We’ll learn more about what the 30 teams have in store for the offseason in the coming days. Not in any great detail (and some subterfuge is inevitable), but with varying degrees of forthcomingness, information will indeed be shared. The GM meetings begin tomorrow, in Scottsdale, with media sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Will your favorite team actively pursue a trade for Mookie Betts? Do they have their eyes trained, and checkbooks already open, on free agents such as Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rendon… or perhaps Andrew Cashner or Jordy Mercer? Answers to those kinds of questions are reliably vague at best, but inquiries of a different ilk often elicit thoughtful responses.

I got a head start on the executive-Q&A front during last month’s NLCS. Eschewing anything roster-related — not the right time and place — I asked St. Louis Cardinals Vice President/General Manager Michael Girsch if he and his front office cohorts had anything cooking behind the scenes. His answer reflected just how much the game continues to evolve.

“We’re kind of reorganizing our baseball development group a little bit,” said Girsch. “The amount of data keeps increasing exponentially. It’s gone from your basic back of a baseball card, 10 or 15 years ago, to TrackMan, to StatCast, and beyond. The infrastructure that worked at one point doesn’t work anymore. When I started, everything was in Excel, on my laptop. That became nonviable pretty quickly, and now we’re moving beyond the servers we have, to other issues.”

Is keeping up more a matter of adding staff, or streamlining the process already in place? Girsch’s response reflected the fact that bigger fish — relative to the here and now — still needed to be fried. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s early in the offseason, but the Cubs look to be in pretty good shape for next year. Our Depth Charts currently have the team set to produce 41 WAR next season, which translates to around 85-90 wins. Even better for the Cubs, they are about six wins ahead of last year’s division-winning Cardinals and seven wins ahead of the Wild Card-winning Brewers. On paper, the Cubs have the best team in the division. That’s a pretty good spot to be in; the problem comes in trying to improve and win with the greatest core of players the franchise has produced in decades.

Over at The Athletic, Shahadev Sharma has a comprehensive look at the Cubs’ plans for the winter. The title gives a little away: “Cubs seem ready to make big moves, but don’t count on them spending big money.” Todd Ricketts’ comments on local radio station 670, The Score provides further insight:

But ultimately, now I think we can stop talking about windows. We should be consistent, and we should be looking toward building a division-winning team every year.

Theo Epstein sort of agrees. From Sharma’s piece:

“Next year is a priority,” Epstein said, before quickly looking ahead. “We have to balance it with the future. That’s probably more important now than it was even a year ago, because we’re now just two years away from a lot of our best players reaching their end of their period of club control with the Cubs. I think the goal is to do everything we can to win the World Series next year, but we also have to pay attention to the long term. Maximize this window while also putting in a lot of good work to open a new one as well.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Job Title: Amateur Scouting Analyst, Research & Development

Department: Baseball Operations

Role:
The Chicago Cubs are seeking an amateur scouting analyst to join the Research and Development group in Baseball Operations. This role will focus on providing data-driven support to the Chicago Cubs’ amateur scouting department in preparation for the Rule 4 draft, in addition to providing analytical evaluation of amateur prospects. The analyst will work closely with the entirety of the R&D department to develop methods to improve the effective understanding and application of data, and disseminate analytic insights throughout the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Research, develop, and test methods and models for the purpose of amateur player assessment and acquisition
• Effectively present analyses through the use of written reports and data visualization methods to communicate relevant findings
• Work with web development team to integrate new statistical analyses, models, and data visualizations into Cubs web applications
• Incorporate new analysis into existing data processes to improve automated reporting
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve data quality issues
• Conduct in-depth evaluations of amateur prospects
• Examine and leverage data streams from new technologies that offer innovative data solutions
• Represent the R&D department in amateur scouting discussions

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in an quantitative field such as statistics, engineering, applied math, physics, quantitative social sciences, computer science, operations research
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with SQL and at least one statistical programming language (e.g., C, Python, MATLAB, or R)
• Working knowledge of advanced baseball statistics
• Familiarity with advanced statistical modeling techniques
• Previous experience working in baseball, particularly with amateur drafts, strongly preferred

To Apply:
To apply, please complete the application, which can be found here.

Response Expectations:
Due to the overwhelming number of applications the Cubs receive, they unfortunately may not be able to respond in person to each applicant. However, they can assure you that you will receive an email confirmation when you apply as well as additional email notifications whether you are selected to move forward for the position or not. Please note, the Cubs keep all resumes on file and will contact you should they wish to schedule an interview with you.

