Kyle Hendricks. Jon Lester. Aroldis Chapman. Joe Maddon didn’t want anyone else to throw a single pitch during Game 7 of the World Series. Of course, it wouldn’t have been so Cub or quite as epic if everything went according to script against the Cleveland Indians.
The Cubs survived some questionable in-game decisions at Progressive Field and got through the 10th inning with a pitcher once drafted in a 48th round that no longer exists (Carl Edwards Jr.) and a guy who thought he might be playing in Japan this year (Mike Montgomery).
But the Cubs understand what might work through October and into early November isn’t sustainable. That’s why Theo Epstein’s front office finalized Koji Uehara’s one-year, $6 million contract on Wednesday, giving Maddon another option in front of new All-Star closer Wade Davis.
If seven-month seasons become the new normal in Wrigleyville, then the Cubs will have to plan accordingly.
“You try to make that the lens through which you view your personnel decisions,” Epstein said. “But it should be anyways, (because) it’s hard. I don’t think human beings were designed to play 162 baseball games in 183 days — and that will change a little bit with the CBA when we get an additional three or four off-days — but the more depth you have, the better.”
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The Cubs are working backwards from the ninth inning with Davis, who pitched in seven playoff rounds combined for the Kansas City Royals in 2014 and 2015 — and twice went on the disabled list with a flexor strain in his right forearm this year.
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The Cubs say Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop will be healthy and back in Maddon’s circle of trust in 2017.
Rondon is a Tommy John survivor who has saved 77 games across the last three years and shown flashes of being an elite closer. Strop has been credited with 84 holds — and made 232 appearances — since coming over from the Baltimore Orioles in the Jake Arrieta trade in the middle of the 2013 season.
Uehara has experience as a closer (93 career saves), in the playoffs (World Series champion with the 2013 Boston Red Sox) and a right-handed look that frustrates left-handed hitters (.183 batting average against). But the accomplished Japanese pitcher will also turn 42 the day after Opening Day.
The Cubs also know that beneath Maddon’s charms — and willingness to work with The Geek Department and explain his decisions to the media — is an aggressive manager who gives his starters a quick hook, pushes his relievers hard and wants to win every pitch.
The Cubs already built up one side of their organization with these ideas of versatility and flexibility in mind. Edwards showed enough as a rookie to make the Cubs think he could develop into a future closer or an Andrew Miller-type weapon.
“We really enjoyed the position-player depth we had last year,” Epstein said, “where we could rest guys and still put a great 1 through 8 out there. We could survive a quick DL stint. We could make in-game moves and still love the position players we had on the field.
“We’d love to get to that point with the bullpen this year, too, where we had that kind of depth, no matter who’s down on a given day. (So) if someone had an extended inning yesterday, or someone had to go up and down and get five outs yesterday, well, we’re down today.
“Instead of: ‘Oh, we might need this guy for a couple outs in the eighth inning.’ No, he’s down, because we’re thinking (big picture) and we want to keep them healthy.”
The Cubs now have a staff featuring three pitchers who’ve notched the last out in three of the last four World Series in Uehara (2013), Davis (2015) and Montgomery (who’s currently ticketed for the rotation).