Dale Sveum is likely to become the second most hated man in Cubs Nation, trailing only Theo Epstein. With all of the hype surrounding the offseason of Epstein, a thick layer of naive fans will be expecting nothing less than a National League Central division title and fast. They shouldn't hold their collective breath.
Both Epstein and Sveum, as well as Jason Mcleod, Joe Boehringer, and Jed Hoyer, knew when they signed in Chicago that pulling the Cubs from the bottom of the division would be no easy task. As has been reinforced over and over again in the last several months, the Cubs best approach is to build through the draft, and develop talent down on the farm. Obviously this is easier said than done, though a presentation at the Cubs Convention by scouting directors Mcleod, Boehringer, Tim Wilken, and Oneri Fleita left fans with a feeling of sheer excitement.
Most of the Cubs current farm system was built by the Jim Hendry administration. Large potential prospects such as Brett Jackson, Junior Lake, and Josh Vitters have all made a splash at the minor league level. It is no secret that Hendry had his share of bad drafts, such as in 2006. Not a single Cubs selection from that year has made a major league appearance. Rebuilding must start at the roots, which in sports is drafting. Wilken and Fleita are remaining from Hendry's reign due to their past success, but with Mcleod and Boehringer now in town, the power will likely be more divided.
Drafting in sports is a professional crapshoot. People are paid to closely monitor young players as they compete in high school and college level baseball. They study every component, from the arm delivery to when they show up to the ballpark. Based off of these mechanics, scouts have to decide whether the franchise should invest heaps of money in the player. Even the best scouts have missed on their share of prospects. For that reason, trading for already established prospects is a slightly safer practice. Welcome to Chicago, Anthony Rizzo.
Rizzo has drawn comparisons to Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. Light tower power, along with solid defense, as well as fundamentals. Rizzo has appeared to be nearly a sure thing since being drafted by Mcleod in Boston in 2007. Even a top prospect like Rizzo, though, can prove everyone wrong. In limited appearances last year, Rizzo managed a .128 batting average. This is not to say that Rizzo will be a bust by any means, but it certainly raises eyebrows in the baseball community.
Rizzo and Jackson will both see time at the major league level this year, hopefully within the first several months of the season. Other prospects, such as Vitters, Lake, Javier Baez and Matt Szczur should all see time within the next several years.
By 2014, the Cubs should have the combination of youth and talent that other teams envy. The only question now is can the Cubs attract an ace pitcher or two to dominate the weak central division?
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