The Chicago Cubs and its affiliates are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to inclusion and employing a diverse workforce. All applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, disability, or other legally protected characteristics.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Chicago Cubs.

Position: Development Coach (Full-Time/Seasonal)

Location: Cubs minor league affiliates

Role:
This role will work closely with Player Development, Research and Development, and the coaching staff at a minor-league affiliate. The role will focus on collecting data from technologies, and assisting the coaching staff in leveraging information to aid in player development. Successful candidates will have a strong interest in evidence-based coaching and development, the technical aptitude to acquire expertise with the technologies and the resulting data, and the communication skills to work effectively with player development personnel to improve development outcomes for players. This position is located at one of the Cubs affiliates (Des Moines, Iowa; Knoxville, TN; South Bend, IN; Myrtle Beach, FL; Eugene, OR; Mesa, AZ), and would require travel on all road trips during the season.

Responsibilities:

• Assist coaching staff with accessing information and video
• Setup, operate and maintain technologies at the affiliate
• Monitor data from technologies to ensure data quality
• Write reports summarizing trends in data for coaches, player development
• Assist coaching staff in making use of technologies, as guided by player development
• Travel with the team

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Aptitude for information technology
• Bachelor’s degree in an quantitative field preferred
• Experience with programming or scripting languages (e.g., C, Python, R, SQL) preferred
• Experience or strong interest in using baseball data to support coaching or skill development
• Knowledge of advanced baseball statistics preferred
• Fluency in Spanish preferred

To Apply:
To apply, please complete the application that can be found here.

Response Expectations:
Due to the overwhelming number of applications the Cubs receive, they unfortunately may not be able to respond in person to each applicant. However, the Cubs can assure you that you will receive an email confirmation when you apply as well as additional email notifications whether you are selected to move forward for the position or not. Please note, the Cubs keep all resumes on file and will contact you should they wish to schedule an interview with you.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Chicago Cubs.

Please note, this posting contains multiple positions.

Position: Biomechanics Analyst

Description:
The Chicago Cubs are seeking a biomechanics analyst to join the Research and Development group in Baseball Operations. This role will primarily focus on the analysis of motion-capture biomechanical data. The analyst will work closely with the player development and the R&D team to develop methods and improve the effective understanding of biomechanics and how they relate to player performance and injury prevention.

Responsibilities:

• Research, develop and test methods and models based on kinematic and biomechanical data for the purpose of player evaluation and injury risk assessment
• Coordinate usage and collection of data in the Cubs’ hitting and pitching labs
• Effectively present analyses through the use of written reports and data visualization to disseminate insights to members of baseball operations
• Collaborate with physical trainers and physiologists to implement evidence-based recommendations in areas of throwing mechanics and injury rehabilitation
• Collaborate with coaches and player development personnel to implement evidence-based recommendations in areas of pitch and swing mechanics
• Work with web development team to integrate new statistical analyses, models and data visualizations into Cubs web applications
• Identify, diagnose and resolve data quality issues

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field such as applied math, engineering, statistics, physics, neuroscience, biomechanics, physiology
• Experience with SQL
• Experience with programming languages (e.g., C, Python, or R)
• Working knowledge of motion-capture technologies, force plates, and biomechanics as they relate to baseball
• Passion for working with new motion tracking technologies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

To Apply:
To apply, please complete the application that can be found here.

Position: Analyst, Research & Development

Description:
The Chicago Cubs are seeking analysts to join the Research and Development group in Baseball Operations. This role will focus on conducting core research to further the knowledge-base of the Chicago Cubs. The analyst will work closely with the entirety of the R&D department to develop methods to process data, improve the effective understanding and application of data, and disseminate analytic insights throughout the organization. Analysts may focus their efforts towards collaborating with the Amateur Scouting, International Scouting, or Player Development departments as strengths dictate.

