McKnight: Why it's not quite Schwarber's time with the Cubs
Kyle Schwarber's big league debut has everyone talking.
The only words you need to listen to, however, are Joe Maddon's.
He put things plainly late this week when he told reporters the Cubs had a better chance of switching leagues than keeping Schwarber on the 25-man roster after Sunday's game against the Twins. The Cubs lose the DH, and Schwarber's development needs consistent at-bats and demands work behind the plate before he becomes a major league regular.
In the National League, anyway.
Eventually there will come a day when the powers that be end the oddity that is National League baseball. When it comes to the DH, it's time to evolve. As much as you may love the spectacle of a Jon Lester at-bat or remember with fondness the hacking, writhing mess that was Ted Lilly at the plate, it's time. End the nonsense. Give teams in the NL a chance to use weapons like Schwarber - especially at a time when youth and power seem the surest way to score runs in an offense-starved game.
It is as it has always been since the Cubs started loading up on young bats; it's about the development of the individual player. Schwarber is not Kris Bryant. He's an advanced bat, to be sure, but Schwarber's defense behind the plate isn't just a whisper away from Major League average.
Schwarber's profile coming into last year's draft is a story unto itself, but he definitely wasn't drawing defensive comparisons to guys like Padres prospect Austin Hedges or even Seattle's Mike Zunino. Up and down the Cubs organization you'll find those who will swear to Schwarber eventually developing into a passable receiver - but not yet.
Even if his defense was close to ready, he's logged only 554 minor league plate appearances. For perspective, Bryant had 773. Addison Russell, 1087. Javier Baez is sitting on 1508. Starlin Castro had 1098.
Still, I get the clamor for Schwarber. The power is tantalizing, and with Miguel Montero's peak-and-valley season and David Ross just being David Ross, the temptation is as real as it gets.
Montero and Ross are here for defense. For pitch framing. For leadership. All three of them things the Cubs need now and haven't had enough of in the past few seasons.
If you're still struggling to cope with his imminent departure, maybe it'll be best to think of this past week as Schwarber's reward. No more, no less. Something for him - not for us.
If that doesn't help you, write a letter to Comissioner Rob Manfred and tell him you want the DH in the National League. If he gets back to you, let me know.
• Connor McKnight can be heard regularly on WGN-720 AM and is a co-host of The Beat on the weekends. Follow him on Twitter at @McKnight_WGN.