Swanson signing a signal Cubs are back in business of winning games
There are a lot of new faces at Cubs camp this spring.
Most arrived in Mesa, Ariz., with proven pasts and plenty of current question marks.
Jameson Taillon is a top of the rotation starting pitcher and there's little doubt he'll help the Cubs.
On the other hand, it's worth noting Taillon ranked seventh in the American League in home runs allowed (26) while pitching for the Yankees last season.
He's also had two Tommy John surgeries and hernia and testicular cancer procedures.
Trey Mancini will help the Cubs' offense, but he's coming off a rough 2022 season split between the Orioles and Astros and the first baseman/outfielder is strikeout prone.
New center fielder Cody Bellinger was the National League MVP in 2019, but he was non-tendered by the Dodgers in November after two straight abysmal years with the bat.
First baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Tucker Barnhart are two more newcomers that are trying to reverse downhill slides.
There is one fresh face that arrives with big expectations and the talent to lead the Cubs back over the .500 mark and beyond - Dansby Swanson.
Badly in need of one of the four star free-agent shortstops on the market this winter, it wasn't looking good for the Cubs when Trea Turner (Phillies), Xander Bogaerts (Padres) and Carlos Correa (Twins) signed elsewhere.
In late December, they landed Swanson on a seven-year, $177 million contract.
Not only was the 29-year-old Swanson a Gold Glove winner with the Braves last season, he established a career high with 96 RBI while hitting .277/.329/.447 and adding 25 home runs and 32 doubles.
According to Swanson - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft - there is still room for improvement.
"I feel like over the last three to four years, I've had a track record of consistently getting better and I feel like that trend is a long way from being over," he said. "I feel like the sky is the limit and the potential is just now being tapped."
Not only is he a middle of the order threat and elite defender at baseball's most important position, Swanson knows how to go to the post.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder played in all 162 games with Atlanta last year and he played in 160 games in 2021.
"I never want to make anything about Atlanta because I'm not there, I'm in Chicago, I'm a Cub," Swanson told the Chicago Sun-Times at the start of spring training. "But the one thing that was the expectation there was that you play every day, plain and simple. If we want to win, the best players have to play. In order for the best players to play, you have to take care of yourself.
"In order to take care of yourself, you've got to care about yourself and care about your teammates. That same mentality is now going to be brought here. It has to."
Swanson joins the Cubs after making four straight trips to the playoffs with the Braves. He wants to keep the streak going and made sure to mention that point when negotiating with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.
"It was very clear winning was the priority," Hoyer said. "That really stood out. He was, 'How are you guys going to win? What's your plan? What's your philosophy? What players are you going to surround me with?'"
Swanson is surrounded by Taillon, Mancini, Bellinger, Hosmer and Barnhart, along with holdovers like Ian Happ, Marcus Stroman, Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner.
For now, that will have to do.
"The important goal is winning," Swanson said. "That's the only stat that matters and bringing that sort of philosophy is really, really important. Just excited to get going and for what's ahead."