Responsibilities:

• Research, develop, and test methods and models for the purpose of player assessment, development, and acquisition, as well as the optimization of in-game strategy
• Effectively present analyses through the use of written reports and data visualization methods to communicate relevant findings
• Work with web development team to integrate new statistical analyses, models, and data visualizations into Cubs web applications
• Incorporate new analysis into existing data processes to improve automated reporting
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve data quality issues
• Conduct in-depth evaluations of amateur and professional prospects
• Handle data and analysis requests from the coaching staff and other departments within Baseball Operations
• Examine and leverage data streams from new technologies that offer innovative data solutions

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in an quantitative field such as statistics, engineering, applied math, physics, quantitative social sciences, computer science, operations research
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with SQL and at least one statistical programming language (e.g., C, Python, MATLAB, or R)
• Working knowledge of advanced baseball statistics
• Familiarity with advanced statistical modeling techniques
• Relevant experience working in baseball preferred

To Apply:
To apply, please complete the application that can be found here.

Response Expectations:
Due to the overwhelming number of applications the Cubs receive, they unfortunately may not be able to respond in person to each applicant. However, the Cubs can assure you that you will receive an email confirmation when you apply as well as additional email notifications whether you are selected to move forward for the position or not. Please note, the Cubs keep all resumes on file and will contact you should they wish to schedule an interview with you.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Chicago Cubs.

Two spring trainings ago I was at the Padres complex in Peoria, Arizona, chatting with Dave Cameron. The longtime FanGraphs frontman had recently joined the NL West club as an analyst, and he had a suggestion. “You should talk to Rowan Wick,” Cameron said of the non-roster invitee whom San Diego had claimed off waivers the previous month. “He’s a good story.”

Indeed he was. Wick entered pro ball as a catcher in 2012, converted to the mound in 2015, and possessed what was later described to me as “one of the shortest, quickest arms I’ve ever seen.” He’d had yet to throw a pitch in the big leagues.

I didn’t get a chance to talk to Wick before departing Arizona, but I remembered Cameron’s suggestion when I returned to the Cactus League this past spring. The right-hander — now with eight-and-a-third MLB innings on his resume — was in camp with the Cubs, a long shot to make the team. A full year after having the bug put in my ear, I wrote about the 26-year-old hurler from North Vancouver, British Columbia.

He proceeded to outperform all expectations. The bulk of his big-league action coming since mid-June, Wick logged a 2.43 ERA and a 2.82 FIP in 31 games out of the Chicago bullpen. Those weren’t even his most-impressive numbers. Opposing hitters slashed a paltry .183/.295/.233 against his overpowering arsenal — one which included a retooled secondary offering.

Wick pointed to just that when asked to explain his breakout campaign. Read the rest of this entry »

While eight teams remain in the postseason, seven who missed out are busy searching for their next skipper. On Thursday, the Mets’ Mickey Callaway joined the ranks of the unemployed, getting the axe after just two seasons at the helm. He’s the fourth manager fired since late September with at least a year remaining on his contract, after the Padres’ Andy Green, the Pirates’ Clint Hurdle, and the Angels’ Brad Ausmus. Meanwhile, two former World Series winners, the Giants’ Bruce Bochy and the Royals’ Ned Yost, have retired, and a third ex-champion, Joe Maddon, parted ways with the Cubs after his contract expired. At this writing, the fate of the Phillies’ Gabe Kapler still hangs in the balance.

What follows here is a roundup of each vacancy, including a list of reported candidates that may not be comprehensive, since all of this is attempting to hit several moving targets. I’ve attempted to distinguish them from those whose candidacies are merely speculative. The teams are listed in order of 2019 records.

Mets (86-76)

What happened: Callaway was hired by general manager Sandy Alderson, who took a leave of absence in mid-2018 due to a recurrence of cancer and decided not to return to the job. Former agent Brodie Van Wagenen was hired last November, and he made a series of splashy moves, many of which ultimately set the Mets back (particularly the trade of two former first-round picks for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz). The holdover manager did not mesh with an increasingly analytically inclined front office — at one point, Callaway boasted, “I bet 85% of our decisions go against the analytics,” a statement that stood out given his often glaring in-game mistakes, many centered around a bullpen that ranked among the league’s worst. Read the rest of this entry »

Joe Maddon has managed for 14 MLB seasons, and in nine of them his team has won 90 or more games. He captured a pennant in Tampa Bay, and most notably a World Series title with the Cubs. Four of his five years in Chicago have included October baseball.

Not this year: not after a September swoon that saw the Cubs lose nine straight down the stretch. Despite having a plus-106 run differential — by comparison, the playoff-bound Brewers and Cardinals are plus-one, and plus-93, respectively — Maddon’s club is heading home after today’s game.

