Jon Lester to a six-year deal ahead of the lefty’s age-31 season. The Cubs would not have won the World Series without Lester.
  • The Cubs should not be considered viable contenders for Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso, or Alex Bregman this winter. Those aren’t the types of players Hoyer will be willing to commit to.
  • Breaking the curse in 2016 made the Cubs nothing more than any other ordinary franchise outside of Chicago. Sports fans inherently root for the underdog, and Chicago relinquished that 108-year-old association by beating Cleveland in Game 7 of the ’16 series.

I’ve championed all season for change in Chicago’s front office. Profits mean as much to many owners as hardware does, and I’m sure Tom Ricketts is not the exception to that way of thinking. Despite filling Wrigley Field on the daily, the Cubs are losing at the gate as much as they are losing on the field by riding a team incapable of reaching the financial windfall of ticket, concessions, and merch sales from deep playoff runs. A smart businessman will recognize that and change course. Let’s see if Ricketts has the stones to do so.

Cubs News & Notes

Odds & Sods

Making St. Louis great again, one longball at a time.

Central Intelligence

Climbing the Ladder

“Time has gone since I’ve been with you. We’ve been starting to lie. Now it seems you don’t care for me and I don’t understand why.” – Julian Lennon, Much Too Late for Goodbyes

This section has been drydocked until next season because it’s too damn depressing. I promised changes and this is the first.

How About That!

The Braves lost second baseman Ozzie Albies to a fractured forearm over the weekend and replaced him with free agent Whit Merrifield.

The folks over at The Ringer predict the Cardinals will finish the season in last place.

Rob Manfred has hinted at changing the rule that prevents teams from trading draft picks.

Dodgers star lefty Clayton Kershaw is expected to make his 2024 debut this week.

Mike Trout will begin his rehab assignment this week.

Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and there’s a deep drive to left field by Nick Castellanos yada, yada, yada.

Latest Trade Rumors

The Blue Jays have signaled to other teams that they intend to try to win in 2025 rather than go through a full rebuild. This is being interpreted by some other teams as an assertion that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — both eligible for free agency after ’25 — won’t be moved this summer.

The Astros have won 27 of their last 41 games to leap into first place in the AL West and are looking for rotation help.

The Dodgers and White Sox are reportedly discussing a blockbuster deal that could send Garrett Crochet, Michael Kopech, and Luis Robert Jr. from Chicago to Los Angeles.

The Cardinals have a strong interest in White Sox starter Erick Fedde.

The Mets and Padres are expected to be buyers, while the Rays intend to be both buyers and sellers.

The Phillies are pivoting from seeking outfield help to finding solid relievers.

Tigers starter Tarik Skubal would prefer to stay in Detroit.

The A’s will hang on to stud closer Mason Miller unless they are overwhelmed with an offer.

Sunday’s Top Performer

Imanaga – The rookie lefty allowed one run on two hits in seven innings, with one walk and a career-high 10 strikeouts. He was nearly perfect Sunday before allowing a 6th-inning single to Randal Grichuk. Imanaga is 8-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 18 starts. He also has 108 strikeouts compared to just 17 walks in 104 innings.

Extra Innings

A walk is as good as a hit, especially on a team that struggles to put bat to ball.

Monday Morning Six-Pack (Second-Half Predictions Version)

  1. The Cubs will not be buyers or sellers at the deadline.
  2. The Brewers will make a deep postseason run and are my dark horse contender to win the World Series.
  3. The Pirates will be the busiest NL Central team at this year’s trade deadline.
  4. The Giants and Pirates will pass the Cardinals and Mets as the top NL Wild Card teams behind the Braves.
  5. The Royals will ride a late-season run to win the AL Central.
  6. The White Sox will finish the season with at least 121 losses.

They Said It

  • “The way we played the first 100-ish games of the season [has] left us with not very much room for error, so we’ve got to play really well to get back in this and put ourselves in position. I don’t think that it’s determined by the next 10 days.” – Counsell
  • “We’re not in good shape. We got to get it going fast here.” – Counsell
  • “All of [remaining games] right now seem important. I think it was huge for us to be able to battle back after a couple days of probably not playing our best and to be able to come out with one and moving into another big series is key for everyone.” – Swanson

Monday Walk-Up Song

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if anthem rock married hip-hop, 3AM Eternal is your answer.

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterJuly 22, 2024
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