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The Cubs didn’t make any big additions in free agency or via trades this offseason, but if you’re the extremely optimistic fan then you can point to the manager change as a reason to hope for improvement in 2020.
There’s no doubt that Joe Maddon did great things for the Cubs and was the perfect manager to lead the young core at the start of his tenure in Chicago. However, what worked in 2015 and 2016, wasn’t working anymore and there was an obvious disconnect between the manager and the players.
It’s not just Javier Báez calling himself out and other teammates on not always being ready during the 2019 season or Theo Epstein saying the clubhouse had lost accountability, as Kyle Hendricks has joined the chorus of Cubs players singing the praises of David Ross and what he’s bringing to the table.
Via The Athletic.
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Hendricks is always polite and thoughtful around reporters and never inflammatory with his comments, which made this such an eye-opening quote.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for, that’s what we’ve needed, is one unifying voice,” Hendricks said. “Someone that’s going to say what needs to be said, keep the accountability around here. And it’s clear as day already that Rossy’s doing that. I think that’s why there’s so much excitement this early in camp.”
“We head out to the field and we just want to kill all the work that we have that day and get better. Instead of just kind of getting ready. Not that it (was) going through the motions, but it’s different than just going out there and getting ready and getting prepared for your first game. It’s taking advantage of every rep out there and focusing on every detail because that’s what’s going to make the difference at the end.”
So yeah, you hope that the players respond in a positive way to their new manager and how Ross will do things. Meanwhile, it’s obvious that Maddon wasn’t going to change his ways no matter how complacent the Cubs were getting.
As for the Cubs, Ross met with the entire team Monday morning and Kris Bryant was ready to run through a wall for his new skipper.
Báez was asked about contract extension talks on Sunday.
Obviously he wants something done soon and you’d think the Cubs would also want to agree on a long-term extension before 2021. We’ve seen reports all offseason long about both sides negotiating an extension. Fingers crossed that it gets done before Opening Day.
In other notes, the Cubs Marquee Sports Network landed a deal with Hulu.
For DiecTV users, Marquee will be on channel 664.
Marquee launches this Saturday, when the Cubs start spring training play against the A’s. Although there’s not a deal in place with Comcast or YouTube TV yet, Crane Kenney is saying the ball is in their court.
Yu Darvish thinks the Astros should be stripped of their 2017 World Series.
And Nolan Arenado seems really happy about being in Cubs trade rumors.
