David Ross has spoken
The Chicago Cubs upgraded at manager by hiring Craig Counsell and moving off of David Ross in a surprise move earlier this week. Still, to be clear, it's a heartbreaking, bittersweet change at its core. Ross was a player on the 2016 World Series-winning team, and a key member of the franchise since in his transition to the coaching staff.
That said, even the biggest defenders of Rossy would admit he was imperfect as a manager. Counsell is a clear improvement for the role.
Ross spoke on the change recently. We dove deeper on that here, but here's the money quote from Tallahassee.com:
"There was a lot of people who worked really hard alongside me. ... I am really thankful for the four years I got, coming from zero coaching experience to getting the chance to manage such a great organization that has impacted my life in a great way. There's great people there. I really don't have a whole lot negative to say, to be honest... I get mad from time to time but I have a lot to be thankful for."
Ugh. If that doesn't at least make you feel for the guy who was good enough to earn a vote of confidence from the organization to end the season but not good enough to retain employment when a better option became available, I don't know what will. Ross was frustrating at times, but far from an obvious firing.
Rossy deserves an ovation whenever he finds himself back at Wrigley.
The Cubs have been named in connection to Rhys Hoskins
The path Chicago takes with first base is of interest for a number of reasons this offseason. For one, Cody Bellinger, the team's top incumbent free agent, played some there last season, though his more natural placement is in center field. That said, it's not uncommon for players like Bellinger to shift to first base in the later years of their career, and if Bellinger wants to play at first, the team should definitely attempt to dangle that if it means keeping him in Chicago.
Then, we learned earlier this week that the Cubs are eyeing first base for Christopher Morel, a player who has notably been brought up repeatedly in trade discussions. Specifically, he's been mentioned as a player to watch in a potential Juan Soto deal, though such a deal appears to be off the table for the time being with the Padres gesturing toward keeping him, at least for now.
FanSided.com's MLB Insider Robert Murray tabbed the Cubs as a team that makes sense for free agent Rhys Hoskins.
Hoskins missed last season recovering from injury, and the Phillies have seemingly resigned from the running to retain him announcing that Bryce Harper will become the team's first baseman of the future.
If Chicago were to secure Hoskins, what might it do for its pursuit of Bellinger? Presumably, he would still be in play in an outfield role. But how about Morel? Might it turn up the heat on a trade there? Morel appeared to land on second base after struggling defensively in various roles in his first two years, but the team now looks committed to slotting him at first base. He can serve a designated hitter role, but maybe a trade would be the more likely outcome.
Shohei Ohtani to the Cubs? It's a very real possibility
Whether or not the Chicago Cubs actually become real players in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes will largely be up to Ohtani and his camp. But with what we know so far, you can't say the Cubs aren't doing their part to make themselves key players in the running...
Danny Burke added more to the whispers of Ohtani and the Cubs. He said that in July, he learned Yu Darvish, who played for the Cubs from 2018-2020, sold him on the city and the team, while another source recently confirmed the idea that the Cubs are planning to be big spenders.
On its own, this report might be viewed skeptically. After all, a member of the Cubs organization telling Burke that the team believes it has a greater than 50 percent chance of signing him doesn't mean much... But it adds to other reporters tossing the Cubs out as real players in the whole thing, which is certainly not insignificant.
Multiple data points and insider voices have tabbed the Cubs as real players in the Ohtani sweepstakes. Clearly, at the very least, they'll be giving it the old college try this offseason. After going out and getting Counsell, you have to love the team's commitment to getting better, no matter the cost.
