The Cubs-White Sox series often times itself oddly. This year, it happened as the league ramped up to the trade deadline. Also I think there was a sports memorabilia show in town.
At the time of this series, both the White Sox and the Cubs had been thought of as sellers. The White Sox were already in the process of dealing Lucas Giolito, and by the end of the series, which was a Cubs sweep, they'd have let go of Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman as well. Meanwhile, the Cubs are now a game over .500, coming off a 7 game winning streak [as I write this], and looking a lot more like a competitor than they previously were. The Cubs are only 3.5 games out of a wild card spot, and with this streak they've separated themselves from the pack. Even though I hear they're still listening to offers on Stroman and Bellinger, I don't think the Cubs are as sure of a bet to sell as they were.
It's also evident right now because even the little pieces that were supposed to be replacement level are working for the Cubs. Mike Tauchman has been an awesome leadoff hitter, batting .261 with 33 RBIs in 54 games. Yan Gomes, at 35, has been a surprisingly spry starting catcher, hitting .274 with 62 hits in 69 games. Adbert Alzolay has become an excellent closer, with 12 saves already. And the guys who've joined the cause late, especially Christopher Morel, have been worth it; Morel has 16 homers and 48 RBIs in 60 games.
This is a Cubs team that can and will teeter on the brink of legitimacy, and maybe needs one more year to be an actual contender, but they have enough to be considered a team that doesn't need to sell, at least in my opinion. You never know what they'll end up doing, but I think they're gonna stand relatively pat.
As for the White Sox...the question for them is who they're gonna end up holding onto. Because even after Lynn, Giolito and Graveman have left, I'm still hearing question marks over several members of this team, will they or won't they go. Mike Clevinger just got activated, and will start in time for people to take a last look at him. Tim Anderson, Yasmani Grandal and Andrew Vaughn have been mentioned in trade talks, especially Anderson, who I think just needs a change of scenery at this point. I'm even hearing they might want to deal Robert or Jimenez for some reason, who are both still young enough to be pieces of this team for a bit longer. I don't entirely get that approach. Yes, repopulate the youth movement, but maybe give them a few more years?
It is very much down to how pessimistic Kenny Williams is about this team, and considering how far they've fallen I bet he's not thinking anything's gonna happen with this group. And with the team they had in 2019, 2020 and 2021, that's a really depressing thought. They hired the wrong managers, squandered development, got really unlucky with injuries, and can't even rise above a genuinely appalling division. And I hate that they're probably gonna just start trading big pieces and start over, because there's already 3 or 4 teams in this division that are doing that.
It's odd that the Cubs have been luckier than the White Sox, even just 2 years after splitting up their own dynasty. It may also be organizational. It definitely is organizational, a lot of this is the White Sox's organizational struggles. And while both teams could still deal, it's sad that the Cubs feel like the comparative victor here.
Coming Tomorrow- One of the two big rookie call-ups for a team desperate for anything to talk about.
The Cubs' recent run has been fun to watch. Plus they scored 36 runs in the last 2 games against the Reds. Of course they put up a goose egg against the Braves, which will be a real test of their competitiveness.
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