If not Wade Davis, Cubs will need to find another closer with 'huge balls'

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article_body => "Imagine a Cubs bullpen without Wade Davis, working under the bright lights of the World Series, trying to contain an explosive Houston Astros offense with the roof closed at Minute Maid Park.<\/p>\nThat\u2019s a scary Halloween thought for a manager who got second-guessed throughout October, a front office philosophically opposed to big-money, long-term contracts for closers and a fan base that now expects to be watching playoff baseball every year at Wrigley Field.<\/p>\nBut the Cubs can\u2019t be the team they envision \u2014 winning between 88 and 100-plus games every season for the foreseeable future and putting another World Series flag next to the iconic center-field scoreboard \u2014 without Davis or another elite ninth-inning pitcher.<\/p>\n\u201cHe\u2019s got huge balls,\u201d Cubs president Theo Epstein said. \u201cNo moment\u2019s too big for him.\u201d<\/p>\nDavis \u2014 who seemed to purposely avoid talking about The Streak when he set a franchise record by converting his first 32 save chances in a Cubs uniform \u2014 is about as low-maintenance and drama-free as an All-Star closer gets.<\/p>\nYou might not remember any of those regular-season saves or his Wrigley Field warm-up music (Dr. Dre\u2019s \u201cAckrite\u201d). But Davis made a lasting playoff impression with his epic elimination-game save against the Washington Nationals (seven outs, 44 pitches) and gutsy Game 4 performance in the National League Championship Series (six outs, 48 pitches).<\/p>\n\u201cHe wants the ball,\u201d Epstein said. \u201cAnd he can get good hitters out, because he\u2019s got stuff that when he executes it, it\u2019s just about impossible to square up.\u201d<\/p>\nIf getting dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in that NLCS was an eye-opening experience \u2014 their relievers faced 58 hitters and gave up four hits and allowed zero runs in 17 innings \u2014 then the World Series should be another reminder of how much work the Cubs have to do to get back there.<\/p>\nWhile the Astros have so far been able to outhit their very shaky bullpen, Los Angeles is one loss away from a World Series failure because its relievers headed into Tuesday night\u2019s must-win Game 6 at Dodger Stadium with a 5.32 ERA (15 total runs allowed in 23.2 innings).<\/p>\nOutside of Pedro Strop for an at-bat or two \u2014 and maybe Carl Edwards Jr. if he\u2019s on that night or lefty Mike Montgomery in the right matchup \u2014 is there anyone on the Cubs roster now that you would trust to face George Springer, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in a one-run game?<\/p>\nAnother October with a hyper-focus on the bullpen means Davis will get paid as a free agent, the year after a record-setting winter for closers, though even he doesn\u2019t seem to think that Aroldis Chapman\u2019s five-year, $86 million megadeal with the New York Yankees is a realistic target.<\/p>\nBut it\u2019s also not realistic to think that the Cubs can take a mix-and-match approach with the ninth inning or hope an internal candidate can grow into the high-pressure job in 2018. Elite closers have an outsized influence on the contending teams the Cubs expect to be between here and 2021.<\/p>\n\u201cWhat they\u2019ve proven is \u2014 when you\u2019re on the verge of extinction \u2014 how valuable they are,\u201d Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. \u201cBecause not everybody can handle those moments. Aroldis was able to dominate. I can\u2019t tell you necessarily that Wade has dominated, but Wade knows how to pitch to the point where he\u2019s going to get both righties and lefties out, based on his pitch-ability.<\/p>\n\u201cChappy was more of this blunt object. He just could overpower people, but he could do it often. There are certain guys when you get really back to the wall ... there\u2019s not many of them, but those that are out there are really, really valuable.\u201d<\/p>\nMaybe the Cubs have valid concerns about a pitcher who recently turned 32 and spent parts of the 2016 season on the disabled list with a forearm strain and a flexor strain. There could be bigger needs \u2014  like replacing 40 percent of the rotation \u2014  and multiple holes to fill in the bullpen. But Davis went above and beyond what the Cubs could have hoped for when they traded Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals during last year\u2019s winter meetings.<\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019d love to have Wade Davis back,\u201d Epstein said during his year-end Wrigley Field press conference. \u201cWe all know it\u2019s more complicated that that. Wanting doesn\u2019t mean having. And it\u2019s a complicated landscape in the offseason.\u201d<\/p>\n"
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Cubs

