Cubs May Have Fowler's Replacement in House Already
In what didn't come as a surprise, Dexter Fowler has moved on from the Chicago Cubs, but they did so on mutual terms. What may come as a bigger surprise to Cubs fans was not that he left, but that he signed with the rival St. Louis Cardinals. While that may hurt, the Cubs are still ahead of the Cardinals on paper, and will likely remain that way contingent on a couple of factors. When the Cubs signed Jason Heyward last season, they were in it for the long haul with him, and hopefully, for both Heyward's sake and Cubs fans sake, he will make the necessary adjustments. He has the potential to be a solid hitter with plus power, but last season was far from that. Heyward showed his value with his glove, and on that end, no one can not say he didn't earn his paycheck. However, if he want's make the rest of his stay in Chicago a good one he likely makes those changes. We will see come February, and aside from that adjustment right there, the next biggest question for Heyward could be what position does he play? When Fowler left he left a big hole in center field, but looking up and down this lineup, they have the tools in place to become even better.
The Schwarber Effect
There is no question that Kyle Schwarber will be starting the vast majority of games in the Cubs outfield if he is healthy which already makes the transition away from Fowler that much easier. Schwarber is likely a safe bet to play the outfield from this point on, and he's slotted well in left field. His defense will only get better with time, but it's safe to say we should not expect to see Kyle hoisting a gold glove, but silver seems to more of his color, and we can expect to see a silver slugger like performance off the bat of Schwarber. Schwarber made not only Jorge Soler available, but it makes moving on from Fowler an option as a well. Schwarber created a log jam in the Cubs outfield which includes options such as Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, Albert Almora, Jon Jay, and Matt Szczur. Not to mention Kris Bryant and Wilson Contreras could see time in the outfield as well. Barring an injury, it's safe to slot Schwarber is going to be the Cubs starting left fielder. There is no question of that, the question for Schwarber is where he will hit. Speculation is leadoff, and it sounds unorthodox to put arguably your best power hitter at the top, but Joe Maddon is far from orthodox. Schwarber does not meet the ideal speedy presence, but he's potentially the best contact option the Cubs have. Nothing could boost a team more than a leadoff home run. Likewise, the Cubs don't necessarily need a speedster at the top if the runs are coming in. Is it likely Schwarber hits leadoff all season, no, but if you think he won't at all this season your likely going to be disappointed. The key for the leadoff guy is to get on base, and Schwarber does that and then some. He currently owns a career .353 OBP which is solid, but may not be exactly what the Cubs are looking for at the time. Regardless if Schwarber is leading off, his present in the lineup will help the Cubs lineup remain productive despite losing what many called their catalyst last season.
Is the Core 4 No More?
In one light is no more, but just because Jorge Soler was dealt away doesn't mean the Cubs will not get outstanding production from the other three of the once called Core 4. Kris Bryant is the unquestioned best player on the team, Javy Baez is coming into his own, and features a gold glove caliber glove which could push Ben Zobrist to the outfield. However, what about the third piece Albert Almora. Almora has fallen under the radar because of the success of the team around him, but he is not a player to sleep on. Almora could slot into the center field spot, and maybe leadoff as well. HIs glove is outstanding, and if he can continue to make strides the Cubs may have their option to replace Fowler and most people have forgotten about him. At only 22 years old, Almora is far from being out of the picture, and when he played last season with the big league squad he was impressive. His hitting was solid, but he does not have the OBP which you would like to see with your leadoff hitter especially if you're the reigning champions. Almora very well could plug into the leadoff role if he shows the ability to get on base at a better pace, but at the moment he looks to be a solid option for starting centerfielder. However, there will be competition for this job. If the Cubs want to put Javy Baez in the lineup on a day to day basis the would mean either Kris Bryant or Ben Zobrist likely play the outfield. This would mean either one of them plays center or Jason Heyward slots into centerfield. This obviously cuts into Almora's playing time, but Almora this is not the only threat to Almora's playing time either. The Cubs also signed Jon Jay. However, Jay could be a blessing and a curse for the young Almora. While for now, he stands as a roadblock for Almora's playing time, he could also serve as a mentor for the young outfielder.
Jon Jay?
One thing that is often overlooked is Jon Jay is a solid ball player, who features a serviceable glove, as well as a serviceable bat. He's not an elite ball player, but the Cubs don't need Jay to be an elite player, they need him to be Jon Jay. Jay is not only a solid bet to get time in center, but he also could be a safety net in case of injury or an unexpected flop. Jay comes from that Cardinals system which develops crafty hitters, and Jay is a crafty hitter who can get on-base. With his versatility and ability to get on-base, he could see some time at the top of the Cubs lineup. Jay owns a .352 OBP which is not too bad. He's not afraid to do what it takes to get on base. He's currently 16th among active players in HBP. This was a fine move by the Cubs front office, on which is low cost, low risk, but has a high probability of paying off. If Jay is the 4th or 5th outfielder then things are going well for the Cubs. If Jay is starting in center, then it's not necessarily a bad thing, the Cubs will be in good hand.
Zobrist to Lead-off?
While it's not known who will lead-off for the Cubs a couple safe bet on who will not include Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo because of their overall value as the middle of the order guys. Addison Russell while a skilled hitter, not one you want to lead-off. Probably safe to scratch Wilson Contreras and Javy Baez off that list as well. We've looked at the other options, but one more remains, World Series MVP Ben Zobrist. Skilled hitter, check, versatile hitter, check, decent speed, check, and solid on base ability, check, Zobrist is a player who can play anywhere and hit anywhere well. Zobrist can be a table setter and a catalyst. If the Cubs want to ensure production at the top of the order does not drop they may be asking Ben Zobrist to hit leadoff this season. Zobrist likely sees time all over the field this season like he always does. Barring a trade before Spring Training its likely the Cubs will use the reliable Ben Zobrist at the top a number of times this season. Zobrist's .356 OBP looks like a solid option to put at the top. He's got a balance of power, and small ball which could spark the Cubs offense early and often. Zobrist is not new to hitting first, and it's likely not going to be his last time either. Zobrist has played a total of 155 games hitting leadoff. While the numbers show he may be a better fit lower in the order, it could be the best spot for him and the Cubs in te early going.
Wrapping Up
For the Cubs, the issues will not necessarily be replacing Dexter Fowler, but the spark he often brought. However, the Cubs' offense is versatile and whether it's Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber, or a Jay/Almora platoon at the top the Cubs have the bats to move on from Fowler. Fowler had a career year last season and was unlikely to repeat his numbers the following season. The Cubs hope obviously appears to be Albert Almora, Almora eventually could grow into a better talent than Fowler. He has the tools to be a stout ball player, but in case Almora is not quite ready the Cubs have Jon Jay just in case. Jay a solid outfielder who will see time in all three spots in the outfield will be a valuable asset for Joe Maddon. If things go as planned the Cubs will see Schwarber in left, Almora in centerfield, and Heyward in right. If the Cubs hold the offense as it is, expect to see Kyle Schwarber and Ben Zobrist leadoff. Losing Fowler will hurt, but having Kyle Schwarber back will be better. In the coming months we will see how confident the Cubs are in their current group of outfielders, going rumors have the Cubs interested in Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies, but those remain rumors to this point.
