Cubs Positioned For DH In NL
CHICAGO–A few months after the farm system graduated its top prospects to the majors, rumblings of a possible change coming to the National League suggest another potential boost for the hitter-heavy Cubs.
Nobody in the NL is better positioned to welcome the DH than Chicago—even after third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Addison Russell and outfielders Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber turned into a rookie playoff core for the big league club last year.
“We have so many hitters coming, we wouldn’t mind a DH,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said, “but we can’t control that. It’s above our pay grade. It’s an issue with the commissioner and the owners.”
In theory, a change in the DH rule could begin with a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2017.
For the Cubs, the DH would provide a landing spot for defensively-challegned outfielder/catcher Schwarber in the big league lineup.
In the longer term, it could provide a way to keep defensively limited hitters such as Double-A Tennessee first baseman Dan Vogelbach in their big league plans—or double the potential trade market for such players.
The Cubs acknowledge any significant moves they make in the next year will likely come via trades from the pool of young hitters they didn’t tap for moves this winter.
The Cubs say they’re a long way from making organizational plans based on a potential DH rule change, but their top draft picks and international signings the last four years already position them to exploit a change.
The lefthanded-hitting Vogelbach, 23, hit .272/.403/.425 in a 76-game season limited by the first injuries (hamstring, oblique) of his career.
“Obviously, if (the DH comes to the NL), then that’s another chance for another bat in the lineup,” said Vogelbach, whom the Cubs added to the 40-man roster in November, “but right now, I’m just going to continue to try to be the best first baseman I can be.”
CUBBY HOLES
• The Cubs added organizational depth by signing second baseman Munenori Kawasaki, shortstop Kris Negron and catcher Tim Federowicz to minor league deals.
• The Cubs say second baseman Logan Watkins will be healthy after missing last season with an Achilles injury.
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