Cubs Season Preview

    After an offseason full of bargaining and questions marks, Opening day is almost upon us.

    An exodus of well-known and well-loved Cubbies at last years trade deadline sets the team with a lot of new faces. Gone are the likes of Baez, Rizzo, and Bryant. Longtime veterans Kyle Hendricks and Wilson Contreras are joined by exciting newcomers Seiya Suzuki and Nick Madrigal, among others. 2022 should be a fun time of getting to know some new faces and speculating who will be the face of the franchise as the Cubs try to compete along with building for a better tomorrow.

    Starting with the offense, the Cubs have a lot of solid players, but none who stand out as a sure All-Star. Suzuki was the big signing and will be the starter in right field while flashing potential to be Rookie of the Year after crossing the sea from Japan. Madrigal will be a fun player to watch, as he starts his Cubs career after being shipped here from the White Sox. He may not have much thump in his bat, but he will get on base and put the ball in play, which will be a nice change of pace. The rest of the infield feels strong and deep, with Patrick Wisdom and Frank Schwindel patrolling the corners. Nico Hoerner will start at shortstop until Andrelton Simmons comes back from an injury, and Jonathon Villar will be a solid utility man. The outfield does not seem to be as strong or deep though. Suzuki looks to be the best of the bunch with Ian Happ and Jason Heyward manning the other two starting spots. Michael Hermosillo, Clint Frazier, and Rafael Ortega will be the backups and see spot duty when called upon. Having Wilson Contreras behind the dish is a luxury, and makes the lineup more dangerous. Yan Gomes will be a servicable backup behind the plate, while DH seems to be a revolving door based on matchups.

    On the pitching end, The Cubs have a familiar face in Kyle Hendricks as the Opening Day starter. Marcus Stroman was another huge signing for the Cubs and will be a solid second option for the Cubs as Wade Miley, Drew Smyly, and Justin Steele fill out the rotation. The back-end guys all have their warts but present upside and will hope to provide solid innings this season. The bullpen has been hurt by injuries to start the year and has a lot of unproven talent. David Robertson, Mychal Givens, and Jesse Chavez look to be the leaders, and while solid, they leave something to be desired.

    The Cubs have injuries to some players who would have been role players. David Bote had shown to be a solid utility man in the past couple of years, providing some pop and timely hitting. Adbert Alzolay had an up-and-down first full season in the league last year. He was projected to be the fifth starter and his arm will be missed as depth in the rotation. Codi Heuer was brilliant after being picked up for the White Sox and will be missed in the bullpen along with Brad Wieck who is also on the 60-day IL.

    Overall, this team looks a bit better than expected and could surprise some by fighting for a wild card in the expanded playoff. Outfield and bullpen depth look to be weaknesses, while the infield depth looks to be a strength. All in all, it's baseball season, and that in and of itself, is a beautiful thing.