The Chicago Cubs have one remaining hope: small sample size

2019 Chicago Cubs: Underperformers

Second Base

Second base is a sensitive subject for the Chicago Cubs in 2019. They’re run through a lot of options, and they’ve almost all been disastrous in one area or another.

Addison Russell‘s easily the biggest long-term disappointment of the bunch. His off-field issues are well-documented, and it’s a handful to unpack. It’s easier and more apropos to look at his on-field performance.

With Javy Baez out, Russell was supposed to step in at shortstop before taking a fastball to the face. Regardless, Russell’s been a mess this season, mental gaffes, terrible body language, and defensive mistakes in key moments despite his usual competence in that area. If Nico Hoerner pops off tonight in his debut, Russell may not get many more chances.

With the stick, his .227/.303/.389 line is disappointingly similar to his performance last season. Bottom line, there’s no thump in his bat. And there are bad feelings all around. It’s hard to imagine Russell in a Cubs uniform next season – it’s hard to watch him in one this season.

Ben Zobrist, amazingly, had an even more bizarre season. He started the season completely devoid of power, then spent 3+ months on the restricted list because of his divorce from his wife. It’s hard to know exactly what that time away looked like for Zobrist, but he’s back now and performing about how he was before he left. His .020 ISO on the year pretty much says it all.

The Cubs signed Daniel Descalso to be a veteran voice in the clubhouse. He’s performed on the field about as well as you’d expect for someone signed to be a voice in the clubhouse. A bum ankle tarnished much of his season, but regardless of the cause, .180/.281/.261 over 186 plate appearances couldn’t be much worse. He hasn’t played for the Cardinals since 2014, and yet he’s still doing their dirty work.