Cubs Q&A: Should they replace hitting coach Anthony Iapoce? How much can they spend in the offseason?
The Tribune’s Mark Gonzales answers readers' questions about the status of Chicago Cubs hitting coach Anthony Iapoce and how much the team will be able to spend this offseason.
Should Anthony Iapoce be replaced? He has had two seasons, while Chili Davis had only one. — Jack G.
No. I’ve written for the last four seasons that the hitting problems aren’t the hitting coach’s fault and advocated that personnel changes should have been made after the 2018 season. 2020 represented a small sample size, but there are enough disturbing trends to require changes.
Iapoce was a special assistant in charge of the hitting program for three seasons before joining the Texas Rangers as their hitting coach in 2016. Many Cubs players were happy to see Iapoce return — some simply because they tuned out Davis.
A manager should be allowed to select his coaches, but hiring another hitting coach would be too much unless you commit to a complete overhaul that doesn’t mesh with Iapoce’s theme.
The Cubs did not conduct exit interviews immediately after the season so staffers could rejoin their families at home as soon as possible. Exit interviews will be conducted via Zoom calls soon, but don’t expect an immediate decision on any of the coaches.
Is there any certainty what projected team revenues will be in 2021 and how much the Cubs can spend? — Bobby T.
The Cubs have television revenues from Major League Baseball and the Marquee Sports Network. After that, there’s no way of telling what the ceiling will be because of the effects of COVID-19.
The team already has made preparations in the event attendance is capped at about 8,000 for 2021 home games. But that might be a best-case scenario — there’s no guarantee a vaccine for COVID-19 will be available by the start of next season.
And the franchise, according to Chairman Tom Ricketts, leans heavily on day-of-game spending.
For those skeptical of the income losses, about 100 Cubs employees lost their jobs because of COVID-19.
It’s a safe bet that any additions to the roster will occur via trade. We’re looking at an offseason in which any free-agent signings will be similar to last winter — players will be signed for $1 million or less.
You once reported about the organization having a virtual pitching simulator. It’s based on a pitching machine, but an operator could punch in the manner of any big-league pitcher. The manager, as well as Theo Epstein, admitted that almost every player in the lineup seemed unable to catch up to fastballs. Was this being used much? Were players attempting to improve their bat speed with it? — Dennis M.
I’m not sure how much access players had to equipment to prepare them for games and between at-bats because of COVID-19 restrictions. The Seattle Mariners' simulator is located behind their dugout, so I can’t see why they wouldn’t have been allowed to use it because players didn’t need to touch the equipment.
If the simulator wasn’t available, I would have resorted to one or both of these options:
Cheat on the fastball. I tweeted this suggestion around the second inning of Game 2 of the wild-card playoff game against the Miami Marlins.Former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly used to watch in amazement at how Marquis Grissom would look exclusively for fastballs during the later stages of his career.
Use a lighter bat. From Willie Mays to Giancarlo Stanton, this tactic has been used either to combat fatigue or have a better chance at hitting fastballs.
Who will benefit the most from the instructional league? — John V.
The following names stand out after a quick look at the roster Baseball America provided: pitchers Cory Abbott and Trevor Megill; catchers Ethan Hearn and Ronnier Quintero; infielders Ed Howard and Alfonso Rivas; and outfielders Nelson Velazquez and Jordan Nwogu.
Many of the Cubs' top pitching prospects, such as Brailyn Marquez and Ryan Jensen, received ample work this season at the South Bend, Ind., alternate site.
Since joining the organization as a second-round pick in 2017, Abbott has improved his slider immensely but could add a few ticks to his fastball. This will be a great experience for Howard and Nwogu, the Cubs’ first- and third-round picks, respectively, in the 2020 draft.
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