The bespectacled and thoughtfully-loquacious denizen of Hazelton, PA was to meet with Theo Epstein last night, and not simply for a cold frosty. Speculation has been swirling about Maddon’s future — this is the final year of his contract — and in all likelihood there was some solemnity to the Saturday evening sit-down. It will come as a surprise if we don’t soon learn that the Joe Maddon era is over in Chicago.

Earlier this week Maddon was asked about having used the word “optimistic” when addressing his tenuous-at-best situation. His response suggested something other than an expected return engagement at the Friendly Confines. Read the rest of this entry »

Yu Darvish’s 2018 could hardly have gone any worse. Fresh off of signing a six-year, $126 million contract with the Cubs, he made just eight starts before triceps tendinitis and a stress reaction in his right elbow ended his season. The Cubs made the playoffs, but Darvish could only watch their maddening 13-inning loss to the Rockies and wonder what could have been.

When Darvish struggled to start 2019, the situation seemed to go from frustrating to dire. His first eight starts were horrendous, rife with walks and home runs. He had been one of the most exciting pitchers in all of baseball, all strikeouts and gadget pitches, a highlight waiting to happen. He’d been a thrilling rookie, a prized deadline acquisition, and a top-tier free agent. Was he now on the downswing of his career, adding expensive journeyman to his list of accomplishments?

As it turns out, he wasn’t. As Devan Fink chronicled, Darvish turned his walk problems around, going from the pitcher with the most walks in baseball to the pitcher with the least. Since a disastrous outing in early May where he walked six Marlins, he’s been the third-best pitcher in baseball by xFIP, fourth-best by strikeout rate, and in the top 15 in WAR. In the second half, he’s been even better than that, combining a 37.2% strikeout rate with a 2.2% walk rate. His ERA, FIP, and xFIP are all in the mid-twos.

This fully actualized version of Darvish is what his flashes of brilliance through the years had always hinted at. The bottomless arsenal of pitches — he picked up Craig Kimbrel’s knuckle curve in a week — made him a delight to watch, the strikeouts coming from every conceivable angle, fastball following cutter following curve. The Cubs were off to a hot start, 22-13 even after Darvish’s disastrous turn against the Marlins, and now they were adding one of the best pitchers in baseball.

But while Darvish returned to form, the Cubs backslid. The team has gone 60-61 since that date, falling from the top of the division to nearly eliminated from postseason play. Darvish has made 23 starts in that time, and the team has gone 9-14 in those games. Wins and losses are no measure of pitcher quality, but Darvish has gone 4-5 over that timeframe. Even in the second half of the season, when Darvish went full supernova, the team was only 6-6 in his starts heading into this past Sunday. Read the rest of this entry »

With a four-game sweep that took Chicago’s playoff odds from likely to long-shot, the Cardinals put the Cubs’ season in the trash like an uneaten commemorative cake. Due to the Cubs’ recent run of success, and the painful way the club lost four, one-run games at home (while holding the lead or being tied in the ninth inning in three of those games), their fall is the most-attention grabbing aspect of the series (and we’ll get to that). But the sweep was massive for the Cardinals in its own right. Look at the Cardinals’ odds to win the division in the second half:

While the Cardinals still have some work to do, the division title is very likely theirs after failing to make the playoffs the last three seasons. At the beginning of the series, the team had some ground to cover, with a 58% chance at the division. Losing the first game of the series likely would have taken those odds below 50%. Despite the Brewers winning four straight, the Cardinals were able to push their chances upward due to their three-game lead over Milwaukee with just six games to go, while also eliminating their rival from division contention. The series might be viewed as microcosm of the season for St. Louis. The Cardinals offense was typically inconsistent, scoring nine runs in one game, and just nine total runs in the other three. Jack Flaherty pitched fantastically, continuing his run as the NL’s best pitcher in the second half. The bullpen was solid despite multiple short starts from the rotation, and the defense played its part, turning seven double plays.

A year ago, the Cardinals played the role of the Cubs. After going 39-23 in the second half after firing Mike Matheny just before the All-Star Break, the Cardinals got their playoff odds up to 79.5% with series against the Brewers and Cubs to close the season. But the Brewers swept the Cardinals in St. Louis, dropping the team’s playoff odds down to 19.6%. When they dropped the opener to the Cubs, those odds fell under 1% and their season was essentially over in four games. Speaking of a season essentially ending after four tough games:

Read the rest of this entry »