We're running down the top 19 questions surrounding the Cubs heading into Opening Day 2019.
Next up: How much will a renewed focus on vocal leadership help the Cubs?
Early on in Spring Training, Cubs' SS/2B/tag wizard Javy Baez made headlines with this quote:
"I think it's the little things," he said. "Last year, I didn't run full speed to first base and I would get back to the dugout and no one would say anything. This year, if I don't do it, someone will hopefully say something and it's not to show you up, it's to make our team better."
It's a noteable bite, but not exactly surprising; Joe Maddon has a history of publicly taking players to task over hustle issues - just ask Wilson Contreras (or Baez or Jorge Soler or BJ Upton or Delmon Young).
The Cubs undoubtedly struggled with accountability and communication last year. It was not the largest issue on their plate, (and it won't be this year) but the team had leadership issues that needed to be addressed.
The good news, at least, is that the Cubs are *more* than prepared to have someone step up. Jason Heyward proved that in 2016. Jon Lester was forged in the fire of fried chicken and beer. Anthony Rizzo's consistent excellence on and off the field commands a certain level of respect. That's not even mentioning Cole Hamels -- whose $20 million option would have been less of a no-brainer if not in some part for his leadership -- Ben Zobrist, and new addition Daniel Descalso. Their lineup on any given day is going to feature a half-dozen guys that other teams would love in leadership roles.
MLB
Veteran leadership is a hard thing to quantify. There's absolutely value in it - the term pro's pro is trite beyond belief, but it didn't show up out of thin air. With that said, for every pro's pro there's a Mike Matheny out there, deploying Bud Norris to spy on the rest of the clubhouse. Being a veteran doesn't make you a leader, and there's a certain danger in expecting anyone who's ever seen a playoff game speaking up at the first sign of trouble. If the wrong person -- and for the sake of this exercise let's give him some random name like Jonathan Papelbon -- takes discipline into his own hands, you end up on the floor of the dugout getting choked out.
Ultimately, the biggest motivator for "correct" behavior is winning. When you're winning you're having fun, and when you're having fun, admiring a double against the Reds in September maybe isn't a Capital Offense.
There's not going to be some overhaul in clubhouse vibe, though; a tight ship just isn't Joe Maddon's style. But as the Cubs' current window begins to start looking smaller, it stands to reason that the urgency to bust tail on every play would increase. The Cubs have what it takes to self-police a clubhouse - the bigger question is who's up to the task, and how they'll go about it.
The complete 19 for '19 series:
19. Who will be the Cubs' leadoff hitter?
18. Who's more likely to bounce back - Tyler Chatwood, Brian Duensing or Brandon Kintzler?
17. How different will Joe Maddon be in 2019?
16. Can Cubs keep off-field issues from being a distraction?
15. How can Cubs avoid a late-season fade again?
14. Is this the year young pitchers *finally* come up through the system to help in Chicago?
13. How much will Cubs be able to count on Brandon Morrow?
12. How does the Addison Russell situation shake out?
11. Will Willson Contreras fulfill his potential as the best catcher on the planet?
10. Will the offseason focus on leadership and accountability translate into the season?
9. Will payroll issues bleed into the season?
8. Will Javy Baez put up another MVP-caliber season?
7. Will Jon Lester and Cole Hamels win the battle against Father Time for another season?
6. What should we expect from Kris Bryant Revenge SZN?
5. Do the Cubs have enough in the bullpen?
4. What does Yu Darvish have in store for Year 2?
3. Are the Cubs the class of the NL Central?
2. Is the offense going to be significantly better in 2019?
1. How do the Cubs stay on-mission all year?