An occasional rumble of an airplane flying over the back fields of the Chicago Cubs complex broke through the crack of bats and hum of instruction during minor-league minicamp.
The Cubs should have been playing their Cactus League opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers on a beautiful, 65-degree Saturday at Sloan Park, yet the ballpark remained closed thanks to the owners’ lockout. March 8 represents the soonest the Cubs will play a spring training game after Major League Baseball canceled another batch of exhibition games Friday.
The Cactus League expressed extreme disappointment that spring training games have not begun as scheduled.
“Spring training is a major tourism driver in Arizona, and our stakeholders are counting on a strong 2022 spring training season after enduring two COVID-disrupted seasons,” the Cactus League said in a statement Saturday. “We are disappointed for the many out-of-state fans whose travel plans have been impacted.”
On a day that should have provided the first look at the 2022 Cubs, the focus remained on the organization’s future and top prospects.
About two dozen fans observed over the course of Saturday’s three-hour minicamp session, seeing Cristian Hernández charging in on a slow roller down the third-base line and firing a bullet to first; Owen Caissie looking effortless slugging the ball to the wall; and the baseball sounding like a rocket off Ed Howard’s bat during batting practice.
It has been obvious during the past week why the Cubs’ future is so bright. That help is still a few years away, however. The front office has big-league personnel decisions to make quickly once the lockout ends.
One of those might involve the designated hitter, which is expected to be expanded to the National League in the next collective bargaining agreement. How the Cubs utilize the DH will depend on their roster-building approach and long-term flexibility.
When asked in September how he views the DH position, Cubs manager David Ross said he sees two functions: a way to rest players or to add a potentially lethal hitter to the lineup.
“I‘ve been on a team with David Ortiz, and that’s nice. He’s just going to be in there, you know?” Ross said. “And if you want to give somebody a day, again, it just depends on how the roster’s formulated. But I do think that’s something that a lot of teams look at. It’s just a matter of how we want to do things here.”
Ross said at the time that in talking with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, a lot will depend on who would fit the DH role for the Cubs beyond who’s available in free agency. The obvious function for the Cubs would feature a rotation of players based on matchups and rest.
Hoyer mentioned at the end of the season a desire to better manage catcher Willson Contreras’ workload behind the plate. Contreras posted the lowest on-base percentage and highest strikeout rate of his career in 2021 while finishing fourth in the NL in innings caught despite landing on the injured list twice with a right knee sprain and right hip inflammation.
Backup catcher Yan Gomes could be a DH option, too, though there is a little risk in putting both catchers in the lineup if one gets hurt. Gomes, 34, has had an OPS+ at the league average or higher in three of the last four seasons. He also averaged 14 home runs and 18 doubles in a part-time role with three organizations over the last four seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 season.
If the Cubs go with a more traditional DH profile internally, they could use the spot to help solve potential playing time issues. While they still need to acquire at least one utility infielder and ideally another everyday power bat, the DH would allow Ross to create the best matchups on a day-to-day basis.
Third baseman Patrick Wisdom, first baseman Frank Schwindel and outfielders Ian Happ and Rafael Ortega all could slot in as the DH depending on how Ross prioritizes the defense behind that day’s Cubs pitcher and how to stack the ideal matchup versus the opposing starter.
Of course, this all remains hypothetical until MLB and the players union reach agreement on a new CBA or owners lift the lockout. Saturday should have been a lovely day at Sloan Park as fans trekked to spring training stadiums in Arizona and Florida to enjoy baseball for the first time in four months.
Instead, minor-league camp rolled on as the game remains in limbo.
