Cubs want Carl Edwards Jr. to focus on mental game in minor-league reset assignment

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MILWAUKEE — After allowing a backbreaking 2-run homer to Orlando Arcia Friday night, the Cubs had seen enough of Carl Edwards Jr. to know he wasn't right.

It looked like Edwards had seen enough, too, as his body language after the homer and walking off the mound looked as dejected as a professional athlete could possibly appear. 

Javy Baez went over to show Edwards his support and teammates and coaches had the pitcher's back in the dugout. But it was just the latest chapter in Edwards' recent struggles — serving up an opposite field shot to a light-hitting shortstop after his team had just scored 5 unanswered runs in an effort to erase an 8-0 deficit.

After that outing, the Cubs opted to send Edwards down to the minors, where they want him to hit the reset button mechanically and mentally.

"We felt like it just got to a point where he would really benefit from a big of a reset," Theo Epstein said Saturday evening. "He had a really good spring training, but he hasn't been right since the first appearance on. Just trying to make some mechanical changes.

"I think it'll benefit him fundamentally and then mentally also, just to get a break and rest and come up really focused on attacking hitters and throwing strikes. He doesn't look like himself. Hard time finding the zone early and they're just getting better swings off him than you typically see when he's himself."

The Cubs didn't want to keep Edwards in the big leagues and only utilize him in low-leverage situations, especially with the rest of the bullpen struggling. 

Edwards has been one of the Cubs' best relievers the last few years, showing flashes of elite production, but also occasionally a lack of command. He went through a really tough stretch during the Cubs' pennant chase last year, walking 12 batters in 7 September innings before winding up inactive for the NL Wild-Card Game.

Over the winter, he changed up his delivery to include a little toe-tap reminiscent of Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. Edwards used that delivery all spring before MLB told him it was illegal a few games into the 2019 regular season and he was forced to revert back to his old form.

The Cubs don't think the delivery change was a major part of the problem, but Joe Maddon also admitted it was tougher for Edwards to keep his mechanics in line while adding a bunch of moving parts. 

In reality, it doesn't matter what Edwards does with his body before he throws the ball — his issue was more between the ears than anything else.

"Once he really takes control of his mental game, he's gonna be as good as anybody," Epstein said. "I think he's working on it and I think he'll get there. Given the start he's gotten off to and it's tough environment for him to do that really quickly right now, so we're gonna give him a little bit of space and let him work it out down there."

Maddon wants to see Edwards work on his mental routine in between pitches and avoid overthinking things, nibbling with his pitches or fighting himself.

In spring training, Maddon was all for Edwards' new windup, but only because he just wanted the 27-year-old right-hander to do whatever made him feel comfortable and at ease. 

Edwards liked the progress he was making with the delivery changes and felt confident all throughout a strong camp. But once the lights went on and games began to count, he fell into familiar, bad habits.

"Back in South Carolina or in Mesa, you can do some different things and still have some success with it," Maddon said. "But when the bell rings, it's different. Your body's gotta be able to work how it normally works without being too unencumbered and I think he got away from that a little bit."

There's no telling how Edwards will be able to manage through those moments whenever he returns to the big leagues. Even during real action in the minor leagues, those games still don't hold the same level of importance as the MLB contests, so it may be difficult for Edwards to duplicate the same feeling of pressure and refine his mental approach.

Still, Edwards will at least be able to get some work in games that mean a whole lot more than Cactus League action and can get his mechanics back in line after overtinkering with that delivery.

This is the same practice the Cubs have shown with guys like Kyle Schwarber in 2017 and Ian Happ this spring — go down to Triple-A, get right mentally and mechanically and then come back up with the feeling of a fresh start.

As Epstein always says, development isn't linear. 

"We really love the guy," Maddon said. "He's done such great work for us. We gotta get him back, we gotta get him back right. I've been involved with a lot of good players that have had major-league success that eventually gets sent back and come back and are very good after that.

"... Once you get back and you settle in and you start seeing the benefits of it and you know in the back of your mind you're coming back, it's just a win-win for everybody. So it's not easy, but the part that's somewhat easier is knowing that it's good for him and it's gonna make a difference in his career and for us."

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