ESPN rates Cubs offseason as a B- |
The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 but that doesn't mean you don't try to improve during the offseason. The Cubs made several moves recently including acquisitions for Wade Davis, Jon Jay, Koji Uehara, Brett Anderson, Brian Duensing, Jim Henderson, Eddie Butler, Manny Parra, Casey Kelly, and Caleb Smith.
ESPN released their latest article giving out report card grades to all the major league teams on their offseason and they gave the Cubs a grade of B-. "The Cubs get high marks for not committing $80-90 million and five years for one of the elite closers," ESPN senior writer Jim Bowden said. "Instead they traded their seventh best outfielder in Soler to the Royals for another dominant closer in Davis, who will be pitching for a free-agent contract. This was a much better business and baseball move for the long term." The Cubs will not have fan favorite Dexter Fowler anymore but will have more inexpensive options roaming center field. "The Cubs said goodbye to center fielder and leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler and will replace him with a platoon of rookie Albert Almora and Jay, the latter signed as a free agent," Bowden said. "The Cubs added starting pitching depth with the signings of Anderson and Butler, and bullpen depth when they inked Uehara, Henderson and Duensing." The St. Louis Cardinals received a B grade for their offseason performance which was the highest mark in the National League Central.
