Chicago Cubs Season Report Card: Outfield Part 1 |
Now that we have completed our infield grades for the Cubs' season Report Cards, it's time to shift the focus to the outfield. This will continue to be one of the biggest areas of conversation this offseason, as two of the three outfielders have a no-trade clause, while another is weighing a lucrative player option that could dictate how the Cubs spend money this offseason.
Looking back at this past season, the outfield performed very well, as the most consistent hitters came from the outfield. However, if the Cubs want to improve as a team, especially offensively, this area must start picking up the slack and producing even more than they already have.
Say what you will about Ian Happ, but the bottom line is he is a very productive player who has continued to produce over time. Not only is he a multiple gold glove winner with a good chance at getting a third one this season, but he is also the last remaining player from the Theo Epstein regime who seems to have a future with this team. When you look at the season as a whole for Happ, he went through one of the worst six-week stretches of his career, and he simply couldn't buy a hit in the early going. Then, Craig Counsell decided to move him back to the leadoff spot, and from that point forward, he became one of their best and most consistent hitters in the lineup. Ideally, you would love his .243 average to get closer to the .260 range, but with 25 homers and 86 RBIs, you can't argue the production as he led the Cubs in both homers and RBIs. Happ also has one of the better eyes on the team, which is why the Cubs love him at DH. He has two years remaining on his deal, so seeing how the Cubs value his future will be interesting. Season Grade B+: Although Happ saw a decline in some of his statistics, the homers and RBIs increased as he tied his career high in homers while surpassing his previous career high in RBIs. Remember, he did that after struggling the first six weeks of the season, as he could've had a 30-homer 100 RBI campaign. That is all you can ask for from a 20 million-dollar player, as he has proven to be a great asset for this organization.
One of the most beloved players on this team is the Palentine, Illinois native Mike Tauchman. Signed to a minor league deal out of Korea last season, Tauchman was called up in May and never returned to Iowa. This season, Tauchman was given the vote of confidence in Spring when Craig Counsell announced that he would make the team, and all he did was continue to do what is expected of him. Sure, Tauchman can be an everyday player, as he has shown multiple times, but he can only do that in short spurts as he is best suited as a No. 4 outfielder. His .248 average is less than you would expect, especially when you look at how he works counts, but his seven homers and 29 RBIs is all you can ask for from a role player. Season Grade C+: Tauchman had an interesting season this year, and that got incredibly frustrating later on. When he was inserted into the lineup daily, the Cubs offense had a stabilizing force at the top of their order capable of working counts and getting on base. Then came the call-up of Pete Crow-Armstrong as Tauchman saw his playing time drastically diminish. Entering another free agent season, the Cubs would love to have him back if he accepts a fourth OF role next season.
While the season was frustrating for this team, seeing the emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong is one of the positive takeaways this team will take with them. Like last season when he went 0-14 after getting called up, Crow-Armstrong had a rough go of things offensively at the plate for two months, although his elite speed and defense forced the Cubs to keep him in the lineup. That proved to be the smartest thing they could've done, as the more at-bats he got, the better he became. Over the final three months of the season, PCA turned himself into a great hitter, hitting .288 to finish with a .237 average. His power numbers increased with 10 homers and 47 RBIs, while his 27 steals in 29 tries show just how much of a weapon he is on the bases. Season Grade B: This was a tale of two halves for PCA, and the second half is the one to build on. For all the criticism he took early in the season for his struggles, PCA ignored all that and continued to grind and put the work in. That grind paid off in a big way as he started to show everyone why he was the team's No. 1 prospect the past few seasons and is considered a top-25 prospect in baseball. He will be the future face of the organization, and next season will be a massive step into becoming a future star.Ian Happ
Mike Tauchman
Pete Crow-Armstrong
