Looking ahead with Jed Hoyer to the 2022 Chicago Cubs
By Bill Felber
Frank Schwindel
A waiver claim selected out of the Oakland system in mid-July, Schwindel inherited the first base position when Anthony Rizzo was traded and immediately blossomed. He’s batting in the .330s with 11 home runs – he hit his 11th Friday afternoon – and has an OPS above 1.000.
He’s also begun to establish a cult following on the North Side. Chicago Cubs fans quickly work themselves into a lather pf anticipation over ‘Frank the Tank,’ and rhapsodize about turning Chicago into the ‘Schwindy City.’
None of that necessarily counts when it comes to impressing the front office. But the consistency of Schwindel’s performance might. He’s hit safely in 10 of the Cubs’ last 12 games, driving in 15 runs over that span.
His strikeout rate – below 20 percent—is unusually low for a relatively inexperienced slugger.
Of course, Schwindel’s inexperience is partly an illusion; he’s 29 and has been a minor league fixture since 2012. In fact, his Major League numbers are significantly better than his minor league numbers.
The fact that Schwindel has built his reputation and his following on fewer than 150 plate appearances is a legit reason for concern. At the same time, his performance over the final two months has been steady enough that he appears worthy of taking a gamble on.
Here’s the bottom line: The Chicago Cubs should build their plans for 2022 around the idea that Schwindel is a keeper and a future regular at first base.