Rozner: Cubs' clubhouse chemistry no accident

One of the most remarkable aspects of an improbable 2015 Cubs season was the way young players jumped to the big leagues and treated it like their personal playground.

Sure, they had struggles, but they went through adjustments last year as if they already had their sophomore slumps despite still being in their freshman year, and then quickly graduated to the next level.

So does it mean it will be that simple, that they won't again have to go through the tough times?

Cubs scouting director Jason McLeod isn't so sure.

“I think it could happen again,” McLeod said. “It's gonna be part of their development and maturation process in the major leagues.

“Certainly, they're not going to sneak up on anyone. They all have a little bit of a swagger and confidence that they should have, but at the same time the league is going to adjust to them and you can't expect them to stay on that linear path shooting upward.

“They are gonna have some struggles. We expect it and we hope it can be minimized when it does happen.

“But the great thing about that bunch that came up last year is — as far as makeup and psyche and how they're wired to compete — it's unlike any group of players I've ever been around.”

What's so truly unusual is to see so many inexperienced players arrive at one time and take apart the league. It's not supposed to happen that way. It's just not normal.

“No, it's not,” McLeod laughed. “For me personally, and the teams I've been with, it's kind of a rare moment in time when you have that many young guys hit the big leagues at the same time on a team that's pushing for the postseason, and then to go in and perform the way they did under the brightest lights, that was something special to watch.”

This is also not an accident and it's not luck.

While McLeod and Theo Epstein are as deep into metrics as anyone, they care just as much about the human side of the business. They believe in studying the person as much as the player before they draft or trade for a player, and that's how they wind up with athletes who are seemingly oblivious to the pressure and the history of young players struggling at the big-league level.

“We've been picking high in the draft the last few years,” McLeod said, “so you can use your time and your resources to really get to know a very small group of players you're considering up there, from the makeup and background and trying to really figure out what's important to them, what they're about, who they are as teammates and people.”

Whether it's picks like Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Albert Almora, trades for Addison Russell, Anthony Rizzo and Jake Arrieta or signings like Jason Heyward, John Lackey and Jon Lester, the Cubs are always looking for character players.

“I think we've done a really good job of getting to know the person behind the player,” McLeod said. “Bryant and Schwarber and all these guys you mentioned, they are all guys who are what we hoped they would be in a very short amount of time. It just makes you feel great.

“Theo and I and Jed (Hoyer) sat down with Kyle Schwarber for a long time, sat down with Kris Bryant for a long time, and we were in Albert Almora's house for a long time.

“We sat in their houses and we got to know them. The object doesn't change in terms of what we're trying to do and the kind of people we want to bring into the organization.”

They get eyes on a player and understand as much as they can about their lives, their families, their friends and their concern for teammates and winning, not to mention wanting to be the best possible player they can be.

One bad guy, one selfish player or one clubhouse cancer can quickly kill a team and everything you've worked for.

“Numbers don't tell you those things,” McLeod said. “Obviously, you need very talented players if you're going to win games, but in an environment like a major-league clubhouse where you're going to spend seven-plus months together every single day, it's incredibly important that the culture of the clubhouse is one where guys care about each other, pick each other up and have the common goal of winning.

“With this particular team, seeing how they responded all season together and how the veterans embraced the young players coming up and how they react to getting back together after the winter apart, the way they hug one another, it's like being at a reunion.

“It seems like they really like each other and are happy to be back together, and it's great when you can see these kinds of people in one clubhouse.”

Character and chemistry aren't the only answers, but they do matter.

And the Cubs have plenty of both.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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