Expectations
A repeat of last year’s playoff contention, at a minimum.
Best Case
Starters are found to support repeat performances from Jack Taylor and Bob Rush; Pete Browning is healthy for a full season; Elrod Hendricks doesn’t backslide too much; and the OF talent figures itself out.
Worst Case
The pitching remains an open question; none of the marginal performers–Richie Hebner, Ron Santo, Ernie Banks–take a step forward and the pleasant surprises from last season–Jim Edmonds, Anthony Rizzo, Dan Ford–all regress and Hendricks falls off a cliff entirely.
Key Questions
- How does the team integrate its considerable young talent into the roster as the season progresses?
As many as 8 spots on the pitching staff are available, as are the backup C and IF jobs.
Trade Bait
There is a lot of duplicate talent here, most of it in the minors. Sorting through all that is the major task of the organization over the next year or two.
The two trades made seem fine, netting some draft picks, an arm for the future (Claude Osteen), and a hopefully revitalized Sammy Sosa.
Roster Evaluation
| POS | Elite | Strong | Solid | Meh | Weak | Unknown |
| C | Hendricks | Chance | ||||
| 1B | Rizzo | Harris | ||||
| 2B | Sandberg | Cabrera | ||||
| 3B | Hebner Santo | |||||
| SS | Banks | |||||
| LF/ RF | Browning | Stone | Sosa | |||
| CF | Edmonds | Gore | ||||
| SP | Taylor | Rush | Sullivan | Miley | Reuschel | |
| End | Bauta Smith | |||||
| RP | Sabathia Wood | Jenkins | Gumbert |
Above average, but needs some folks to step up dramatically on offense to reach the next level, and for the pitching to not regress at all. It’s possible–Sosa, Fergie Jenkins, Santo, and Banks all look like decent possibilities for upside.
Talent Ratings
| WBL | Minors | |
| Raw Power | SS Ernie Banks | U Cody Bellinger |
| Batting Eye | OF George Gore | 1B Mark McGwire |
| Contact | OF George Stone | 1B Mark Grace |
| Running Speed | OF Sammy Sosa | OF Skeeter Barnes OF Tracy Jones |
| Base Stealing | U Frank Chance | OF Danny Green |
| IF Defense | U Bunny Downs | IF Deacon White |
| OF Defense | OF Pete Browning | OF Cy Williams |
| Stuff | P Kerry Wood | RP Ken McBride |
| Control | RP Ad Gumbert | SP Jim Clinton |
| Velocity | P CC Sabathia RP Lee Smith P Kerry Wood | RP Pedro Strop |
Best In The Minors
| Rank | Age | POS | Name |
| 1 (2) | 21 | 2B | Frank Grant |
| 2 (9) | 20 | IF | Cap Anson |
| 3 (14) | 21 | 3B | Dave Malarcher |
| 4 (47) | 23 | P | Karl Spooner |
| 5 (57) | 20 | U | Cody Bellinger |
| 6 (75) | 21 | P | Kyle Peterson |
| 7 (118) | 18 | P | Larry Dierker |
| 8 (152) | 21 | P | Bill Lee |
| 9 (169) | 20 | P | Jocko Flynn |
| 10 (190) | 21 | P | Frank Dwyer |
It’s a top heavy system, which is what you want. Could use some more pitching, but overall the system is a strength.
| Most | Least | |
| Age | P Early Wynn, 41 | P Joe Nuxhall, 16 |
| Height | P CC Sabathia, 6’7″ | IF Bunny Downs, 5’5″ |
| OPS | U Joe Harris .988 (WBL/AAA) | IF Ron Oester, .586 (AAA/AA) |
| HR | C Elrod Hendricks, 41 (WBL) | IF Frank Grant, 0 (WBL/AAA/AA) |
| SB | OF Pete Browning, 38 (WBL) | Many with 0 |
| WAR | OF Pete Browning, 4.2 (WBL) | IF Johnny Giavotella, -1.3 (—) |
| W | Rick Reuschel, 15 (WBL/AAA) Bob Rush, 15 (WBL) Jack Taylor, 15 (WBL) Early Wynn, 15 (—) | Ross Detwiler, 4 (—) Bob Anderson, 4 (—) |
| SV | Bruce Sutter, 25 (WBL) | |
| ERA | Bill Stoneman, 2.35 (—) | Bob Shaw, 6.87 (AAA/AA) |
| WAR | Early Wynn, 5.2 (—) | Eddie Rommel, -0.3 (WBL/AAA) |