Imrem: It's time for Cubs' Hoyer, Epstein to step up
OK, gentlemen, show us what you're made of.
That's you we're referring to, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. That's you, team baseball president Theo Epstein. That's you, club chairman Tom Ricketts.
Your ballclub is reeling. The Phillies, who came to town at 29 games below .500, just swept three games in Wrigley Field.
After Sunday's 11-5 drubbing, Cubs manager Joe Maddon declined the invitation to concede that his team is running low on energy.
"I cannot connect those negative thoughts," he said. "There's a lot of energy in our clubhouse."
Then let's go about this from another angle. If not energy, the Cubs need an infusion of fresh talent to make a playoff run.
That's where Hoyer and Epstein, the roster builders, and Ricketts, the money man, have to step in and step up.
Friday is Major League Baseball's nonwaiver trade deadline, an opportunity for teams to acquire reinforcements.
The Royals have dealt for veteran pitching ace Johnny Cueto. The Astros have dealt for a veteran starting pitcher. The Mets have dealt for a couple of veteran position players to fortify their sagging offense.
The Mets are the big ones. Along with the Giants, they're competing with the Cubs for the National League's final playoff slot.
So, what are the Cubs going to do? Are they going to be conservative and wait for a steal or are they going to take a July risk for the chance at an October reward?
When it comes to the second wild card, nothing is for certain right now, especially for a team like the Cubs.
Qualifying for the 2015 postseason never was supposed to be easy for the Cubs. It was supposed to be a struggle. They were supposed to slip in if they made it at all.
Cubs players have reached the cusp of the outskirts of the playoff race. It's up to the front office to elevate them the rest of the way instead of letting them fall onto the outskirts of the outskirts.
Not long ago the Cubs had a healthy lead for the league's fifth and final postseason berth.
Late on the evening of July 8, the Cubs' record was an out away from going to 47-37. Then Cardinals' shortstop Jhonny Peralta hit a 2-run homer to beat them.
Counting that loss, the Cubs are 5-9 since, back to five games over .500 and trailing the surging Giants.
"Don't start a bunch of fires when it's not necessary," is the way Maddon put it with 65 games left to play.
His point is that the Cubs look dead primarily because they aren't hitting. A club always looks dead when it isn't hitting.
So that settles that. Hoyer and Epstein, with Ricketts' blessing, have to go out and find more offense if the Cubs are going to reach the playoffs.
Except, maybe they need another starting pitcher more than hitting. Except, maybe they need relievers more than hitting or a starting pitcher.
It's never encouraging when the debate is over which of three areas a team needs to fix more.
But that's the nature of playoff races now. The final team that qualifies probably doesn't belong, but if it does it just might win the World Series.
Ricketts always says on Opening Day that he's excited about the Cubs' chances. Maddon said that he aims for a championship every season. Epstein said they're buyers this year for a change.
Yes, guys, it's time to put your urgency where your mouths have been.
The media expect it, fans demand it, and Cubs players likely are waiting for it.
mimrem@dailyherald.com