Arrieta understands his role for Cubs
Point A for the Cubs in 2015 begins on April 6, when they open the season at home against the Cardinals.
Will the ace of the pitching staff have a last name that begins with "A," as in Jake Arrieta?
Maybe. Maybe not.
This figures to be a big off-season for the Cubs in the pitching department. Most observers feel they'll open the checkbook in an attempt to sign one big-name free-agent pitcher, such as Oakland's Jon Lester. A return to Chicago of Jason Hammel wouldn't be out of the question as the Cubs try to bolster the major-league staff.
Arrieta ascended into the role of de facto ace after the July 4 trade of Hammel and Jeff Samardzija to Oakland. After he moved up to No. 1, Arrieta proved he belonged. He finished his season Wednesday night by pitching 7 solid innings in a 3-1 victory over the Cardinals.
He compiled a record of 10-5, an ERA of 2.53 and a WHIP of 0.99.
Because he was injured at the beginning of the season and didn't start until early May, Arrieta doesn't qualify to be listed among the league leaders. If he did, his ERA would rank fifth, behind Cy Young front-runner Clayton Kershaw, Johnny Cueto, Adam Wainwright and Cole Hamels. His WHIP would be third, behind only Kershaw and Cueto.
Although those kinds of numbers say "opening-day starter," Arrieta seems to understand what the Cubs will be looking to do this off-season and how it might affect the rotation and who starts on Opening Day.
"I think that's a possibility," he said of taking the ball next April 6. "It's really something that will kind of develop or unfold as that time approaches. I anticipate things happening this off-season. Obviously, the direction we're moving is a very positive one. We've got a lot of good things going on here, and those things will continue to build and progress into more of a winning atmosphere overall.
"That just comes with player development and maturity on a lot of different levels from everybody. I think even the older guys in (the clubhouse) like myself can continue to grow developmentally and physically. It (starting Opening Day) is potentially in the cards, but not necessarily something I put a lot of focus on."
However it plays out, Arrieta figures to be a top-end starter for the Cubs, who also have seen good things from rookie Kyle Hendricks. They'll need a bounce-back year from lefty Travis Wood, and if they can move the disappointing Edwin Jackson this off-season, they'll do it, even though he has two seasons left on a four-year, $52 million contract.
Getting a whiff of it:
Rookie infielder Javier Baez has 90 strikeouts in 215 plate appearances since coming up from Class AAA Iowa on Aug. 5. That's an astronomical strikeout percentage of 41.9.
The Cubs have remained steadfast in sticking with Baez every day so he can become accustomed to major-league pitching. They'll allow him to regroup this winter with the idea that he'll be the 2015 starting second baseman next to shortstop Starlin Castro.
The organization does not seem alarmed by Baez's high K rate. The Cubs point out he has struggled at the plate each time he has moved up a level in professional baseball.
New name in South Bend:
Cubs president Theo Epstein was in South Bend, Ind., Thursday along with scouting/player-development chief Jason McLeod.
The occasion was a news conference announcing that South Bend has become the new Class A Midwest League affiliate of the Cubs, who ended their partnership with the Kane County Cougars after two seasons.
The South Bend team changes is name from Silver Hawks to Cubs, and a massive ballpark upgrade already is underway.
One of the big sells by South Bend owner Andrew Berlin is a planned "performance center," similar to the facility the Cubs have at their new spring-training facility in Mesa, Ariz.
"What Andrew envisions here and the plans they have, they'll have a performance center that will represent a competitive advantage for our A-ball players," Epstein told reporters at the news conference. "We never dreamed of having something of that caliber for our low (Class A) affiliate. I think the fact that's going to become a reality will be a difference maker for us."
Cubs scouting report
Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet Friday; WGN Saturday and Sunday
Radio: WGN 720-AM
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Eric Jokisch (0-0) vs. Matt Garza (8-8) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Tsuyoshi Wada (4-3) vs. Wily Peralta (16-11) Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Kyle Hendricks (7-2) vs. Mike Fiers (6-4) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.
At a glance: The Brewers (81-78) held first place in the NL Central for most of the season before fading. They were eliminated from postseason play with Thursday's loss at Cincinnati and became the fifth team to spend at least 150 days in first place and not make the postseason. It's possible there will be changes to either the front office or the field staff because of the collapse. Jonathan Lucroy is trying to finish the season at .300. His line is .299/.372/.465. The Brewers' team ERA (3.67) was 10th in the NL entering Thursday, and the Cubs' ERA (3.94) was 13th. Jokisch, a product of Northwestern University, makes his first major-league start. Cubs batters lead the NL in strikeouts by a wide margin, with 1,442. The 71 wins to date for the Cubs are the most in the regime headed by Theo Epstein. They won 61 in 2012 and 66 last year.
Next: St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, April 6, 2015
- Bruce Miles