Cubs Notes: Epstein, Extensions, Catchers

Theo Epstein has mostly led his golf equipment with beneficial, progressive messaging that, if just about anything, lands on the extremely-diplomatic conclusion of the spectrum. Genuine to variety, he and the Chicago Cubs organization are encouraging their players to discuss their minds as they so pick, writes Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports. Though Epstein’s reviews may perhaps arrive off as hollow, there’s tiny to advise he’s remaining just about anything but honest. He’s been up front about seeking to organizationally (and personally) acquire a very long, inward search at them selves for traces of the systemic racism that is been at the fore of the country’s cultural dialogue. These comments stemmed from a tweet from Adbert Alzolay that voiced some of his fears about camp in South Bend. That tweet, even so, was deleted right after some of his specifics proved to be inaccurate, for every The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma. This Here’s a lot more from Chicago…

• Epstein much more-or-considerably less set the kibosh on any likely extensions for Chicago’s many well known, star players, for each MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Following Kris Bryant a short while ago re-iterated his need to keep in Chicago, it’s a very little disquieting to listen to Epstein so thoroughly shut down the notion of extending a great deal-beloved Cubs like Bryant, Javier Baez, or Willson Contreras. On the other hand, it’s surely a bewildering time in baseball, and there are loads of logistics to maintain the corporation hectic just in seeking to continue to keep gamers protected and return to the activity of baseball. The marketplace for star players like Bryant and Baez could not be any much more unsure, and with at least two seasons before any of their main gamers arrive at free agency, the Cubs have the luxurious of time. If nothing else, next offseason will offer you a interesting information position as Mookie Betts hits the open industry. The Cubs surely have the cash to re-up their stars, but they might just want to hold out to see the going amount for a superstar in these uncertain moments.
• On the area, manager David Ross is mulling the likelihood of carrying three catchers as soon as the period starts, per Bastian (through Twitter). Presented the to some degree chaotic terms of the 2020 season, it would not be stunning to see many groups go this route. For the Cubs precisely, Victor Caratini proved enough with the bat past time to get some at-bats at to start with base or selected hitter when Contreras carries on to serve as the every day catcher. The swap-hitting Caratini, 26, hit .266/.348/.447 throughout 279 plate appearances. He saw 23 commences at initially foundation and 2 at 3rd base to go alongside with 59 starts off guiding the plate. Josh Phegley would figure to be the third catcher. Phegley has not rated all that effectively defensively, but the previous Oakland Athletic did pop 12 homers with a .411 slugging percentage very last period.