Presented By Mooney

Cubs

Imagine a Cubs bullpen without Wade Davis, working under the bright lights of the World Series, trying to contain an explosive Houston Astros offense with the roof closed at Minute Maid Park.

That’s a scary Halloween thought for a manager who got second-guessed throughout October, a front office philosophically opposed to big-money, long-term contracts for closers and a fan base that now expects to be watching playoff baseball every year at Wrigley Field.

But the Cubs can’t be the team they envision — winning between 88 and 100-plus games every season for the foreseeable future and putting another World Series flag next to the iconic center-field scoreboard — without Davis or another elite ninth-inning pitcher.

“He’s got huge balls,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said. “No moment’s too big for him.”

Davis — who seemed to purposely avoid talking about The Streak when he set a franchise record by converting his first 32 save chances in a Cubs uniform — is about as low-maintenance and drama-free as an All-Star closer gets.

You might not remember any of those regular-season saves or his Wrigley Field warm-up music (Dr. Dre’s “Ackrite”). But Davis made a lasting playoff impression with his epic elimination-game save against the Washington Nationals (seven outs, 44 pitches) and gutsy Game 4 performance in the National League Championship Series (six outs, 48 pitches).

“He wants the ball,” Epstein said. “And he can get good hitters out, because he’s got stuff that when he executes it, it’s just about impossible to square up.”

If getting dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in that NLCS was an eye-opening experience — their relievers faced 58 hitters and gave up four hits and allowed zero runs in 17 innings — then the World Series should be another reminder of how much work the Cubs have to do to get back there.

While the Astros have so far been able to outhit their very shaky bullpen, Los Angeles is one loss away from a World Series failure because its relievers headed into Tuesday night’s must-win Game 6 at Dodger Stadium with a 5.32 ERA (15 total runs allowed in 23.2 innings).

Outside of Pedro Strop for an at-bat or two — and maybe Carl Edwards Jr. if he’s on that night or lefty Mike Montgomery in the right matchup — is there anyone on the Cubs roster now that you would trust to face George Springer, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in a one-run game?

Another October with a hyper-focus on the bullpen means Davis will get paid as a free agent, the year after a record-setting winter for closers, though even he doesn’t seem to think that Aroldis Chapman’s five-year, $86 million megadeal with the New York Yankees is a realistic target.

But it’s also not realistic to think that the Cubs can take a mix-and-match approach with the ninth inning or hope an internal candidate can grow into the high-pressure job in 2018. Elite closers have an outsized influence on the contending teams the Cubs expect to be between here and 2021.

“What they’ve proven is — when you’re on the verge of extinction — how valuable they are,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Because not everybody can handle those moments. Aroldis was able to dominate. I can’t tell you necessarily that Wade has dominated, but Wade knows how to pitch to the point where he’s going to get both righties and lefties out, based on his pitch-ability.

“Chappy was more of this blunt object. He just could overpower people, but he could do it often. There are certain guys when you get really back to the wall ... there’s not many of them, but those that are out there are really, really valuable.”

Maybe the Cubs have valid concerns about a pitcher who recently turned 32 and spent parts of the 2016 season on the disabled list with a forearm strain and a flexor strain. There could be bigger needs — like replacing 40 percent of the rotation — and multiple holes to fill in the bullpen. But Davis went above and beyond what the Cubs could have hoped for when they traded Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals during last year’s winter meetings.

“We’d love to have Wade Davis back,” Epstein said during his year-end Wrigley Field press conference. “We all know it’s more complicated that that. Wanting doesn’t mean having. And it’s a complicated landscape in the offseason.”